posted on: Wednesday, September 05, 2007

America’s celebrated “small family farm” more of a rarity these days…

Grant Wood probably had no idea how ingrained into American culture his iconic painting “American Gothic” would become. But the painting’s stoic farmer standing alongside his daughter, his pitchfork gripped in hand, has signaled the self-reliance and hard work of rural America since the 1930s. In 2007, however, America’s romanticized family farm image needs a major upgrade.

Sure, agriculture continues to be an integral part of the rural economy. But only a small percentage of rural populations actually work in agriculture. According to Rural Philanthropy, “less than five percent of non-metro residents” work in agriculture-related sectors. As for small family farms, although they comprise 90 percent of the farms in America, they account for only “25 percent of farm production.”

So what does all this mean? For one, the workplace is diversifying such areas. But populations also are shifting because of increased out-migration, replaced in part by new immigrants. Consequently, rural advocates must stress to foundations, especially those located in more urban centers, to revise their preconceptions about rural America. Doing so may help grantmakers become more responsive to the evolving needs of America’s rural landscape.

What are some of the issues that rural nonprofits face with corporate farms overtaking the production capacity of family farms? How do population shifts in numbers and composition shape the needs of rural communities?

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