Structural trends in agriculture and preservation of family farms

The characteristics and role of the family farm have profoundly influenced the quality of human ecology. Considerable debate exists about the role of the family farm in the United States. This article attempts to clarify aspects of this debate by: (a) examining various definitions of the family farm and the conclusions that flow from these definitions, (b) presenting results of a structural analysis of American agriculture to better understand the origins of the debate and the relationship between people and agriculture, and (c) discussing the relevancy of some data and concepts used in evaluating the consequences of the structure of the agricultural sector.