A rationale for the support of the medium-sized family farm

The current financial stress in the countryside and the future of the family farm are likely to be major issues in the formulation of the 1990 Farm Bill. Medium-sized commercial family farms may be especially targeted for support. These farms are the basis of rural economies and settlement patterns in many parts of nonmetropolitan America.Two possible changes in farm policy are debt restructuring and the decoupling of farm payments from commodity production. Many medium-sized family farms continue to face substantial debt problems, but most of these farms could be viable with some debt restructuring. Ccmmodity programs have become extremely expensive and encourage overproduction and the consolidation of farming resources into ever larger units. Federal farm programs may become based on need, with a sensitivity to differences in regional farming systems. Such a policy could support medium-sized family farms, slow the growth in superfarms, reduce surpluses, and reduce the overall cost of farm programs.     

Values and policy conflict in West German agriculture

Family farming became a major social force in the Federal Republic following World War II. Several political, economic and social factors facilitated the development of a unified political representation within the farm sector. The German Farmers Union (Deutscher Bauernverband) became the main representative of the farm sector. Its platform included the preservation of family farms and it attempted to realize this goal through the promotion of commodity price support policies. Political support for these programs was legitimized with the elaboration of a system of values espousing the positive qualities of family farms. Price support policies were opposed by free market advocates with an alternative system of values that fundamentally contradicted those of family farm advocates. Although commodity price supports promoted by partisans of family farming dominated agricultural policy formation in the 1950s and 1960s, fiscal crisis in the EEC and economic differentation within the farm sector began to undermine the position of family farming as a social force. But economic stagnation also prevented the free market position from gaining dominance. Economic differentiation within the farm sector has had an important regional dimension, and this has served as a basis for policy compromise. Economic changes over the post-WWII period have undermined the family farm as a social force. Nevertheless, values associated with family farming continue to have a place in agricultural policy. However, family farming is valued less as an end in itself, and more as a means to the realization of more practical ends such as the preservation of rural landscapes for recreational purposes.     

广西家庭农场发展现状及对策分析

【目的】调查分析广西家庭农场发展现状,为进一步推进广西家庭农场有序发展提供参考。【方法】以文献调查、问卷调查及重点调查相结合的方式,对广西家庭农场总体发展、区域发展及管理规范制度等情况进行调研,分析制约其发展的内、外部影响因素,并提出广西家庭农场的发展方向和重点及对策建议。【结果】广西家庭农场以种植业、小规模经营为主,数量呈飞跃式发展,土地大户逐年增加,经营总收入明显增长,财政扶持力度逐年加大;家庭农场在农业经济条件较好的西江流域及北部湾区域发展普遍较好;广西各地家庭农场的认定标准和登记程序制定以县级为主导,各地针对家庭农场的扶持政策仍较少。制约广西家庭农场发展的外部因素包括城镇化进程推进缓慢、农村土地制度亟待创新、农村金融服务滞后、农业社会化服务体系仍需完善等;内部制约因素包括农场自我积累不足、自我发展能力有限、农场主素质较低、基础设施薄弱等。【建议】基于广西城镇化水平较低、农业从业人员众多的实际情况,未来相当长时期内广西家庭农场将以中小型(经营规模为3.33~13.33 ha)家庭农场为主,重点应提高家庭农场内部和外部的组织化程度,因地制宜推进集约化规模生产,利用现代生产要素增强发展能力,大力培育家庭农场农产品品牌,拓宽家庭农场农产品销售渠道。为此,应尽快完善家庭农场管理制度,加快土地流转制度创新,提升农场主的综合素质,加快构建新型社会化服务体系,实施促进家庭农场发展的政策。     

The rural crisis in Minnesota: Identifying social and economic vulnerability and new directions for the future

The rural crisis of the 1980s is described in terms of the economic and social vulnerability of rural farm areas. The crisis is shown spreading from farms through families to rural communities, schools, churches, counties and beyond. Rural communities are shown to be undergoing dramatic and non-cyclical change. Criteria are defined to identify rural counties vulnerable to further economic losses and include: dependence on agriculture for jobs, inadequate off farm income, population losses, declines in residential and commercial property value, and county fiscal crises due to loss of the tax base, delinquincies, and additional federal and state program changes and cutbacks. Social and economic distress are so extensive as to overwhelm conventional emergency intervention efforts to provide food, shelter, access to health care, and professional counseling. Peer support programs have been found to be effective at reaching farm families and helping them seek out the assistance of farm financial advisors, counselors, food shelves, and public assistance. Emerging attempts to link politically contending parties are discussed, specifically the Reinvest in Minnesota Coalition and the Rural Strategy Task Force consisting of major farm, church, and lending organizations. A strategy process and stakeholder analysis for local communities are presented together with recommendations for action that include creating a rural trend watch capability.     

Agricultural debt restructuring,accounting, and public policy: A study of the Farmers Home Administration

Federal credit policies toward agriculture reflect the human values of maintaining the farm production sector largely as an industry characterized by small-scale, family farms. The Farmers Home Administration has implemented various credit programs designed to carry out this policy objective. As a result of the prolonged financial crisis in the farm economy, the agricultural community is becoming more aware of the controversies surrounding the mission of FmHA and its debt restructuring program. This paper discusses the debt restructuring program administered by the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA), as authorized by the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987, and amended by the recently enacted Farm Bill of 1990. It discusses the key provisions of the Agricultural Credit Act authorizing FmHA to establish a debt restructuring and debt forgiveness program aimed at achieving the public policy objective of keeping financially stressed farmers in business, whenever possible.In the course of reviewing the restructuring program, FmHA officials and congressional committees reviewed the FmHA's mission and its program implementation. This review indicated that several unintended negative consequences resulted from several abuses stemming from inadequate administrative mechanisms and controls and conflicting legislative objectives of debt forgiveness and federal tax policy. In enacting the 1990 Farm Bill, Congress sought to reorient FmHA's mission to a temporary source of credit and to eliminate various abuses associated with the implementation of FmHA's debt restructuring program. The 1990 Farm Bill reflects an effort by Congress to address some the controversies surrounding federal credit policies toward agriculture. Although Congress placed limits on debt restructuring, the overall public policy objective of maintaining a family-farm posture in the agricultural sector continues to be an important social value.     

我国发展家庭农场的现状和问题及政策建议

本文分析了当前我国家庭农场的发展现状,即家庭农场呈现出经营规模差异较大、经营效益较好、发展速度较快等特征,其发展面临着中央和地方政府高度重视、农民有强烈愿望发展家庭农场等大好机遇,但也面临着家庭农场经营主体缺失、资金短缺等严峻的挑战。总结了国外发达国家发展家庭农场的做法与经验及启示,结合我国农业发展的实践,提出了要明确确定土地权属关系、着力构建新型家庭农场经营主体培育机制、加强家庭农场金融扶持政策创新、加快完善新型农业社会化服务体系、发展适度规模经营家庭农场等政策建议,以期为实现家庭农场持续快速健康发展提供基础支撑和良好环境。     

农民家庭经营纯收入影响因素分析：基于岭回归的实证研究

研究农民收入问题对“三农”问题的解决具有重要意义。本文以1985-2005年农村居民家庭经营纯收入数据作为研究对象,通过岭回归分析影响家庭经营纯收入的因素,研究结果表明．年末农用机械总动力与农民经营性收入呈负相关关系;国家财政农业支出、农村集体单位引定资产投资、农村居民个人固定资产投资、有效灌溉面积、化肥施川量与农民经营性收入呈正相关父系：其中农作物播种面积是影响农民家庭经营纯收入的最主要因素。     

我国家庭农场发展的问题及对策浅析

中国作为一个农业大国,农业始终是国民经济和社会发展的根本.家庭农场是立足于我国农村耕作的现实情况,顺应现代农业经营发展趋势的一种新型农业生产方式.通过梳理我国家庭农场发展历程,指出家庭农场发展中的土地流转、农村金融、社会化服务体系、农场主文化素质等主要问题,提出规范土地流转机制、深化农村金融改革、加快完善政策性农业保险、健全社会化服务体系、提高家庭农场主综合素质等对策建议.     

西部贫困山区农村家庭经济发展模式研究——以陕西商洛地区为例

以陕西省商洛地区农村为例,采用实地调查和问卷分析相结合的方法,对农村家庭经济在退耕还林前后的变化以及目前存在的主要问题进行了分析。研究结果表明:退耕还林以来,农村家庭收入有所增长,家庭主要收入来源由以种植业为主变为以外出打工收入为主;家庭生产经营仍然是分散的个体方式,市场率和生产效益较低;传统的副业生产多为零散经营;山区农村家庭经济发展面临的问题具有普遍性。最后,从当地贫困山区自然环境资源和经济社会发展条件的实际出发,提出了几种农村家庭经济发展模式。     

中国粮食作物家庭农场适度规模的比较研究

推进家庭农场适度规模经营是发展现代农业、建设社会主义新农村的必然趋势。选取粮食作物家庭农场为研究对象,对我国粮食作物家庭农场适度规模相关文献进行归纳与总结,主要针对粮食作物家庭农场的适度规模进行了比较,提出需确保粮食作物家庭收入达到当地城镇居民收入水平;种植水稻家庭农场的适度规模,应该约为10 hm~2,小麦的适度规模约为30 hm~2,无法达到规模的地区,应考虑种养结合、或者不同农作物的轮作和套种来实现适度规模经营;地理位置较偏远的山区,可考虑发展种植经济作物的家庭农场和农业合作社,利用合作社的优势为家庭农场的发展提供产业链服务,以期为我国的农业生产实践提供指导建议。     

A history of black farm operators in Maryland

Since the turn of the century, the number of small-scale farmers in the U.S. and farmlands they owned have declined very sharply (structural change). Although the decrease in number is generally true for both white and Black farm operators, it has been more significant for Blackfarm operators than whites. The declining trend in the number of Blackfarm operators in the country is derived from individual state experiences that resulted from a combination of various political and economic factors. Using the census of agriculture data from 1900 to 1987, this paper gives a brief historical overview of Black farm operators in Maryland. The census data for the study period shows that at their peak number in 1910, there were 6,382 Blackfarmers in the state of Maryland. However, by 1987, only 371 of that number remained, representing a loss of 94 percent since 1910. According to the 1987 census data almost all Black operated farms in Maryland were not only small-scale but also in the lower sales class, less than $20,000 a year. Their household net family income is below that of non-metropolitan median household income. This concentration of Blacks in the lower economic class of farm operators in the state, for the most part, is closely related to their resource endowments, patterns of tenure, type of farm enterprises, and government farm programs and policies. On the average, Blackfarmers in Maryland have less land, capital and management skills than their white counterparts. Government policies and programs had, and continue to have, a devastating effect on Maryland Black farmers because they were tied to productive resources rather than farm income needs. Under conditions of low income, years of neglect by federal and state programs and policies, and limited resources Blackfarmers were unable to adopt capital intensive production practices and expand their farm operations. This resulted in most of them leaving agriculture, in the past and today, at a faster rate than whites. To avert or at least lessen the unfortunate situation of Black farm operators, projections and possible solutions are offered. This includes how the 1890 Land-Grant institutions because of their tradition, expertise and experience of research, teaching and outreach can take the leadership role in shaping the future direction of these farmers and their operations.Trained in agricultural economics, Ejigou Demissie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. His teaching areas include agricultural policy, farm business management, and agricultural marketing. Research interests center on small-scale agriculture and rural development. His recent book published by Westview Press is titledSmall-Scale Agriculture in America: Race, Economics, and the Future.     

美国家庭农场CSA经营模式研究

美国约有200万个农场,80%以上的农场是小规模家庭农场,商业农场约占其中的40%。过去的25年,很多较不依赖非农收入的小规模商业农场通过运营CSA这样一种替代市场机制,结合农夫市集及农业旅游业的发展,实现了农场在经济、生态及社会层面的可持续发展。本文总结了美国家庭农场CSA项目的发展概况及其运营模式,对我国CSA的发展能提供一定参考价值与启示。     

家庭农场增收机理与实现路径--基于四川省遂宁市的调查分析

对家庭农场的概念给出了清晰的定义,对家庭农场经营模式区别于传统小农户经营模式的典型特征进行剖析。从规模化、集约化、专业化、市场化以及政策扶持5个方面对家庭农场助农增收机理进行了理论分析,并运用四川省遂宁市的大量成功与失败案例进行佐证。指出遂宁市和全国在上述5个方面存在的不足,相应地提出了推进适度规模经营、提高集约化经营水平、实行专业化经营、提高农场主素质和经营管理水平、强化金融服务等家庭农场助农增收的路径与对策。     

贫困农户小额信贷获取的决定因素分析

在摆脱贫困发展经济的过程中,资金起着十分重要的作用。与财政投资和社会捐赠等相比,信贷则是一种最为适合农村特别是贫困农户摆脱贫困、扩大生产的资金来源。在我国,小额信贷已经得到推广,但是贫困农户获取小额信贷的需求与供给不平衡现象严重。该研究基于在湖北省农村的问卷调研数据,运用离散选择模型,实证研究了贫困农户小额信贷获取的决定因素。结果表明,家庭收入、自营职业和官方地位是农户获得小额信贷的3大影响因素。偿还能力和获得小额信贷之间密切相关,说明提高农户的债务偿还能力有助于他们获得小额信贷。     

广东家庭农场发展现状、问题与对策建议——基于湛江和梅州两地的实地调查

家庭农场是现阶段中国新型农业经营主体,它代表着未来中国农业发展的方向。本文通过对广东湛江和梅州两地的实地调研,发现广东家庭农场的发展普遍呈现出三个特点,即概念界定模糊,名称多样;流转山地多,水田少;单一种植少,种养结合多。家庭农场发展主要面临三个难题,即土地流转难、资金周转难和用工难。针对出现的这些问题,进而提出在全省制定扶持和培育家庭农场的政策文件、建立健全的土地流转机制、制定金融部门支持家庭农场发展的政策和建立完善的农业服务体系等对策建议。     

当前家庭农场的发展现状与对策

对当前家庭农场的发展现状及存在的问题进行了深入分析,认为家庭农场是今后商品农产品特别是粮食作物农产品的主要提供者,将在构建新型农业经营体系中占据重要位置。发展家庭农场,应加大政策扶持力度,建立健全激励与退出约束机制,加快农业社会化服务体系建设,加强农业人才培养,做好政策统筹协调,推动家庭农场又好又快发展。     

建立新型农业规模经营主体面临的问题及其对策研究——以福建发展家庭农场为例

家庭农场是新型农业规模经营主体,通过适度规模经营,以信息化、集约化、机械化、商品化促进农业增效、农民增收。对福建发展家庭农场的状况进行调研后,笔者叙述了家庭农场对农民增收致富产生的显著作用,并分析了发展家庭农场面临的困难和问题,提出了完善土地流转,解决农民的后顾之忧;尊重农民的意愿,确保发展家庭农场的质量;因地制宜,选择适度规模经营;提升综合实力,确保家庭农场健康发展;种养结合,保障国家粮食安全的对策与建议。     

基于小农户制现状探索家庭农场制及其规模

现代化规模农业是我国农业的发展方向,结合以家庭为经营单位的土地制度,发展适度规模的家庭农场是切实可行的.安徽金安区的调查数据显示农业劳动力的人均农业收入随土地规模的增大而增加,但随耕地平均经营规模的增加每公顷产值呈递减趋势.从农村发展情况看,实行家庭农场经营的主客观条件已经基本具备.运用模型计算出该区合理的家庭农场规模为8.40 hm2,达到此规模金安区将有90.44％的农业劳动力需要从种植业上转移.     

家庭农场测土配方施肥技术采纳行为及收入效应研究

测土配方施肥技术不仅有利于减少化肥的施用,还有利于控制农业面源污染,促进农民节支增收,是实现农业可持续发展的重要方式。基于理性小农理论,利用东北地区种植型家庭农场调查数据,运用内生转换模型,分析影响家庭农场采纳测土配方施肥技术的行为因素,探究测土配方施肥技术对家庭农场农业收入效应的影响。结果表明,东北地区家庭农场测土配方施肥技术采纳率仅为44.62%,采纳率偏低。年龄对该技术采纳呈现负向影响,受教育程度、农业技术培训、风险偏好、经营规模、土地流转期限和示范农场显著正向影响家庭农场对该技术的选择;受教育程度越高、接受过农业技术培训、风险偏好和示范农场对采纳该技术的家庭农场增收效果显著,经营规模大的家庭农场其采纳测土配方施肥技术收入提升效果最好。研究表明,测土配方施肥技术具有明显正向收入效应,能够显著提高家庭农场农业收入。因此,提出加快健全测土配方施肥技术推广机制,提升家庭农场主的人力资本水平,逐步改善测土配方施肥技术应用的约束条件,完善风险补偿机制,提倡家庭农场适度规模经营等政策建议。     

利益平衡视角下家庭农场共生网络组织体系的构建

[目的/意义]家庭农场作为一种新型的农业经营主体,是实施乡村振兴战略的重要路径,通过探索家庭农场产业链经营主体的创新发展,构建家庭农场共生网络组织体系,从而实现家庭农场产业链上主体的利益均衡,助推乡村振兴战略.[方法/过程]运用文献研究和定性研究的方法,在深入分析国内外家庭农场研究现状的基础上,从利益平衡的视角,以共生...