FAMILY FARMS

Picture a landscape dotted with small farms—fields of diverse crops, pastures where animals roam freely, and farmers who know their land like an old friend. This isn’t a nostalgic relic of the past; it’s the foundation of a sustainable food system. Family farms do more than produce food—they preserve culture, protect the environment, and strengthen local economies. Yet they are under siege from corporate agribusiness, industrial farming, and policies that favor profit over people and the planet.

Globally, family farms produce about 80% of the world’s food, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Despite this, they are disappearing at an alarming rate. In the U.S., over 200,000 small farms have shut down since the 1990s, largely due to corporate consolidation, rising land prices, and unfair trade policies.

Industrial agriculture—monocultures, heavy chemical use, and factory farming—has transformed food production into a mechanized, profit-driven process. Multinational corporations control everything from seeds to supermarkets, squeezing out family farmers. Companies like Bayer-Monsanto and Cargill dominate seed distribution and agricultural chemicals, leaving small farms dependent on costly inputs and vulnerable to market fluctuations.

Monocultures—the planting of a single crop over vast areas—deplete soil nutrients, increase reliance on synthetic fertilizers, and create conditions for pest outbreaks, leading to heavier pesticide use. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s, a catastrophic example of soil degradation, was exacerbated by monoculture farming. Despite this history, industrial agriculture continues to prioritize short-term yields over long-term sustainability.

In contrast, family farms often practice diversified agriculture, growing multiple crops and integrating livestock to create self-sustaining ecosystems. A Nature Plants study found that diversified farms are more productive, resilient, and sustainable than industrial farms. Indigenous farming methods, such as the Native American “Three Sisters” system—where corn, beans, and squash are grown together—demonstrate how traditional knowledge enhances food security and soil health.

Beyond ecology, family farms provide economic stability. Industrial agriculture concentrates wealth in the hands of a few corporations, while small farms distribute income across rural communities. Local food systems—farmers’ markets, cooperatives, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs—keep money circulating locally.

Yet family farmers face immense challenges. Trade policies favor large agribusinesses, flooding markets with cheap, subsidized commodities that undercut local producers. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) devastated Mexican farmers, as subsidized U.S. corn drove small-scale growers out of business. Similar policies impact farmers worldwide, forcing many into unsustainable industrial farming or out of agriculture entirely.

Land access is another barrier. As farmland prices rise, young farmers struggle to afford land. In the U.S., the average farmer is nearly 60 years old. Without intervention, farmland increasingly falls into the hands of investors, developers, and corporate agribusiness, further consolidating production.

The decline of family farms is also a cultural loss. Farming knowledge, passed down through generations, disappears when small farms shut down. Traditional seed-saving techniques, soil management practices, and regional crop varieties are being replaced by genetically modified seeds and synthetic fertilizers. This erodes food sovereignty—the ability of communities to control their own food systems.

Supporting family farms is not just about nostalgia; it’s about future survival. Climate change threatens global food security, and industrial agriculture is both a driver of and vulnerable to environmental instability. Large-scale farms rely on chemical inputs, heavy machinery, and long supply chains, all of which are disrupted by extreme weather, soil depletion, and water shortages. Family farms, with their diversified crops and sustainable practices, are better equipped to adapt to climate challenges.

Transitioning the $25 billion in annual farm subsidies away from industrial monoculture and toward permaculture and regenerative farming would support small family farms, improve soil health, and strengthen food security, incentivize crop diversity, soil restoration, and sustainable water use.

Direct support for local food systems—through procurement policies that prioritize local producers for schools, hospitals, and government institutions—can strengthen family farms. Countries like France and Brazil have implemented farm-to-school programs that link small farmers with public institutions, ensuring stable markets while improving food quality for students.

Regenerative agriculture, which focuses on soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, offers a path forward. Techniques like cover cropping, rotational grazing, and no-till farming rebuild soil fertility, reduce emissions, and increase resilience to climate extremes. Many family farmers already use these methods, but need policy support to scale up.

Consumers play a role too. Supporting farmers’ markets, joining CSAs, and choosing sustainably produced food keeps small farms alive. Agricultural literacy—teaching people where their food comes from and how it’s grown—can counteract the corporate-driven narrative that industrial farming is the only viable path.

The future of food is not mega-farms and genetically modified monocultures. It is resilient, biodiverse, community-centered, and rooted in the knowledge of generations. Family farms are not relics; they are the backbone of food sovereignty and stability.

THEREFORE, under Folklaw:

Family farms shall be protected as essential to food security, rural economies, and environmental sustainability. Policies will support small-scale farmers through land access programs and fair trade regulations. Farm subsidies shall be transferred over a 10-year period from monoculture to regenerative farming.

Local food systems will be strengthened through farm-to-school programs, community-supported agriculture, and farmers’ market incentives. Corporate land grabs and monopolization of food production will be restricted to ensure equitable distribution of resources.

Education on sustainable agriculture, soil health, and traditional farming knowledge will be integrated into public curricula to promote agricultural literacy and food sovereignty.