There are currently about 2 million American farms. About 95% are owned, rented or operated by individuals and families, while about 5% are corporate farms. The term “family farm” does not necessarily equate with a small farm, nor does a “corporate farm” necessarily mean a large-scale operation owned by a multinational corporation. But many of our country's largest agricultural enterprises are family owned. Small farms, accounting for 90% of the total, are those with annual sales less than $350,000. Despite the predominance of these small farms, there is strong evidence of a trend toward concentration in our agricultural industry. This has resulted in a huge amount of power held by the biggest companies who, critics say, are making enormous profits at the expense of workers, local farmers, ranchers, and consumers. They claim this lack of competition has corrupted the entire food supply chain: from seed and fertilizer production to big agribusinesses that drive out small family farms and force workers to endure egregious conditions.

Pending Legislation: S.2670 - Fairness for Small-Scale Farmers and Ranchers Act
Sponsor: Sen. Peter Welch (VT)
Status: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Chair: Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI)