Above All, Farming Means Family Farming: Context for Introducing the Articles in This Special Issue

Abstract

This Special Issue presents research and theoretical developments concerning farm-family transitions. Specifically, how qualitative methods sometimes combined with quantitative approaches can bring new understanding to farmfamily functioning and the transitions experienced over several generations or years. The research provides rich details about transition points such as marriages and succession, and changes in production techniques or commodity. This information supports theory building about the family response to ecological (e.g., physical, economic, political, social) opportunities and constrains. The Special Issue authors offer useful conceptualizations, research strategies, and theory building that can enhance knowledge about the interplay of farm and family, business and lifestyle. Information is presented about family farming in a dozen or more countries. In this article the authors present background information about family farming as a context for introducing the articles in the Special Issue. An attempt is made to explain why the family farm is still a significant organisational element in farming, even in the industrialised-capitalist west. An explanation is given of how different farming paradigms (yeoman, entrepreneur) and farm-family types (Traditional farmers on the break-even point; Modernizers out of necessity, Part-time farmers, Innovative entrepreneurs) can lead to diverse strategies for responding to issues of modernity and changing agricultural conditions.