Research and the Family Farm: Implications for Agricultural Economics Research: Discussion

Abstract

Lee Day has done a courageous job, and as good a job as one can reasonably expect, in addressing this topic. The subject, inherently, is monstrously large; very ill-defined; and is a value-loaded, explicitly acknowledged cornerstone of U.S. farm policy. Day treated the subject wisely by addressing himself to a limited number of points-whether there is a slanting of experiment station research to the benefit of large farms, the economies of farm size, and agriculture and the community. Day said as much as could be said about these points within the constraints on the paper. Because the discussant believes the above statements, this discussion will offer views of two additional dimensions that bear on both family farms and agricultural economics research. One of these dimensions consists of the consideration of basic definitional properties of family farms and a few of their implications for agricultural economic monitoring and research. The other is an expression of concern on my part over the apparent neglect, by economists, of activities involving the development and selection of advanced new biological/technological management systems in agriculture.