Summary: DEBT! As interest rates went up, farmers took greater risks and bigger investments. When profits didn't appear, they tried to sell their farms or machines, and couldn't cover their loans. Those who did not take loans were able to consolidate the cheap land and buy up the cheap machines. Today, we don't have a lot of small farmers, but a small number of very large farmers.
Remedy: The video doesn't go into this very deeply, but my proposal is pretty simple. First, new farmers can take advantage of regenerative techniques and farm with minimal or even no inputs. Second, never ever take loans.
New farmers can acquire land by leasing the land. Once you have the land, you can turn a profit with your hard work and ingenuity. If you leased the land and made a decent profit, you should be able to accumulate enough assets to eventually buy your own land.
People who own a lot of land should be leasing out that land to new farmers.
We can also have the federal government sell the land it is sitting on for homesteaders to live on and try their hand at farming.
Additionally, we can try to keep land prices low or at least growing slowly by kicking out foreign investors.
Summary: DEBT! As interest rates went up, farmers took greater risks and bigger investments. When profits didn't appear, they tried to sell their farms or machines, and couldn't cover their loans. Those who did not take loans were able to consolidate the cheap land and buy up the cheap machines. Today, we don't have a lot of small farmers, but a small number of very large farmers.
Remedy: The video doesn't go into this very deeply, but my proposal is pretty simple. First, new farmers can take advantage of regenerative techniques and farm with minimal or even no inputs. Second, never ever take loans.
New farmers can acquire land by leasing the land. Once you have the land, you can turn a profit with your hard work and ingenuity. If you leased the land and made a decent profit, you should be able to accumulate enough assets to eventually buy your own land.
People who own a lot of land should be leasing out that land to new farmers.
We can also have the federal government sell the land it is sitting on for homesteaders to live on and try their hand at farming.
Additionally, we can try to keep land prices low or at least growing slowly by kicking out foreign investors.