Wow eye opener. I remember while being on our counties zoning board of appeals, in an agricultural county/state someone remarked that it was strange we had no hog farms started in decades. We were, at one time, a very large beef and pork farming community. The roads leading into Chicago from our farmlands were at one time, the paths cattle were walked in on. Those paths were 40-50 miles long into the city. Big ag put too much burden in the form of regulation. It was impossible for the small farmer to stay in business. At one time, in my county, we had more cattle per square mile than anywhere in the United States. We had processing plants in all of the small towns. Not anymore. Big ag ran them out of business as well

Wow eye opener. I remember while being on our counties zoning board of appeals, in an agricultural county/state someone remarked that it was strange we had no hog farms started in decades. We were, at one time, a very large beef and pork farming community. The roads leading into Chicago from our farmlands were at one time, the paths cattle were walked in on. Those paths were 40-50 miles long into the city. Big ag put too much burden in the form of regulation. It was impossible for the small farmer to stay in business. At one time, in my county, we had more cattle per square mile than anywhere in the united states. We had processing plants in all of the small towns. Not anymore. Big ag ran them out of business as well