[rl9]

I had a similar upbringing, but in Canada. A lot of this rings true.

Our family doesn't farm anymore,but for different reasons. Still, the pressure to go big or go home exists north of the border, too.

I think Adam Smith nailed it back in the 1700s, when he noted that farmers could not take advantage of specialization. They're capitalists and labourers and landlords and semi-professional veterinarians and commodity traders all in one. Without specialization, they're unlikely to ever be very wealthy relative to the amount of labor and capital they input.

The bigger farms can actually hire dedicated mechanics and accountants and such, so it's no surprise they get a better return on investment. That would probably remain true even if they didn't engage in shenanigans like undocumented laborers and excessive pollution, though no doubt those practices help them pull even further ahead.

On a different note, since supply management was mentioned, I can't resist linking to this program: https://youtu.be/3d-FlQHoHpU

Short argument against supply management: it's a regressive tax on people who buy milk, cheese, butter and yogurt.