Multifunctionality: a New Future for Family Farms

Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development ISSN: 2152-0801 online www.AgDevJournal.com

THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER JOHN IKERD

Multifunctionality: A new future for family farms

Published online December 19, 2014

Citation: Ikerd, J. (2014). Multifunctionality: A new future for family farms. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 5(1), 11–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2014.051.016

was surprised to have been asked recently by the process, however, I discovered that much of the IFood and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of rest of the world is awakening to the realization the United Nations to write a policy paper on that the values of traditional family farming are family farming in North America in recognition of essential to ensure global food security. The U.S., the International Year of the Family Farm (Ikerd, Canada, and Australia have found few allies in their 2014). I questioned whether the FAO actually championing of industrial agriculture as being wanted me to write the paper, because of my non- necessary to avoid massive hunger in the future. conventional views of American agriculture. In the The concept of multifunctional agriculture, as

John Ikerd is professor emeritus of agricultural Why did I name my column “The Economic economics, University of Missouri, Columbia. He was Pamphleteer”? Pamphlets historically were short, raised on a small dairy farm in southwest Missouri and thoughtfully written opinion pieces and were at the center received his BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in agricultural of every revolution in western history. Current ways of economics from the University of Missouri. He worked in economic thinking aren’t working and aren’t going to private industry for a time and spent 30 years in various work in the future. Nowhere are the negative professorial positions at North Carolina State University, consequences more apparent than in foods, farms, and Oklahoma State University, University of Georgia, and the communities. I know where today’s economists are University of Missouri before retiring in 2000. Since coming from; I have been there. I spent the first half of retiring, he spends most of his time writing and speaking my 30-year academic career as a very conventional free- on issues related to sustainability with an emphasis on market, bottom-line agricultural economist. I eventually economics and agriculture. Ikerd is author of Sustainable became convinced that the economics I had been taught Capitalism; A Return to Common Sense; Small Farms Are and was teaching wasn’t good for farmers, wasn’t good Real Farms; Crisis and Opportunity: Sustainability in for rural communities, and didn’t even produce food that American Agriculture; A Revolution of the Middle; and the was good for people. I have spent the 25 years since just-released The Essentials of Economic Sustainability. learning and teaching the principles of a new economics More background and selected writings are at of sustainability. Hopefully my “pamphlets” will help spark http://web.missouri.edu/~ikerdj. a revolution in economic thinking.

Volume 5, Issue 1 / Fall 2014 11 Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development ISSN: 2152-0801 online www.AgDevJournal.com commonly used in international trade and policy industrial agriculture is inherently incapable of discussions, refers to the multiple potential benefits providing long-run global food security. In retro- of agriculture, emphasizing the importance of non- spect, many so-called developing nations see the economic benefits of agriculture. Farms in this Green Revolution as a failure. It failed to provide context are inherently multifunctional in that they food for those who were hungry because most have multiple ecological, social, and economic hungry people are poor. Many subsistence family impacts on nature and society. A global report, farmers were displaced, leaving them without their Agriculture at a Crossroads, points out that multifunc- previous means of meeting the basic food needs of tional agriculture “provides food, feed, fiber, fuel their families. and other goods…has a major influence on other Farms managed solely or even predominately essential ecosystem services such as water supply for the economic bottom line are managed mono- and carbon sequestration or functionally, even though they release…plays an important have multiple impacts on com- social role, providing employ- munities and ecosystems. Agri- ment and a way of life…is a Many farms today share far cultural industrialization is moti- medium of cultural trans- more characteristics with the vated by economic efficiency mission and cultural practices and thus industrial farms, worldwide…[and] provide[s] a businessmen, financiers, and including those of the Green foundation for local econo- corporate managers Revolution, are managed mies” (International Assess- monofunctionally — even if ment of Agricultural Know- distrusted by Jefferson, they are owned and operated by ledge, Science, and Technology families. There is no economic Smith, and Confucius than for Development [IAASTD], value in doing anything for the p. 6). with the farmers valorized sole benefit of society as a The report also points out whole or the future of human- that “sustainable development in past cultures. ity. The myopic pursuit of is about meeting current needs economic efficiency inevitably without compromising the degrades natural ecosystems and ability of future generations to meet their own degenerates societies. Monofunctional farms are needs. It is indisputable that agriculture as a sector not sustainable. cannot meet this goal on its own. Agriculture, Historically, family farms have been held in however, fulfills a series of additional goals besides cultural positions of high esteem. Thomas Jeffer- food production. Last but by no means least, son, for example, believed strongly that the agriculture ensures the delivery of a range of “yeoman farmer” best exemplified the kind of ecosystem services. In view of a globally “independence and virtue” essential for democracy. sustainable form of development, the importance He did not believe financiers, bankers, or industri- of this role may increase and become central for alists could be trusted to be responsible citizens. human survival on this planet” (IAASTD, p. 15). Adam Smith, an icon of capitalism, observed that At least four recent UN-sponsored global reports farmers ranked among the highest social classes in have confirmed that multifunctional farming is the China and India and suggested it would be the best hope for global food security and agricultural same everywhere if the “corporate spirit” did not sustainability (Kirschenmann, 2012). prevent it. Smith never trusted businessmen and Sustainable farms are unique in that they are distrusted corporations in particular. The philoso- intentionally multifunctional. They are intentionally phy of Confucius ranked farmers second only to managed to provide multiple positive benefits, not academics and scholars in the Chinese social order, only for the economic bottom line. The global who were then followed by workers, and lastly, food policy agenda is being shifted toward agricul- businessmen. All of these respected historical tural sustainability by the growing realization that figures placed farmers at or near the top of society

12 Volume 5, Issue 1 / Fall 2014 Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development ISSN: 2152-0801 online www.AgDevJournal.com and those concerned with business and economics economic essentials of a desirable quality of life. at the bottom. These were the virtues of farming idealized by past Today, Americans are being subjected to an cultures and are the virtues still essential for global ongoing multimillion-dollar corporately funded food security and agricultural sustainability. propaganda campaign designed Family farmers have the to convince us that today’s advantages of a natural conventional farm businesses motivation and an inherent deserve the same high esteem The core “culture” of potential to farm sustainably. historically reserved for family agriculture embodied in Intentionally multifunctional farmers (Lappe, 2011). All farms need not be owned or family-owned or -operated family farming is one of operated by families, but they farm businesses are being stewardship or caring for the must reflect the traditional portrayed as “modern family cultural and social values of farms,” suggesting they possess land, society, and humanity. family farmers. Returning the same values and virtues of multifunctional farming to its the family farmers idealized by honored, almost sacred, Jefferson and Smith. In truth, position in the cultures of many farms today share far more characteristics North America and the world promises a bright, with the businessmen, financiers, and corporate new future for family farming. managers distrusted by Jefferson, Smith, and Confucius than with the farmers valorized in past References cultures. Ikerd, J. E. (2014). Family farms of North America The family farms deemed uniquely worthy of [North American regional perspective]. In Food high esteem were intentionally multifunctional family and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations farms. They were managed to provide positive (Ed.), Deep Roots (pages 30–32). Rome: FAO. ecological, social, and economic benefits. On a true Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/a- family farm, the farm and the family are i3976e.pdf inseparable. This sense of personal International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, interconnectedness of the family with the farm is Science, and Technology for Development ultimately what makes a farm a “family farm” and a (IAASTD). (2009). Agriculture at a crossroads: Global family a “farm family.” The same farm with a report. Washington, D.C.: Island Press. Retrieved different family would be a different farm, and the from http://www.agassessment.org/reports/ same family with a different farm would be a IAASTD/EN/Agriculture%20at%20a%20Cross different family. The well-being of the farm is roads_Global%20Report%20(English).pdf inseparable from the well-being of the family. Kirschenmann, F. (2012, Winter). The challenge of A true family farm is managed to reflect the ending hunger. Leopold Letter, 24(4), 5. Retrieved cultural and social values of the farm family as well from the Leopold Center for Sustainable as their economic necessities and preferences. The Agriculture website: http://www.leopold.iastate. core “culture” of agriculture embodied in family edu/news/leopold-letter/2012/winter/future farming is one of stewardship or caring for the Lappe, A. (2011, September 27). Who’s behind the US land, society, and humanity. The core social value Farmers & Ranchers Alliance and why it matters of family farming is one of neighborliness and [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://grist.org/ caring for community and society. At the same factory-farms/2011-09-26-whos-behind-the-u-s- time, a true family farm must also provide the farmers-ranchers-alliance-and-why-it-m/

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