nc ks | Honkytonkman - 11/25/2025 06:31
When I think of the struggles towns and businesses have had in rural America, I blamed the Koch brothers and the like for many years. Now I believe the large acre farmer has done far more to hurt rural America than any corporate entity ever could. My utopian vision of my Main Street coming back based off small farms and merchants is hopeless I do know. But I believe the problem lies way closer to home and blaming corporations is just not the whole picture. In other words these monopolies and they are that, aren’t the biggest issue in my opinion. I mean is the 20k acre farmer in the county that swallows up everything not somewhat of a monopoly on its own. And many will say it’s just the natural order of ag and if you can’t compete get out. Does the same not apply to fertilizer and other such suppliers.
I don't know about your small town, but my main street dried up long before farmers were getting big and few in number. Merchants just couldn't keep up with the big stores 30 miles away and 70% of the people living in town worked 30 miles away and shopped there before they came home from work. That wasn't the big farmer's fault. The internet finished about any stores that were left off. The businesses that are left do business with farmers and old people. This 'farmers getting bigger ruining things' is getting stale.
John Deere wasn't going to leave a dealership in every podunk town no matter how many farmers used that dealership. They would still have built the mega stores and made the farmers travel. The farmers and landowners no matter what their size are actually keeping what is left of the towns alive. Property tax keeps the school alive so people will live in the town and commute to their jobs. Maybe buy gas and snacks once in awhile on weekends, maybe bank there, maybe buy their insurance. They for sure aren't going to buy their shoes or furniture there. Old people keep the pharmacy and coffee shop going and to a certain extent the local car mechanic shop.
What did the bigger farmers kill exactly?
Edited by kb ag 11/25/2025 16:26
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Is it time to breakup the ag monopolies?
