that assist small-scale farm families. While there is some cample-

mentarity among these activities, they compete for the limited

resources available to agriculture.

 What Not to Expect from a Small Farm Program

 Two arguments that have been used to support a small farm research,

extension and higher education effort lack validity and have tended to

confuse the planning and evaluation of small farm activities.

 First, and most important, a small farm effort should not be under-

taken for purposes of significantly affecting the food supply. Small

farms account for only a small component of agricultural output. By

definition, and within any reasonable expectation of the number of small

farms, they will have little impact on the future total supply of food

and fiber. Research, extension and teaching efforts concerned with

assuring adequate supplies of food and fiber must be directed to large

farms or not specific to size of farm. This is not to say that small

farms will not have a significant impact on the production of certain

specialty crops and same types of livestock. However, in terms of the

aggregate supply of food and fiber, the impact of small farms will

remain very small.
 Second, and related to the first point, is that small farm research,

extension and teaching activities should not be undertaken for purposes

of altering the number of farms producing most of this Nation's food

and fiber. If the number of such farms is to be changed, it will have

to be done using other more powerful tools of public policy--tax and

price policy, restriction on resource use, etc. Research, extension
and teaching programs can facilitate a particular size structure but

they cannot be the principal force behind any reduction in the level
of concentration in the farm sector.