SMALL FARMS COMMISSION PUBLIC FORUM

                                              Release No. 0251.97
Remarks

                              OF
                     SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN
               SMALL FARM COMMISSION PUBLIC FORUM
                  MEMPHIS, TN -- JULY 28, 1997

     Thank you, Harold, for that introduction and for agreeing to lead this
effort. I'd like to thank the commission members for volunteering for this
duty and everyone who's joined us today.  I know you're all busy with your
farms and your work, and I thank you for taking some time out to be here.
Your views are important.

     You know there's an old African proverb that seems relevant to this
discussion. It goes something like this:  Let us not step on each other's
toes ... said the chicken to the elephant.'

     We're here today to try and throw a little more weight behind the
little guy.

     It's no secret out in farm country that things are changing ... and
fast. Agriculture, like every other major sector of our economy, is
concentrating. From defense, to retail stores, to health care, to railroads,
to farms and ranches -- we're seeing fewer and larger operations, mergers
and buyouts, bigger market shares and fewer people in those markets.

     On the one hand, this means America is becoming more efficient. We're
strengthening our global competitive edge, and we're taking advantage of new
technologies that allow us to do more with less. In agriculture, genetically
engineered seeds, new pesticides, precision farming and other innovations
are giving us dramatic leaps in production.

     Efficiency, global clout, technological advances are all good things.
We see that reflected in today's strong farm incomes and exports. But not
everyone is enjoying the current season of prosperity. It's no secret that
small farms are declining in America.

     That's something we've acknowledged officially for some 20 years now
... since former Agriculture Secretary Bob Bergland released his
groundbreaking report. He documented the trend that everyone in agriculture
could see accelerating all around them. And, for that he received a great
deal of criticism ... just for laying out the problem.

     The question before us is: What, as a nation, are we willing to offer
in terms of solutions to help make life a little easier for America's small
farms and ranches? Some shake their heads and say that these broad economic
trends are unstoppable. I agree. The world is changing, and we're not going
to stand futilely in the way. We're not trying to turn back the clock or
freeze small farms in time. Rather, we're seeking workable ways to fit
smaller-sized operations into this new world, and enable them not just to
survive, but thrive in the 21st century.

     It's true that America's been losing its small farms for decades. But
it's also true that there are many still struggling to survive. They're
operating in a much more complex environment today. For one thing, we have
Freedom to Farm which leaves farmers exposed to the volatility of the
markets. That's bound to take a heavy toll on smaller, less capitalized
operations, and it could bring a new wave of small farm losses... unless we
innovate.

     The up-side today is that we have many more potential solutions:

     -- Co-ops are getting more and more sophisticated -- graduating from
seed-buying clubs to globally competitive, vertically integrated exporters
that band small farmers together -- in effect -- to mimic successful large
operations. I've heard of small pecan growers down in Alabama and Georgia
who are now selling directly to Ben & Jerry's ice cream company.

     -- Farmers' markets, like the one right here at the Agricenter, also
have a lot of potential. They're growing in numbers and profits. These
markets often provide a lifeline of income to smaller operations by allowing
farmers to sell directly to consumers, keeping the full value of their goods
for themselves. In California, the number of small farms is actually rising,
and folks there attribute the climb to the popularity of farmers markets.

     So this commission is looking for creative, real-world ways to help
small farms evolve -- whether through farmers' markets, value-added co-ops,
niche marketing, or perhaps actions like USDA took in the livestock sector
to help ensure that small ranches got a fair shake at the market.

     We also need to get a better handle on what the needs actually are:
What kinds of efforts -- be they public, private or non-profit -- could
improve the viability of small farms? How are current programs, at USDA and
elsewhere, helping or hurting? How can we focus more on small farm needs in
credit, risk management, research and extension? Which marketing techniques
help smaller-sized operations and which are perhaps overhyped?

     And, we need to look at regional issues. Half of America's small farms
are in the South. To what extent do civil rights, economic and rural
conditions combine to make it hard for folks to stay on the land ... make it
hard for young people to get their start on the farm ... make it hard for
farm workers to become farm owners? These are the kinds of issues that have
ramifications for every American, not just those of us in agriculture.

     All of this, of course, revolves around the big question: What -- if
anything -- is the proper role of government in preserving America's small
farms? In my book, small farms are different from other businesses. They are
an important part of our national heritage.

     The ability to make a decent living for yourself and your family from
the land is the rural American dream. I'm committed to keeping it alive.
President Clinton and Vice President Gore are, too. They're 2 sons of rural
America -- one from right here in Tennessee which has one of the highest
concentrations of small farms in the country. That's why we're starting our
efforts here today.

     We have a responsibility to keep our small farm heritage alive. We
have a responsibility to ensure young people see a future for themselves on
the farm, and we have a responsibility to raise the awareness of the need
for small farms.

     Small and large operations are not always interchangeable. For
example, dairy -- one of our hardest hit industries right now -- has a high
proportion of small operations. It's very labor intensive work, as is
growing fresh produce -- which is also predominantly a small-farm endeavor -- and can prove quite lucrative.

     So this is not a big versus little debate, but a search for a
meaningful way for the 2 to coexist. I believe we can find a way. I've asked
the commission to have on my desk no later than September 30, a proposed
national strategy on the small farm. This forum is a critical step in that
process. I thank you all for being here, and I look forward to your comments
and ideas.

     Thank you.

                                #

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