Small Farms

Often referred to as family farms, small farms play an important role in sustaining the fabric of rural America. The economic viability of small farms in our region and nation is threatened. To address the challenges that small farms are facing it is important to balance the goals of improved production and profitability with good stewardship of our natural resources while enhancing the vitality of our rural communities. (1)

For information about small farms and programs for assisting them in New York state and the Northeast contact Cornell's Agriculture, Food and Communities (AFC) Partnership; Small Farms: http://www.cals.cornell.edu/agfoodcommunity/afs_ld.cfm

When the USDA National Commission on Small Farms Report was issued in January 1998 it listed four recommendations on agroforestry and concluded that ...."USDA extension, conservation and forestry services should make greater efforts to promote and support agroforestry as part of an economic and ecological strategy for a healthy agriculture."

There are many ways that agroforestry practices can be incorporated into farming systems to increase agronomic and economic diversity, and enhance the production of high value crops that often can be direct marketed. For information and ideas see the USDA National Agroforestry Center website: http://www.unl.edu/nac/

(1) USDA National Agroforestry Center, Inside Agroforestry. Fall/Winter, 1998. (Issue on Small Farms and Agroforestry)

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