The Changing Structure of Agriculture and Rural America: Emerging Opportunities and Challenges

Cowan, Tadlock

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.

关键词: Rural affairs;    Rural policy;    Rural economic development;    Agriculture;   

RP-ID  :  RL31172
RP-ID  :  RL31172 2001-10-30

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This report provides an overview of Contemporary Rural America. The report discusses the changes that are likely to pose important questions about the direction and coherence of current rural policy. Several significant trends in this evolving structure of agriculture are discussed in this report: (1) a continuation in the trend toward fewer and larger farms; (2) a potential acceleration of that trend as production shifts to more tightly integrated and vertically coordinated production through supply chains; (3) greater environmental pressures on conventional agricultural production practices stemming from urban and suburban interests; and (4) changing food consumption patterns.