The idea of the self-sufficient and independent small farmer is part of the American myth. It wasn't even true when Jefferson talked about it. That isn't to say none ever existed, though, because they certainly did. A few still do. There was never any conspiracy against them, although the big farmer (or rancher) was never a friend of the small farmer, no more than big business is a friend of small business.
There are a couple of things worth mentioning. One is that farming in the South was dominated by slave-owning planters from the beginning. The Civil War was barely a hiccup in the system. But the other things was the opening of the prairies to large scale farming with machinery. I don't know, however, when the large farming corporations came into existence. The East simply doesn't lend itself to large farms the way the Midwest does. There are a few things about farming today that are bad from a national policy standpoint but don't expect any real changes for the foreseeable future. That is, provided Mother Nature is willing and you can't cut deals with Mother Nature. Don't worry about global warming; worry about drought.
There are a couple of things worth mentioning. One is that farming in the South was dominated by slave-owning planters from the beginning. The Civil War was barely a hiccup in the system. But the other things was the opening of the prairies to large scale farming with machinery. I don't know, however, when the large farming corporations came into existence. The East simply doesn't lend itself to large farms the way the Midwest does. There are a few things about farming today that are bad from a national policy standpoint but don't expect any real changes for the foreseeable future. That is, provided Mother Nature is willing and you can't cut deals with Mother Nature. Don't worry about global warming; worry about drought.
