It comes as a pleasant surprise — after years when thousands of farmers were driven off their land — to find in the 2007 Census of Agriculture that the number of farms in Iowa has risen to 92,856, a level last seen in 1992. Some 4,000 new small farms have been created since 2002. These very small farms, 9 acres or less, are producing a much wider array of crops than the rest of Iowa, which specializes in corn and soybeans. (From the New York Times Opinion Page)
That is very good news. As the son of a farmers daughter, I learned that farmers are the foundation of society: they feed the cities. If a country wants a sustainable, strong economy they need a healthy agricultural sector to build it upon. Farmers are smart, hardworking people (agriculture is a university topic) who deserve respect from everyone.
I agree. That is great to hear. The farms in my area are all selling out to developers. Ugly mini subdivisions with mini mansions are popping up seemingly everywhere a farm had been. Makes me very sad.