There was a risk involved in that decision. A lot of farms made no changes or simply added more of the basic corn and soybean acres. Many of those same farmers have failed to learn how to use basic marketing tools and risk management protection of various crop insurance options. Making a change Farmers are not alone in failing to use all the tools available. In many areas, lending institutions and other supporting infrastructures have failed to help adapt to new crops, or develop markets for new products.
Lenders know how to finance basic crop, hog and dairy units.
But new and unusual crops or value-added enterprises are new to many of them, so they have been cautious at best when a farmer has darkened the door, bringing in a new idea. The Freedom to Farm Act probably is far from perfect, but not all the blame for problems in rural America today should be blamed on Congress and agribusiness. Those working in and under the system have not adapted enough themselves. Too many have not taken the opportunities, evaluated the risks and made a change for themselves. Schwartau is Goodhue County educator for the University of Minnesota Extension Service.