Rural America

I grew up in rural Wisconsin.  I come from one of the most productive dairy farming
areas in the state of Wisconsin.  In my
life time I have seen a transformation of the area, I see farms that were once
productive now sitting empty and without production.  I see ranch houses built on one acre plots
surrounded by large fields as opposed to farm houses surrounded by barns, out
buildings and trees.  I see all of the
small cheese factories that used to dot the country side now closed.  I see a community dying.  Large farms run most of the farm land that
used to be spread out amongst many small farms.

I want to look at the sustainability of the new agricultural
model of large scale dairy farms.  I want
to look at the negative effects that the change from small scale farms to large
scale farms has had on the environment and on the social aspects of rural
communities.  I am not sure how I will
make the world a better place by looking at this phenomenon.  I was thinking of writing a policy brief or
proposal.  But I hope as I delve into the
subject I will think of a way to make a change or at least make an interesting
analysis.