New Group To Explore Saving Family Farms

The Clinton administration said Thursday it will create a National Commission on Small Farms to recommend ways to preserve America’s family farms.

In a speech to the Farm Credit Council, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said the commission will look for ways to increase the flow of capital to small and midsize farms and boost direct farm-to-consumer marketing.

The number of U.S. farms fell to 1.93 million in 1992 from 2.24 million in 1982, while farm size grew to 469 acres in 1996 from 451 acres in 1987, government figures show.