ABSTRACT
Agriculture follows the overall trend of declines in the manufacturing and production sectors of the economy, corresponding to increases in service and White-collar jobs. The present conditions of stagnation in agriculture have consequences for industries dependent on the farm sector. Southern agriculture is inherently vulnerable, given its historical tendency toward monoculture. Large-scale, capitalintensive agriculture has a distinct opportunity structure characterized by somewhat different recruitment patterns than in the past. Population change and economic diversification are shown to be major sources of change that affect the viability of agriculture. The social and economic impact of agricultural change can be measured in different ways leading to different conclusions. Given an overall economic policy and continuing technological change, the US Government attempts to stabilize and protect the farm industry through commodity programs. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
