ABSTRACT
The term structure of agriculture is used to describe the organizational characteristics and complex relationships in the food and fiber production and distribution system. Many analysts of United States agriculture have felt that the family farm and the infrastructure supporting it were positively related to a higher quality of life for people in rural communities and, indeed, that both were consistent with the democratic political system of the country. All relevant research to date suggests that a corporate type of agriculture results in a reduction in the quality of life for at least some people, especially the hired workers in rural communities. Research is needed on the relationships that exist among agricultural structure, ecology, and quality of life in the rural community. The structure of agriculture and the quality of life in rural communities is an unintended consequence of government policy addressing other societal issues.
