Why “Get Big or Get Out” Is a Choice No One Wants to Make
It is the oldest advice in farm country, and nobody enjoys hearing it. Here is what scale does to costs, what the alternatives are, and how to decide without panic.
Where does the get big or get out idea come from?
The phrase captures the belief that margins are so thin that only larger operations can survive. Spreading machinery, labor and overhead over more acres can lower the cost per unit. The Census of Agriculture, published by USDA, tracks farm numbers and sizes, and ERS analyzes structure. Check them for the current figures.
The title is an editorial line, and the point it makes is emotional as well as economic. Growth takes capital, debt and risk, and not everyone wants the life that comes with it. Bigger acreage can mean better purchasing power, lower machinery cost per acre, and access to more lenders and buyers. It also means larger loans, more labor to manage and more exposure to a single bad year.
Scale is not a magic number. Efficiency varies by crop, region and management. A well-run mid-size operation in the Oklahoma Panhandle can beat a larger one with high costs.
- Lower cost per unit if managed well
- More buying and marketing power
- Higher debt and risk
- More labor and management demands
- Pressure on family life
What are the alternatives to growing?
Some farms lower costs without adding acres, using better records, shared equipment, custom hiring and careful input choices. Others add value through direct sales, specialty crops or agritourism. Some take an off-farm job and keep farming part time.
Beginning and small operations can find ideas at a small farm information guide and this tractor and equipment guide on sharing or buying used. SARE publishes research on sustainable, lower-input approaches.
How do you decide?
Start with numbers: your cost per unit, your debt, your cash flow and what a new piece of land would add. Run a plan with realistic yields and prices, including a bad year. Ask what the farm looks like in five years if you do nothing, and if you grow.
Then consider your family. Who is coming back, who wants out, and what quality of life are you buying? FSA loans serve some beginning farmers, and OSU Extension offers planning help.
Write down what you would be proud of in ten years. For some, it is a bigger operation. For others, it is a debt-free farm with a good life attached. Your answer shapes the numbers, not the other way around.
What do supporters of consolidation argue?
Supporters argue that efficiency gains lower food costs and keep American agriculture competitive, and that growth is how successful farmers pass along strong businesses. They say not every small farm can be saved, and that pretending otherwise delays hard decisions.
They add that larger operations can invest in technology and employ more people.
What do critics respond?
Critics respond that consolidation hollows out rural towns, reduces competition among buyers and puts pressure on family farms that did nothing wrong. They argue policy and market structure, not just individual choices, push farms toward scale. Groups such as National Farmers Union have argued this case for years.
Researchers debate how much of consolidation comes from technology and how much from policy and market power. The evidence is mixed, and it pays to read primary data rather than slogans.
What does consolidation mean for rural towns?
Fewer farms mean fewer customers for the implement dealer, the feed store, the cafe and the school. Rural towns across Oklahoma have felt that shift, and every closed storefront makes the next decision harder for families still farming nearby.
Some communities respond by building shared services, such as cooperative buying, farmers markets or local processing. These efforts are rarely easy, and they do not suit every area, but they give farms more ways to hold on to margin.
This is the part of the debate that spreadsheets miss. A farm is a business, and it is also a thread in the life of a place.
What is the takeaway for your farm?
You do not have to choose between two bad options. Look for a third: lower cost, more value or a different mix of income. Talk to people who have tried each path.
For more commentary, see farm.FM agribusiness and farm satire, and read a farm.FM story on farm size.
Sources and further reading
- Census of Agriculture: USDA census of farms
- USDA Economic Research Service: farm economy data and analysis
- SARE: sustainable agriculture research and education
- FSA Farm Loans: FSA direct, guaranteed, microloan and emergency loan information
- OSU Extension: Oklahoma State extension
- National Farmers Union: national farm organization
Ask locally: Talk with a farm management specialist at OSU Extension, your lender and your family before making a growth decision.