| The dissertation's goal is to empirically connect the issue of agricultural chemical hazards in the Corn Belt to the more established theorization of class transformation in petty capitalist (family farm) agriculture, i.e. the trend towards fewer and larger farms in ever greater dependence on corporately-produced technologies. In doing so it identifies forces shaping the adoption of more sustainable production systems on the region's cash-grain, chemically-intensive farms.; The study is based on a comparative analysis of 40 farm histories drawn from two populations of farmers in Franklin, Grundy, and Hardin Counties in north-central Iowa. The farm history interviews focused on the historical evolution of the production process including rotations, livestock, tillage, fertilization, and pest control.; In general, the intensity of synthetic chemical applications increased in conjunction with scale expansion. Large-scale, quasi-capitalist operations reliant on seasonal hired labor and scales of production in excess of 1000 acres were less capable of adopting low-input, sustainable systems such as ridge till. The latter necessitates more frequent and timely field operations due to a higher degree of integration between agro-ecological processes and the labor process. Small and mid-sized family farm operations are more capable of completing these field operations within naturally-determined time periods (production windows) due a more favorable ratio between the labor force and total acreage. In contrast, quasi-capitalist operations with widely dispersed and numerous field sites reject these low-input practices due to the risks of not completing them in time, particularly when confronted by delays from rain and machinery breakdowns.; As a result, these operations are adopting more herbicide-intensive production systems promoted by the chemical industry. These systems, while less efficient and profitable than ridge till on a per acre basis, allow for continued scale expansion. The result is increased pressure on cash-rent land markets, constraining the entry of young family farm operators. Given that the latter was found to be particularly willing to embrace sustainable farming practices, the study forges a strong connection between the issues of family farm preservation and environmental degradation in the Corn Belt. |
