Is Increased Efficiency in Farming Always a Good Thing?

Date

1936

Source of Digital Item

National Agricultural Library

Subject

Relation

Excerpt

The impact of the machine age on farms and cities has been the subject of much discussion. Where do you stand on the following questions?

1. What new machines have been introduced on the farms and in the households of your neighborhood in recent years? What has been their effect?

2. What changes, other than the use of machinery have made farming more scientific in your locality?

3. In your opinion, what is there to be said for the effort to make two blades of grass grow where one grew before? What against?

4. Do you know of cases where the building of new factories or expansion of old ones has made it possible for farm people to get jobs in towns and cities? Do you know of cases where the increased use of machinery in factories has thrown people out of jobs?

5. If the number of city jobs does not increase at the rate it was increasing before the depression, what will become of the children now growing up on the farms?

6. Do you think that the nation should provide a system of social insurance for those who can’t find jobs?

7. How do you think machines might be used to the greater benefit of those who use them? As to efficiency? As to leisure? As to lowered prices for consumers? As to wider distribution of goods?

Title

Is Increased Efficiency in Farming Always a Good Thing?