Research on the Current Status, Paths and Countermeasures of Family Farm Development in China——Investigation and Analysis of Hubei Province

The Chinese family farm is the most important new micro subject in the construction and development of modern agriculture in China. The investigation and analysis of the actual situation of Hubei Province showed that since the implementation of the household contract management system in rural areas, the family farm has followed the track of gradual development, breakthrough development and normal standardization development. In order to promote the family farm to develop rapidly, orderly and healthily, work must be well done to land circulation, scale management, financial support, financial subsidy, cultivation of leading talents and professional farmers, and providing all-round services.

Family Farm Development in Southern Jiangsu and Countermeasures with a Case Study

The research reviewed the concept of family farm and analyzed family farm types including unified, facility rental-oriented, employment-oriented, circular and grain＆oil based family farms, as well as corresponding demands in technology and policies. Based on the analysis, the research proposed countermeasures and suggestions. It is necessary to define the range and scale on family farm before giving policy supports. It is important to establish access system of industry and commerce capital to rural areas to guarantee the operators in need be benefited from national preferential policies. Meanwhile, new system on land transfer should be established to guarantee security system for family farm, improve socialized service system and promote government-built production facilities operated by farmers.

Comprehensive Performance Evaluation of Family Farms from the Perspective of Land Transfer——Taking Rudong County as an Example

With the reform of agriculture, family farms have become hot spots in the reform of agricultural management system. Taking Rudong County of Jiangsu Province for an example, the land transfer performance of family farms was evalu- ated using the first hand data from field investigation by building an index system for comprehensive performance evaluation of family farm land transfer covering three dimensions of economy, society and ecology. The results show that land transfer in family farm mode has realized the scale management of land, enhanced the agri- cultural level of science and technology, effectively promoted the structural adjust- ment of agriculture and income increase of farmers, advanced the development of eco-agriculture, and achieved good economic and social performances. However, in the development process of family farms, inputs of agro-chemicals, fertilizers and other agro-products have brought about the eco-environmental problems, which are still worth noting.

The short-and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family farms in China-Evidence from a survey of 2324 farms

Family farms are considered the most desirable form of Chinese agriculture.Studies on the risk management of family farms are rare,while the COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to explore how family farms respond to risks.Based on an online survey of 2324 family crop farms,we examine for the first time the short-term impact(immediate impact or short-term fluctuation,and farms’instantaneous response)and long-term impact(on farms’future or long-term production)of the COVID-19 pandemic on family farms’production and operation in rural China.By using factor analysis and dummy variable regression,we find that the severity of the pandemic,the lockdown of the village,and farmers’knowledge of the pandemic contribute significantly to the short-term impact,but not on the long-term impact.Farmers’characteristics such as gender,age,and education are not related to the short-term impact,but family farms with male owners or owners with high school education or below are more likely to be diversified and large-scale.The number of years the farm has existed for and agricultural insurance affect both short-term and long-term impacts.We suggest that the government needs to pay more attention to stability-enhancing policies,the market environment,vocational training and the agricultural insurance market.

Empirical Study on Formation Path of Family Farms in Different Environments from the Perspective of ANT

Family farm is an essential modern agricultural micro economic organization. With accelerated advance of rural land circulation and large-scale management,family farm gradually becomes an important choice for modern agricultural management. With ANT as theoretical basis,this paper analyzed formation of family farms in the joint action of endogenous and exogenous forces. Besides,it analyzed Fengsheng Tobacco Family Farm of Guyue Town in Zhucheng City of Shandong Province and Li Chunfeng's Family Farm in Songjiang District of Shanghai.Research indicates that different regional environments bring about different actors and also different formation paths for family farms.

Problems of Family Farms in China and Countermeasures

In the Communiqué of the Third Plenary Session of the 18 th Central Committee of the CPC,it proposed the tasks of accelerating the building of a new type of agricultural operation system,endowing farmers with more property rights,promoting equal exchanges of factors of production and balanced allocation of public resources between urban and rural areas,and improving the institutions and mechanisms for promoting the sound development of urbanization. However,as new agricultural operating entities,family farms have problems of land circulation,lack of scientific and technological talents,and backward infrastructure. In line with these problems,this study put forward recommendations and countermeasures,in the hope of promoting increase in farmers' income,increasing agricultural intensification and large-scale level,and realizing agricultural modernization.

Farming Families and Climate Change Issues in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: Extent of Impact and Adaptation Strategies

The study focused on the impacts of climate change on the farmer and the farming families in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The study specifically evaluated the perceived resultant situations attributed to climate change to determine the extent of impacts of climate change on the farmer and the farming families and also explored adoptable strategies for coping with the situations. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population for the study was 246,909 respondents made up of farmers and extension workers who are registered with the State Ministries of Agriculture. Out of the nine Niger Delta states, Bayelsa and Delta states were randomly chosen for the study. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 5,038 respondents. Structured questionnaire and interview were used to collect data. The instruments were validated by three experts. Cronbach Alpha method was used to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire items which yielded a coefficient of 0.81. The Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS v 20.0) was employed for data analysis. The statistical tools used for data analysis were weighted mean to answer research questions and standard deviation to validate the closeness of the respondents from the mean and from each other in their responses while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that the extent of impacts of climate change on farmers and the farming families in Niger Delta region of Nigeria are moderate. Findings further revealed that climate change has led to increased poverty level and raised cost of production (input and labour cost) as indicated by the farmers. The study recommends that farmers in the region should be encouraged by providing incentives and subsidizing inputs for them by Federal and State governments as well as other non-governmental organizations, as this will go a long way in improving production especially as most farmers agree to continue cultivation even with the observed impacts.

Research on the Development of Rural Family Farm: A Case Study of Shandong Province in China

In recent years, the rural family farms in Shandong Province of China have been developing very fast. They have achieved remarkable economic effects on improving the technical and equipment level of agricultural production, farmers’ professional quality, the efficiency of land production and farmers’ income-increase, etc. However, there also exist the problems of non-smooth land transfer, unclear farm recognition-standard, more difficult loan-financing, imperfect social service and so on. This paper suggests that measures should be taken to deepen the reform of the rural land system, perfect the land transfer mechanism, clarify the family farms confirmed standards, improve the family farms and financing system, perfect the socialized service system, and thus create a relaxed environment and conditions for the development of family farms in order to promote its healthy development.

Effects of China's Corn Stockpiling System Reform on Family Farms' Decision to Join Cooperatives

Reform of the corn stockpiling policy is a key initiative for advancing China's market-based grain stockpiling reform. It is a critical component of China's exploration of a price formation mechanism for agricultural products. Evaluating the effectiveness of such reform is therefore of great relevance. Based on nationwide farm monitoring data of 2014, 2015 and 2016, this paper examines the effects of the corn stockpiling reform on the decision of family farms to join cooperatives. Our finding suggests that after other factors that influence the decision of family farms to join cooperatives are controlled for, the probability of corn farms to join cooperatives in the Northeast and Inner Mongolia, where the corn stockpiling reform was carried out in 2016, is significantly higher compared with the probability of corn farms in non-reform areas that did so. The reason is that after the reform, corn producers must sell their corn to the market instead of to the State, bringing them sales problems, which could be mitigated to some extent by joining cooperatives.Thus, the corn stockpiling reform incentivized the market-based behavior of agricultural producers, giving play to the role of market mechanisms in regulating production and demand.

An Empirical Study on the Moderate Scale of Food-production-based Family Farm in Guangxi

The moderate scale family farm is the future agricultural business entity in China,and the scale of family farm is a key factor affecting its development.With Guigang City in Guangxi as a point for the study,from the perspective of maximizing income of rural households,this paper uses production function model to calculate the moderate scale of food-production-based family farm at 5.7 ha,and makes policy recommendations.

Countermeasures for Construction of Family Farms

Without beautiful countryside,there will be no beautiful China.The family farm is a beautiful scene in the construction of new socialist countryside.However,the construction of family farms just starts in China.It still remains at pilot and fumbling stage.There are still mainly unfavorable factors including separate land,insufficient funds,lack of security for farmers,lack of talents,and service lagging behind.On the basis of analyzing various weak points,we put forward countermeasures and recommendations for construction of family farms on promoting orderly farmland circulation,strengthening financial support,improving professional quality,supplying social security,increasing public investment,and attaching importance to standardized operation.

Comparative Analysis and Cultivation of New Agricultural Business Entities Based on Comparison of Family Farms and Professional Cooperatives

Cultivating new bussiness entities is the key to speeding up improving new agricultural production and operating system.This study discussed two representative entities under the agricultural production and operating system based on household contract management,namely,family farms and cooperatives.It introduced current development status of these two entities in Chongqing region,and discussed prominent problems of understanding,management,fund,personnel,technology,information,and system in the development process.In line with common problems such as single production structure and short supply of agricultural insurance,and different problems like organizational degree,it made comparative analysis.Finally,it is concluded that different institutional arrangement and pertinent support policy according to different development characteristics.

Study on Financing Issues of Family Farm in Hubei Province

Family farm is an important carrier of realizing agricultural scale management,optimizing rural business organization structure,and impelling agricultural modernization.It could effectively integrate rural resources and impel maturity of rural operating subject.Due to weakness and seasonal factor of current agricultural production and requirements for the scaling of family farm,traditional financial services can not meet the financing needs of family farm,and the shortage of funds has become an obstacle to its further development.To clarify the reasons for the financing difficulty of family farm and seek an effective solution,family farm of Hubei Province is taken as breakthrough point of the research on the basis of relevant research achievements at home and abroad,and status quo of its financing and reasons for financing difficulty are analyzed.Moreover,referring to successful experience of family farm management in the developed countries,some suggestions on solving financing difficulty of family farm are proposed:increasing government's financial support on family farm,innovating financial products,improving financial services,and enhancing quality education of farmers.

Family Farms-- A New Challenge in the Current World Context

The overall goal of European Union and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is to reposition family farming at the center of agricultural, environmental, and social policies in the national agendas by identifying gaps and opportunities to promote a shift towards a more equal and balanced development. They want to promote directions in order to generate discussion and cooperation at the local, national, regional, and global levels; increase awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by smallholders; and help to identify efficient ways to support family farmers. This paper presents some information on the status and evolution of Romanian agriculture small and medium enterprises （SMEs） and it presents a model for determining the founds needs to support family farmers.

Milk Production Practices on Family Farms Located North of the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil

In Brazil, milk production is a key sector for income generation, tax collection and much of the milk produced comes from family farms. The present study was aimed to assess the conditions of milk production on 30 farms in the city of S~ Mateus, to the North of the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Data were obtained through questionnaires sent to producers according to the legislation of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. The questions included type of milking, hygiene practices and health status of milkers, mastitis control and source and others. Milking was manually done in all farms, and only 40,0% of milkers washed their hands and forearms before milking, and 13.0% used antiseptic solutions after washing. None of the farms performed the pre-dipping and post-dipping procedures. Control of mastitis was not performed in 94.0% of the farms and none of them performed the CMT test. A high degree of non-conformity was observed in the family farms. These data demonstrate the need for training farmers in good agricultural practices. This would contribute to achieving better quality milk, and ensure the sustainability of the segment in the Northern region of the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil.

Exploration on Ecological Compensation Mechanism of Family Farm

Family farm is a new type of agricultural operation,and the research on ecological compensation for its production behavior is conducive to consolidating the basic position of agriculture and protecting agricultural resources and environment.By summarizing and drawing lessons from the domestic research results in related fields,the family farm is selected as the object,and the opportunity cost method is used to analyze the setting of the ecological compensation standard of the family farm.The basic framework of ecological compensation mechanism of family farm is constructed from three aspects:ecological compensation responsibility determination mechanism;compensation object establishment mechanism;compensation standard determination and mode selection mechanism.The operation mechanism of ecological compensation of family farm is analyzed from three aspects:farmer;farm production;resources and environment.The results show that the family farms'pursuit of agricultural products and ecological services is the response mechanism of ecological compensation for their production behavior.On the basis of this,this paper puts forward some measures and suggestions to ensure the ecological compensation mechanism of family farms from three aspects:perfecting the land use system;widening the compensation channels;constructing the green GDP accounting.

Government’s Interventional Training Impact on Farms Competitiveness

The agricultural sector,in most cases is supported in developed countries and one of the support measures(government interventions)is training of the sector’s actors.The research was carried out to determine the training as a research object for competitiveness theories,analyze the impact of these interventions on farms’competitiveness and its reflection in indicators that farms’competitiveness is described with.The study was based on the counterfactual impact evaluation method,scientific literature as well as data from year 2008 and 2012 Lithuanian government’s interventional farmers training,linked with respondent’s data provided by Farm Accountancy Data Network.During the research,eligibility for counterfactual impact evaluation method was confirmed,similarity criteria of farms were developed,according to these criteria,nearest neighbor matching performed and impact detected.The study shows that informal professional training of farmers as a government intervention affects competitiveness of family farms and how these effects can be measured.It was found that the farmers that participated in this training achieved higher productivity and thus increased their farms’competitiveness.The findings of this study contribute to the discussion on the importance of the public support for the farms’competitiveness.Informal professional training can be a governmental instrument to foster farms’competitiveness development.

加入合作社对家庭农场适度规模经营的影响

本文在探讨家庭农场适度规模经营两种理论观点之争的基础上,基于中国社会科学院农村发展研究所2020年中国乡村振兴综合调查(CRRS)数据,采用普通最小二乘法(OLS)系统考察了家庭农场加入合作社的规模扩大效应及其作用机制。研究发现:首先,加入合作社能够扩大家庭农场经营规模,推动家庭农场适度规模经营。经测算,当前中国家庭农场最优经营规模为188亩,因而家庭农场经营规模仍有扩大的空间。其次,家庭农场加入合作社的规模扩大效应存在异质性,收入水平高、社会资本水平低和自有机械化水平低的家庭农场加入合作社的规模扩大效应更明显。再次,加入合作社扩大家庭农场经营规模主要来自内部服务获取机制和外部资源获取机制,且合作社所提供的销售服务和金融支持对家庭农场经营规模扩大具有更强的促进效应。最后,耕地细碎化程度负向调节家庭农场加入合作社的规模扩大效应,耕地细碎化不利于加入合作社的家庭农场扩大经营规模。本文的研究为推动家庭农场适度规模经营,促进其与合作社融合发展提供了理论指导和决策依据。

我国小农户与家庭农场生产率的比较分析——基于中国乡村振兴综合调查数据的经验研究

本文利用2020年中国乡村振兴综合调查数据,对小农户和家庭农场的农业生产率与经营规模的关系开展了比较研究。研究发现,中国小农户粮食生产中存在土地生产率与经营规模之间的反向关系,但这种反向关系对于家庭农场并不显著;小农户粮食生产中基本不存在劳动生产率与播种面积之间的正向关系,但这种正向关系对家庭农场却比较显著;绝大部分小农户处于规模报酬递增和成本利润率上升的阶段,难以达到或接近规模报酬和成本利润率不变的阶段,相比之下,已有相对较多的家庭农场达到或接近规模报酬和成本利润率不变的阶段。总的来说,家庭农场在土地生产率、劳动生产率、成本利润率上较小农户都拥有较为明显的优势。无论是保障和扩大粮食供给、增加农民收入还是提高农业经营效益,发展家庭农场都是较优选择。

中国家庭农场发展:现实呼唤、松江实践、方略抉择

家庭农场作为一种新型农业经营主体,以家庭经营为内核,以适度经营规模为特征,既继承了家庭联产承包责任制下家庭经营的优点,又扬弃了土地小规模家庭经营的缺陷。松江发展家庭农场的实践表明,家庭农场是实现三权分置的有效载体,家庭农场组织和制度的创新,有助于中国农业实现由传统兼业小农向现代农业的转变。为促进家庭农场的健康发展,需要坚持家庭农场家庭经营原则、强化对家庭农场经营者的选择;把握好家庭农场土地经营规模的“度”、不搞“一刀切”;采取有效措施促进土地流转、为家庭农场的形成和发展创造条件;明确政府定位、做到“在位”不“越位”。