Why do family farms continue to exist, despite the factors stacked against them? There are several factors that contribute to their resilience. 

They don't have a fixed cost of labor

• While industrial farms have fixed labor costs, the cost of labor on family farms fluctuates based on the farm's returns each year, so they don't lose as much on labor costs.

They don't pay as much for labor supervision

• Family members have more incentive to work hard on the farm than hired workers. They also tend to have more knowledge about farming processes and are less likely to make a mistake that will cost the farm if left unsupervised.

They aren't only farming for the money

• Families usually farm because they love the land, not because they make a lot of money. They tend to organize their practices around passing the farm on to the next generation rather than maximizing profits.