Platform Analysis A draft of the Democrats’ Party Platform for this year’s election repeats past policy promises for agriculture, most of which are either meaningless or hold the risk of unintended consequences.  Small is Better: As in the past, the Party pledges “to better support [read subsidies] small- and mid-sized farms…” Most food is produced by large farms taking advantage of the principle of economies of scale. A full 97 percent of farms are family-owned, and the number of small farms is actually increasing. Small farms are typically supported by off-farm income and could be considered hobby farming. Increasing support to small, inefficient hobby operations will be subsidizing lifestyle choices,...