Is Farming Broken? Why the Future of Agriculture Is a Diversified Land-Based Business
There’s a version of farming that people like to believe in—the one where you leave your job, buy a piece of land, and build a simple, honest life from the soil. It’s a compelling idea, amplified in recent years by the rise of “sustainable” and “regenerative” agriculture. But when you step into the work itself, the economics tell a different story. That tension is at the heart of Eric Suquet’s recent essay on Substack. After a decade in small-scale agriculture, he argues that farming—especially ethical, sustainable farming—is not just difficult, but fundamentally economically broken. Even well-run farms struggle to turn a real profit. Costs are high, risks are constant, and many operations that appear successful rely on outside income, grants, or existing wealth. At the same time, society romanticizes the farmer while failing to materially support the work. The result, he suggests, is a paradox: the kind of agriculture we need most is often the least financially sustainable. ...
