50 years ago is only the 1960's. Food was more expensive then in no small part due to the fact that production was mostly by family farms. The economies of scal

50 years ago is only the 1960's. Food was more expensive then in no small part due to the fact that production was mostly by family farms. The economies of scale that have wiped out rural communities around the country had only just begun to develop in earnest. This meant small family farms were still competitive in the market and could enjoy a high quality of living. I welcome an explanation of how driving family farms out of business with vanishing margins and concentrating what little profits remain in the hands of massively capitalized corporate farming outfits is a net win for society. Note: cheap food is ripe for all of the standard criticism normally aimed at trickle-down economic theory so plan accordingly. Also, define "food", because we can certainly devote some time to discussing processed foods.