Family farm
A farm owned or operated by members of a family, who typically supply much of its labor and make its management decisions.
Agricultural land: Land used to grow crops or raise livestock. Its ownership and control often shape a family's ability to keep farming across generations.
Farm household: A household whose members participate in or depend on agricultural production. Household finances and farm work often overlap in family-run operations.
Smallholding: A small farm, often worked by its owners or household members. It is one scale at which family ownership and labor are especially visible.
Rural sociology: The study of social life, institutions, and change in rural communities. Family farms connect household relationships with the wider social structure of rural places.
Farm labor: Work involved in producing crops and livestock, performed by family members, employees, or both. Family members often supply labor that would otherwise require paid workers.
Agricultural credit: Loans and other financing designed for agricultural producers and their seasonal needs. Borrowing can fund land, equipment, and operating costs while exposing family assets to risk.
Dairy farming: The raising of dairy animals to produce milk and related products. Dairy farms often depend on regular, year-round labor that family members may provide.
Land tenure: The legal and customary arrangements through which people hold and use land. Tenure rules affect whether families can retain farmland and pass it to successors.
Farm management: Planning and coordinating a farm's production, finances, labor, and resources. Family farms commonly combine management authority with family ownership and work.
Farm succession planning: Arrangements for transferring farm ownership and management to successors. A planned handover helps reconcile family inheritance with the continuity of the farm business.