An Economic Study of Specialized Swine Production Possibilities in Southeastern South Dakota

The American farmer has made tremen4ous improvements in his productive capacity and ability since the Colonial period. These improvements have been taking place at a constantly accelerating rate. Much of this improvement has been due to increased specialization. The growth of urban population is an indicator of the rapid development of specialization. During Colonial times, at least nine-tenths of the population was engaged in farming, and as late as 1870, half of all workers were s till engaged in agriculture. Less than twenty percent of the nation\u27s labor force is now employed on the nation\u27s farms. In addition to a far smaller percent of the population employed in agriculture now than in the past, considerable more agricultural products per capita of the total population are produced