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Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1948

Keywords

Rural-urban migration--Minnesota; Farms--Minnesota; Farmers--Minnesota

Abstract

The volume of migration from farms in the United States has been one of the remarkable· population· trends of the last quarter of a century. In spite of the steady increase in the Nation's population, the number of persons on farms has been declining. The farm population reached the lowest point in perhaps half a century during the years of World War II. As of 1947, the farm population is still less by some 3 million than it was in 1940, although there has been some recovery from the low point of 1945. This trend has been made possible by the rapid introduction of labor-saving devices and other improvements into agriculture. The result of these technological changes is that fewer human beings are required to produce the food for an expanding urban-industrial population. Meantime, the birth rate of people residing on farms continues to be larger than that of the cities; and larger than is needed for replacement. As this migration continues from year to year the question of its selectivity in terms of qualities and characteristics of migrants becomes increasingly significant. This is true because the reduced numbers on farms must be sufficiently competent to operate the highly mechanized agricultural plant to the end that food production will not only be maintained but continuously increased.

First Page

44

Last Page

52

Primo Type

Article

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