‘Do we actually have any significant number of “family subsistence farmers” left in this county?’
Yeah, they are still there. Significantly less than years ago, but they still exist. Just look anywhere in the forgotten parts of Ohio, PA, WV, etc. They are there. I am sure they are in the midwest too. Around here they mostly raise cattle, corn or hay. We just don’t have big corporate farms around here.
I was being somewhat sarcastic and focusing on the term “subsistence” as in raising food, animals and fiber mostly for one’s own use. With the exception of Native Americans, the Amish and some few other oddball examples there are not any. Family farms as a for profit business certainly exist they just follow many different models than in the past. I am not however in favor of farm subsidies just to smooth out the market for family farms.