140 



million. Transition to a U.S. -type agriculture would 

 require more than 80 percent of those living on Russian 

 farms to depart, in some manner, from the system. In the 

 short term this is totally impossible. There is no 

 housing elsewhere and no jobs. On a more positive side, 

 it should be noted that many of these people are quite 

 elderly, and that over the longer term some others will 

 certainly be absorbed into the supply, processing, 

 distribution and marketing sectors of agriculture. 



Social Services And Safety Net 



It is important to recognize that a Soviet farm is far 

 more than a "farm" in the Western sense of the word. A 

 Soviet farm is a community which provides residents with 

 all essential social and supporting services — food, 

 housing, electricity, heat, health care, education, child 

 care, recreation, etc. Most important for this 

 testimony, the farm provides pensions, security and care 

 for the elderly. To many, the thought of leaving the 

 farm or of transforming it radically raises the same 

 fears that would occur in the U.S. from a proposal to 

 end Social Security and Medicare. 



