Throughout his career, Whatley presented practical, positive entrepreneurial options for small farm operators that included production diversification, organic farming practices, farm value-added products and innovative, direct marketing schemes. These sustainable alternatives have grown and flourished over the last two decades, being adopted by USDA and several states. Today, they currently provide important niche markets for small- and medium-sized farmers around the world. However, his fight with the US agriculture establishment was ongoing, as he believed that USDA and land grant colleges continued to push big farm policies on the small farmer who could ill-afford their programs.