Agriculture was the focus of at least one session during the National Governors Association (NGA) winter meeting in Washington, D.C. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead led the session titled “The future of food and Agriculture.” on Feb. 23 that touched on many items with a primary focus on trade and sustainability.
The sustainability discussion covered a wide range of issues important to agriculture including environment, economics and research. Also discussed in terms of sustainability was attracting young people to remain in or enter the farming and ranching business.
In opening the forum, Mead discussed his background as a fourth-generation rancher and said when his term ends this year he looks forward to “going back to the pace of being a rancher.”
Setting up the discussion, Mead said he is proud that agriculture is the third largest industry in Wyoming with many century-old farms and ranches. “These families are remarkable, with so much history and experience behind them and so much more ahead of them. They are the solid core of American agriculture.”
He continued to comment, saying, “You cannot have a 100-year-old farm and ranch, one that is into its second century of operation without commitment to the land and conservation. A centennial operation is a great sign of good stewardship.”
He also talked about the importance of innovation, valued-added products and technological advances that can help to increase ag trade. With those topics noted, Mead said the conversation at the NGA meeting was particularly timely as Congress begins to consider the 2018 Farm Bill.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock also addressed the meeting, explaining the importance of agriculture in his state, saying there are about two-and-a-half head of cattle for every person. He noted that is really not unique in ag-heavy states with several having more cattle that people.
He went on to discuss the growing worldwide demand for food, saying that by 2050 the world population is expected to grow by over 2 billion people with the demand for food expected to increase by 70 to 100 percent from where it is today. “Those statistics alone are pretty sobering,” he said. “But then couple them with the average age of farmers and ranchers in the U.S. is nearly 60 years old. It is quickly apparent that we have to be doing all that we can to ensure that more young people will get involved in agriculture.”
With that in mind he noted that the game has been changing over the past few decades with higher input costs, lower prices and a variable climate that has made it harder to turn the keys over to that next generation.
Bullock ended his remarks by noting the importance of state and federal government working together, saying, “The importance of the relationship between state and federal government cannot be overstated. Whether it’s over research or regulation, or the farm bill, or other areas, it is vitally important that the spirit of cooperation remains the cornerstone of those relationships.”
Moving on to the panelists, Ray Starling, special assistant to President Trump for agriculture, trade and food assistance, said that sometimes it seems as though agriculture is the last topic of discussion. “We want it to be the first,” he told the group.
Starling acknowledged the areas mentioned by Mead and Bullock, saying, “These are all topics that we worry about and talk about frequently.”
He discussed the need for change to keep up with new innovations, noting, “If we are doing anything in our economy and our society the same way, if we’re selling something or buying something the same way we were a generation ago, then that methodology is ripe for disruption.”
Specifically, he mentioned the way food is marketed at the retail level with more opportunities for online sales. “That the trend, the idea that we are going to be in a different place with regard to how we buy food over the course of the next couple of decades, I think that is something interesting to talk about.”
Starling talked about the farm bill and trying to write something that meets the needs of producers in all 50 states, saying that ag policy is regional. He explained, in negotiating ag policy, different regions bring different needs to the table and different thoughts about how policies should work. That is an area he said that will continue to be a struggle.
Giving a quick assessment of the administration’s agricultural policies, Starling said the top four areas that occupy his time are: expanding ag trade; dealing with labor challenges; regulatory reform; and making sure that agriculture and rural America are included in conversations about infrastructure.
Agricultural producers are becoming increasingly aware that consumers want to know the origin of their food. This was mentioned by Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market, the Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. He noted that companies are also aware of this trend and are setting goals to meet that need but it can’t be accomplished without working with farmers. “Companies are partnering with farmers and ranchers in a more direct way,” he said.
Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, like others at the forum said sustainability is important on three levels—economic, generational and environmental.
He also discussed the need for a robust farm bill that provides risk management tools and provides some stability for farmers and ranchers.
Trade is of vital importance to agriculture as acknowledged by the governors and panelists. Duvall talked specifically about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), noting that agriculture has flourished under the treaty. As renegotiations continue, Duvall said, “We’ve called on you state governors to step up and let your voice be heard about how important ag trade is to your states; you’ve made a huge difference.”
The country’s infrastructure was also discussed, with Duvall explaining that it is vital for economic sustainability. “What sets us apart from the rest of the world is our infrastructure. We can produce it, we can deliver it on time, and we can do it consistently. What makes that possible is the wonderful infrastructure that we have across this country. Yes, it is crumbling, but we have a president that wants to rebuild it and we’re proud to hear that.”
Additionally, all of the speakers talked about the need to fund research, especially at land-grant universities. They noted that while private research is also happening, it is the land-grant studies that really help America’s farmers and ranchers because the information is made available to them free. Duvall gave his view, saying farmers trust that research. “It doesn’t have anybody that’s going to make money off of it; they are giving us the honest opinion and deliver it through extension. Getting that back is so important.”
Duvall closed his comments going back to the importance of agricultural trade, again mentioning the success of NAFTA and the need to do more, “It [NAFTA] has been a good deal for agriculture, but we have to tear down the barriers around the world where we can touch the other 95 percent of the population in this world, and that’s what will make agriculture sustainable, when we make it profitable again.” — Rae Price, WLJ editor
