NCGA’s FSATF Report

Chuck Zimmerman

Taking Ownership of Grain Belt Agriculture ReportI had not seen this report before seeing a link to it in today’s NCGA News of the Day. It’s the result of NCGA’s Future Structure of Agriculture Task Force II work. It looks like a lot of work went into this document. I wonder how it’s being used and if it will have any impact. Anyone know?

You can read the full report on their website.

Their Executive Summary makes a clear statement that some things need to change for production agriculture to continue to grow and be a viable business for farmers.To revitalize rural America, agriculture needs a new focus—an emphasis on entrepreneurship versus entitlement. Hundreds of farmer-owned ventures have flowered throughout the Grain Belt since the mid-1990s. But more investment beyond production agriculture is critical, since future profits in commodity agriculture will grow only in nickels and dimes; upstream processors, many of which can be farmer owned, will capture the real dollars from value-added agriculture.

The report makes a number of specific recommendations:

• Elevate bio-based research and technology to a national priority.
• Encourage farmer-owned brands by removing legal barriers.
• Reform producer-owned business structures to improve tax efficiency, easily raise capital and offer investor liquidity.
• Foster and fund value-added education and rural entrepreneurship.

Ag Groups