11/18/98

Editor's note: A copy of the second Iowa AgState Group report can be obtained by contacting Susan Thompson at 515/294-0705 or sander@iastate.edu.

Contacts:
Craig Hill, Iowa AgState chair, 515/961-5286
Keith Heffernan, CARD assistant director, 515/294-0670
Susan Thompson, ISU Agriculture Information, 515/294-0705

VISION FOR IOWA AGRICULTURE GETS AN UPDATE

A think tank made up of representatives from all sectors of Iowa agriculture released its second annual report Nov. 18.

The Iowa AgState Group was formed in the spring of 1997. AgState is an acronym for "Agricultural Strategic Thinkers Acting Together Effectively." Last year, the group developed what it called a "strategic plan for the future of Iowa's agricultural industry."

"Dozens of new initiatives got underway in 1998 that will have a long-term impact not only on the state's agricultural industry, by its entire economy," says Craig Hill, a farmer from Milo who chairs the Iowa AgState Group. "We know the seeds of many of these new initiatives were planted during Iowa AgState meetings."

Hill says although this second report shows many successes, the work isn't done. "As we reviewed our 1997 report and outlined 1998 successes, we talked about other areas that need attention." Members adopted eight new recommendations under the original goals.

The five goals, and new recommendations under those goals, are:

1. to expand opportunities for Iowa by adding value to Iowa's agricultural commodities, increasing exports of Iowa's agricultural products and increasing consumer confidence in the quality of Iowa's food.

• Encouraging the development and use of new value-added agricultural products that are environmentally friendly.
• Finding ways to expand employment opportunities in rural areas.

2. to maintain and encourage Iowa's commitment to environmental stewardship.

• Improving the state's review process of applications for livestock facility construction to reduce the turnaround time between application and response.
• Developing new risk management tools, such as insurance products, that would provide producers protection as they try new technologies, systems or products designed to better protect the environment.
• Establishing new state policies on land use and urban growth that recognize that the preservation of efficient and productive agriculture is essential to statewide economic development.
• Encouraging the full use of environmentally-sound farming practices, such as reduced tillage, to assure soil, chemicals and nutrients are staying in fields and out of surface waters.

3. to create a new, positive attitude among producers, policymakers and consumers about the future of Iowa agriculture.

• Acquainting policymakers and opinion leaders with facts and trends in agriculture which must be understood so they can help develop consensus solutions to problems facing agriculture.
• Educating producers, consumers and policymakers on the opportunities to apply the new tools of biotechnology to meet the food and fiber needs of a growing world population.

4. to help Iowans consider innovative new business relationships, services and structures where they can work cooperatively to improve profitability.

• Encouraging the creation of new commercial services and risk management tools producers can use in their efforts to increase farm profitability.
• Developing a rating service to evaluate agricultural contracts, similar to ones that exist for rating insurance companies and products.

5. to make the necessary changes in tax policy or capital access conditions that will encourage expanded investment in Iowa agriculture.

The AgState report was unveiled to the boards of directors of participating organizations at a meeting in Ames Nov. 18-19.

Also at that meeting, the Iowa AgState Farm Bill Task Force met for the second time.

LeRoy Stoltenberg of Davenport chairs the task force. Hill says producers need to be involved as the next farm program is written, and this task force will help make that happen.

The Iowa AgState Group includes representatives from the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Iowa Cattlemen's Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Dairy Products Association, Iowa Department of Economic Development, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Institute for Cooperatives, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa State University and the Iowa Turkey Federation.

The ISU Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) and the ISU economics department provide administrative support for the effort.

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