EAST LANSING, MI — Gov. Rick Snyder opened the Michigan State University’s annual Agricultural Expoon Tuesday by praising the industry and laying out his vision for continued growth.
“You’re one of the big three,” Snyder told industry leaders over breakfast, placing agriculture alongside the state’s automotive and tourism industries.
“In particular, you were one of the big three that carried us through the darker days of the last decade. When most industries were going down, ag was our shining star and sustained us in many ways throughout those tough ten years.”
The food and agriculture industry contributes an estimated $90 billion a year to the Michigan economy, according to a 2012 MSU study that included both direct and induced activities, such grocery stores and restaurant sales. The governor said he would like to see that number top $100 billion during his tenure.
To continue industry growth, he stressed the need for continued investment in research and development, challenged leaders to process more food in Michigan and partner with the state to boost exports.
“That one’s obvious,” Snyder said. “We’re a place that makes things. Made in Michigan needs to be something that’s special. That’s what we’ve done. That’s how we became a great state. We want to provide the tools to make it easy for you to export, because that’s not an easy thing to do, especially when you’re talking about exporting internationally.”
Some agricultural leaders have talked about loosening ballast standards for ocean-going ships as a means to boost exports. Asked about that idea after his speech, Snyder said there is “room to talk” about ballast water, but he wants to make sure Michigan remains a leader in environmentally-sound standards.
Snyder’s remarks came just minutes after Chris Peterson, director of MSU’s Product Center for Agricultural and Natural Resources, released the first-ever Michigan Ag and Food Index. The survey of more than 100 Michigan ag and food leaders, conducted in April 2013, revealed that they are extremely confident in the outlook of their industry.
Respondents gave Michigan’s overall ag and food environment a rating of 147 on the index, well above the neutral score of 100 They rated sales a 133, employment a 132 and investment a 122.
“It represents, I think, a very bullish attitude about food and ag across the whole of our roundtable,” Peterson said. “Just to give you a comparison point, those same group rated the overall Michigan economy at 115. That’s still positive, but not nearly as positive as we are feeling collectively about our industry.”
The survey did reveal some concerns amongst industry leaders, some of whom shared worries about finding and retaining talent. Others expressed concerns about regulations, access, cost of inputs and government policy.
“When it comes to jobs, several people indicated that the Affordable Care Act and immigration reform weigh heavy on their minds,” MSU Product Center marketing economist Bill Knudson said in a release. “Many respondents cited that immigration reform needs to be handled in a way that ensures they still have reasonable access to seasonal labor.”
Snyder, who supports comprehensive immigration reform as a means to attract and retain highly-educated workers, did not discuss the ongoing debate in Washington. Instead, he stressed the need to encourage young people to enter the industry, suggesting that advanced technologies have given way to advanced jobs.
“We need the general public to realize what an exciting career ag can be, and to get them to understand that it’s among the most high-tech industries in the world,” the governor said. “You are at the forefront of so many scientific and technological advances.”
MSU’s ag expo, which began as a modest field day over three decades ago, is now Michigan’s largest outdoor farm show. The 34th annual expo, which runs through Thursday, features more than 250 exhibitors spread across 40 acres on the south side of campus. It is expected to draw 15,000 attendees to East Lansing.
