In recognition of National Agriculture Week, the Michigan Agri-Business Association (MABA) President Chuck Lippstreu on Monday joined WILS-1320 in Lansing to highlight the opportunities and challenges facing one of the state’s most vital industries. Agriculture stands as Michigan’s second-largest economic engine and we continue to use every platform at our disposal to share opportunities and challenges for the industry. To hear the full conversation, go here. “It’s certainly an important industry for our state, with 300+ crops and commodities that we grow,” Lippstreu said. “Agriculture is the number two economic engine in our state, the number two job creator. And there’s a reason why: You have a lot of people working extremely hard to make sure agriculture and food production are successful and that the industry is creating jobs in small towns and in big cities.” Lippstreu touched on the uncertainty facing growers and industry headed into the planting season. “Farmers and the rural businesses that work with them are doing so in a pretty uncertain environment. We’ve got to partner together in the state of Michigan to make sure farmers are prepared to plant a crop, to have what they need during the growing season, and ultimately to hopefully be successful — have a good crop, have good production that can then be sold somewhere in the U.S. or around the world.” We also covered the critical importance of trade for Michigan. “When you look at the total of all agricultural and food products that are being exported from Michigan, around 42% of those exports are going to Canada. Our number two export market is Mexico, close to 20% of our exports by value. That’s one of the reasons that we continue to work hard to amplify the benefits of the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which is up for renewal and review right now,” he said. During the segment, MABA recognized several of the many ag organizations working on behalf of Michigan agriculture.
