MSUE Agriculture and Agribusiness Institute Wendy Powers, director and professor

Work groups Animal and Plant Production Bioproducts and Bioenergy Business Management Environmental Quality

Audiences Commercial agriculture Agribusiness Home gardeners General public

Focus areas Animal and Plant Production Managing production risks Invasive species, emerging diseases, emergency plant/tissue management, weather variability, resource availability Increasing consumer knowledge about production practices Increasing awareness about Michigan's agricultural diversity and benefits of this diversity, the multiplier effect of agriculture in communities, and production practices Improving production efficiency Improving yields, improving quality, decreasing input costs

Focus areas Bioproducts & Bioenergy Increase economic prosperity through renewable energy development Increase long term sustainablity of (environment, economic, social) bioenergy & bioproducts Increased production of bioenergy and bioproducts Improved conservation and energy efficiency

Focus areas Business Management Increased jobs in ag, food, bioeconomy and natural resources Increased economic activity in ag, food, bioeconomy and natural resources

Focus areas Environmental Quality Improving water quality Minimize nutrient and pesticide losses Improving air quality Improving management to improve air quality, improving siting decisions Improving water use efficiency Smart use of water Improving energy use efficiency Alternative energy options and feasibility, using energy wisely, knowing your energy use

AABI work areas Some overlap between work groups i.e. energy efficiency in Environmental Quality and Bioproducts & Bioenergy Some overlap between institutes i.e. new business development includes ag processing and natural resources

Indicators – Animal & Plant Production Action Adoption of new tools, practices or technologies # of new businesses undergoing energy audits Change in purchasing decisions #successful business transitions, annually  Condition  Change in nutrient/pesticide use  Change in $ expended on energy  $ lost, $ gained, $ saved or protected  $ changed due to yield changes, quality changes  Improved labor productivity, ( $ output/hour)

Indicators – Business Management Action Adoption of new tools, practices or technologies # of new businesses undergoing energy audits Change in purchasing decisions #successful business transitions, annually  Condition  Change in nutrient/pesticide use  Change in $ expended on energy  $ lost, $ gained, $ saved or protected  $ changed due to yield changes, quality changes  Improved labor productivity, ( $ output/hour)

Indicators – Bioproducts & Bioenergy Action Adoption of new tools, practices or technologies # of new businesses undergoing energy audits Change in purchasing decisions #successful business transitions, annually  Condition  Change in nutrient/pesticide use  Change in $ expended on energy  $ lost, $ gained, $ saved or protected  $ changed due to yield changes, quality changes  Improved labor productivity, ( $ output/hour)

Indicators – Environmental Quality Action Adoption of new tools, practices or technologies # of new businesses undergoing energy audits Change in purchasing decisions #successful business transitions, annually  Condition  Change in nutrient/pesticide use  Change in $ expended on energy  $ lost, $ gained, $ saved or protected  $ changed due to yield changes, quality changes  Improved labor productivity, ( $ output/hour)

Working across groups Using common indicators to aggregate impacts ‘Mining’ survey response to provide data for indicators across work groups

Examples where this is happening Animal & Plant Production (APP) and Environmental Quality Business Management and APP Bioproducts & Bioenergy Product Center Innovation Counselors Soil sample self-mailer Food safety Climate change and variability

Next steps Craft a survey tool to collect information and then develop an ‘easy’ way of reporting/storing/aggregating quantitative impacts