1. Michael Duffy Associate Director of ISU Leopold Center
Trends in Agriculture
Michael Duffy
Associate Director of ISU Leopold Center

2. Trends in Production Decreasing farm numbers and changing distribution
Narrowing profit margins
Increased dependence on government
Increasing age of farmers
Changing sources of income
Increased concentration

8. Narrowing Profit Margins

11. Increased reliance on government payments

15. Increasing age of farmers

18. Changing sources of income

24. Trends in Processing and Retail
Disappearing middle
Increasing concentration

30. Top Five Grocery Retailers in the United States*
1997
Kroger Co
Safeway
American Stores
Albertson’s
Ahold USA
CR5=24%
2000
Kroger Co.
Wal-Mart
Albertson’s
Safeway
Ahold USA
CR5=42%
* Source: Heffernan, William

31. Trends in Consumer Behavior and Spending
Where food is consumed
How much is spent for farm production

34. Trends in Agriculture
Agriculture has changed and will continue to do so
Increased awareness of environmental and other problems associated with current farming systems are leading to a rethinking of our current approach
Changing consumer preferences and lifestyles off new options and alternatives for production agriculture
Increased awareness of our dependence on imported energy is opening new opportunities for agriculture to lead the way in a biobased society
We can not go backwards. We have to go forward recognizing that things will continually change but that we do have some control over the direction of the change.