By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent

LANSING, Mich. — Ninety-seven percent of Michigan residents believe agriculture and farmland are important to the state’s economic recovery, according to a recent survey.

The 51st State of the State Survey reported that respondents collectively place a higher value on agriculture and farmland in comparison to other catalysts such as renewable energy, the automobile industry, parks and trails, and tourism. The quarterly survey, conducted in March 2009 by the Michigan State University Institute of Public Policy and Social Research and released to the public last month, was designed to monitor the mood of Michigan residents on a variety of pressing issues in the state.

The survey showed that 74.2 percent of respondents indicated agriculture and farmland are “very important,” and 22.8 percent believe they are “somewhat important” to the state’s economic recovery – totaling 97 percent of respondents.

The percentage of respondents indicating that agriculture is “very important” ranked third compared to renewable energy, which had the highest percentage at 75.7 percent, and the automobile industry, which was ranked second at 75.6 percent.

A 20-page bulletin, which provided a synopsis of the survey, examined respondents’ answers based on socio-economic and demographic factors and summarized some of the primary challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in Michigan. It emphasized that the survey results should “remind state leaders, academics and citizens that farming remains important in the minds of Michiganders.”

Agriculture is Michigan’s no. 2 industry, contributing $71.3 billion annually to the economy. The state produces more than 200 diverse products and is ranked as having the second most diverse variety of crops of any state, behind California.

While agriculture remains a bright spot for the state’s economy, the industry faces its share of challenges.

The average age of farmers is increasing while the number of families farming is decreasing, transfer of land within families is declining and the number of farms and amount of land in farming are both decreasing, according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture.
But, regardless of these challenges, the bulletin’s authors said the survey findings “reveal continued interest in agriculture by the Michigan public and suggest that it is perceived to be one of the leading instruments of economic recovery in the state.

“Regardless of statewide agricultural trends, whether they trend toward more commercial farming or toward more nimble and smaller enterprises focused on local food markets, Michigan residents believe that the (agriculture) industry and the farmland it uses are important to the state’s economy,” the bulletin states.
The survey respondent’s overwhelmingly positive attitudes about agriculture and farmland in Michigan are reassuring news for the state, said Matt Kapp, Michigan Farm Bureau land use and elections specialist.

“The people of Michigan know a good thing when they see it and they obviously see strength, value and promise in our state’s agriculture industry and farmland based on how highly they ranked the importance of farming to Michigan’s economic recovery,” Kapp said.

“This independent third-party research validates that Michigan farmers aren’t alone in caring about Michigan’s future and believing that agriculture is essential to advancing our state,” Kapp said. “The public support adds fuel to our fire in pushing for state reforms that make sense for Michigan economically,
environmentally and socially.”