WEST MICHIGAN AGRICULTURE REPORT RELEASED BY WMSA

• Report
• Presentation
• Release
• Survey 

West Michigan Agriculture Report Released by WMSA 
WMSA, LPI and MSU Extension Partner on Study

On Tuesday, November 2, 2009, the West Michigan Strategic Alliance (WMSA) announced the release of the LPI-authored report, West Michigan Agriculture: Status and Conditions. The report--a partnership between WMSA, the Land Policy Institute (LPI) at MSU and MSU Extension--measures changes in economic data about agriculture from 1997-2007. The study compares West Michigan to the rest of the state and has detailed assessments of the agriculture sector in each of the region's eight counties.

"WMSA requested this report because we have been trying to advance farmland preservation," said Greg Northrup, WMSA President. "We believe we can achieve this objective through a growing and profitable agricultural sector, and this report confirms that. We thank the Land Policy Institute for funding this research through its People and Land initiative."

The report provides solid numbers on the economic impact of agriculture in the eight-county West Michigan region over the last decade:

• Agriculture provides $103 million in state and local tax revenue (in 2007 dollar values); 
• More than 26,000 jobs and more than $579 million in labor income come from agriculture; 
• The value of the region's economic output from agriculture is more than $1.6 billion (in 2007 dollar values); 
• West Michigan accounts for 28% of the state's total agriculture sales; 
• While the number and size of farms and agricultural land had declined from 1997-2002, all had equaled or surpassed 1997 totals by 2007. As of 2007, West Michigan had: 9,289 farms; 1,478,253 acres of farmland; 1,011,212 acres of harvested crop land; average farm size is 159 acres.

In addition, the report breaks down figures for each county, including acres of land devoted to and income derived from each type of crop or livestock. Information is provided in tables as well as coded maps.

This report is the first step of a study to assist the West Michigan counties of Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo and Ottawa in developing a Comprehensive Regional Strategic Plan for Agriculture. The goal of the planning processes is to ensure that agriculture remains a sustainable and viable resource for the West Michigan region and a vital part of the state's economy. The planning process is envisioned to include five more steps:

• A survey to assess the viability of agriculture in the region (survey).
• The development of a statistical viability model to understand key factors that contribute to industry viability (viability model).
• A series of listening and visioning sessions involving farmers, local planning officials, local and regional leaders and other policy makers (listening sessions).
• An assessment of the barriers to long-term viability and sustainability (gap analysis).
• The development of a Regional Agricultural Industry Development (AID) Plan.

Learn more at WMSA Agriculture Report Release.

LPI and the WMSA Agriculture Report
At the presentation in Grand Rapids on November 2, LPI's Melissa Gibson, Special Initiatives Coordinator, presented the report findings to agricultural preservation board members, economic developers, farmers, government leaders, and foundation representatives from the region. Gibson's presentation is available for download at West Michigan: Strategic Agricultural Viability Plan.

Opportunity for West Michigan Farmers to Be Heard
The Land Policy Institute, in coordination with the WMSA and MSU Extension, is currently conducting research on factors that contribute to the economic success of our state's farms. This research is crucial to the future of agricultural policy in West Michigan, and we are seeking input from West Michigan farmers in pursuit of these key factors that produce thriving farms.

By taking the anonymous online survey, West Michigan farmers can provide us with insight on how their farms work, identify what challenges they are facing and what makes their farms successful. The initially targeted counties include: Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo and Ottawa. This research can help identify future opportunities for farmers, develop an agricultural viability plan for regions, and inform policy makers and educators about the critical needs of the farming community. It is hoped that there will be enough interest in this pilot study to garner support for a statewide survey. The survey takes about 20-30 minutes to complete, with only one entry per farm. Note: Participants must be at least 18 years of age. To share your information, visit Survey of West Michigan Farmers. Feel free to pass the survey on to farmers in your community.

Questions
Questions regarding this survey or research study can be addressed by contacting: Melissa Gibson, LPI Special Initiatives Coordinator, at gibson@landpolicy.msu.edu or call 517.432.8800.