A bit of stability

By Edgar Olson
Executive Director

Farming has never been easy, and anyone with half an ear to the ground received a rude dose of that reality again this winter.It’s no secret that producers and rural communities faced difficult times recently as pork prices fell dramatically. Many producers lost tremendous amounts of money, threatening their very survival. While the situation has since rebounded, some are still in a precarious position. Additionally, record crops in many areas were greeted by less-than-profitable prices this last fall. As a result, many rural areas face serious challenges bordering on crisis.

There are no simple answers to the vagaries of weather or the volatility of the commodity markets. But AURI believes diversification into value-added agriculture is one key to rural economic health. We remain committed to helping Minnesota entrepreneurs and organizations develop new uses for commodities. From new uses for alfalfa to hybrid hazelnuts, AURI is pointing producers to alternative ways to grow, process and market their crops.

AURI firmly holds that value-added agriculture and the development of new uses will help strengthen rural Minnesota. To accomplish those goals effectively, teamwork among AURI, commodity groups and farm organizations is also vital. It’s our goal to spread this message to anyone who will listen.

One method we use to spread the word is Ag Innovation News. But we also stay involved in trade shows and conventions. Among the shows AURI recently attended are the Minnesota Farm Bureau’s annual meeting, the Minnesota Pork Congress, the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference and the Minnesota Ag Expo. These shows help us to cement support for our commodity partners, so that together we can build a bit of stability for rural Minnesota.