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The Herman Trend Alert November 14, 2007 Agriculture Will Continue to Boom With the growing demand for farm products, agriculture in the United States and elsewhere is booming. This boom in agricultural products, like corn, soybeans, wheat, produce, milk, and poultry, translates to big profits for farmers and many others in related industries, including food processing plants, trucking firms, railroads, and even equipment makers. In 2007, the USD$280 Billion sales in agriculture are up by 15 percent over 2006. Next year, they are expected to exceed USD$300 Billion. Net farm income this year is expected to hit the record level of USD$87 Billion; that is an impressive 50 percent increase over last year. Next year, the figure will undoubtedly increase again. Average crop prices are up by 20 percent over last year and will rise once more in 2008. Even prices for livestock are up 22 percent, especially from poultry. A combination of dynamics is producing this boom. First and most publicized, is the growing demand for biofuels. 25 percent of this fall's corn crop will go to ethanol production which by 2015 will require about 30 percent of the total corn crop. Second, there is an increasing demand for farm products from developing nations. Incomes are rising and the citizens have more disposable income to spend on better quality food. Asia and Latin America alone will add 700 Million new mouths to feed by 2020. Third, the less expensive dollar means that our exports compete more successfully on world markets. Fourth, according to the website Common Agricultural Policy, the European Union has "largely failed to respond to a booming global dairy market". Finally, on January 1st 2008, NAFTA will take full effect. This legislation will facilitate trade between the US and Mexico and a 15.1 percent increase in purchases. However, all of this industry growth is not without its challenges . . . the major one being the "people factor". Crops do not plant and harvest themselves. Midwest farmers from Kansas to North Dakota are importing farm workers from South Africa and elsewhere for short periods to supply the manpower needed. Agriculture is certainly an industry in a intensifying workforce crisis. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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