A farm magazine asked me to write an article about the future of agriculture in the South, and I've been researching the piece, talking to farmers, Extension economists, consultants and others.

Part of the focus is to identify the forces that may bring about change, looking past the short-term year or so and maybe try to identify some factors that are evolving into changes over at least the next decade.

I'm wondering if any Southerners on the list want to chime in with any of their thinking on this subject? I'm not going to quote anyone from their postings.

What I'm trying to do is, first, see how the things I've identified so far mesh with the thinking of a broader group of farmers and other people in the field. (What better place to ask than NAT?)

Beyond that, I'm trying to see if there's anything I've overlooked. I have my own set of preconceived notions, after all.

I hesitate to bring up any of the potential forces I've identified on my own because I don't want to influence anyone's initial thinking. But for the sake of conversation here are a few:

Foreign competition, absentee land ownership, labor shortages, aging farm population coupled with shortage of enough younger people coming into farming, weather/water trends, farm programs, energy policies, GMO developments and related resistance issues, suburban development, declining rural infrastructure, search for new crops and/or markets.

Those are just for starters. 

The bottom-line question: What forces are changing Southern ag and why?

Thanks,

Owen

PS: I hope nobody is offended by me posting this on Crop Talk. I considered putting it on Forum Talk, but I seem to find more Southerners in this section, plus it seems to pick up a cross-section of folks with both row crops and livestocck.