A group of Iowa Ag groups that is a self-described “think tank” has come up a plan designed to create a vision for agriculture in the next 10 years. Albert City farmer, Phil Sundblad, is the current chair of “AgSTATE.” He says AgSTATE is an acronym for “Agricultural Strategic Thinkers Acting Together Effectively,” and he says they’re a “visionary” group that doesn’t set policy, but looks ahead. The group’s plan is called Vision 2015. Sundblad says they looked at current conditions and made assumptions about where the state would end up and asked if they like those assumptions. He says if they didn’t like the assumptions, then they asked how they could change things to get where they want to be by 2015.
Sundblad says they’ve discussed a variety of issues. He says ag business is a big topic, as is the environment, as he says they feel they’re steward of the environment. Sundblad says they also talked about technology and infrastructure and quality of life in rural Iowa. Sundblad says all those issues tie in with getting young people interested in agriculture — another issue the group tries to address. The vision document and more information about Iowa AgSTATE is available on-line at:/www.econ.iastate.edu/outreach/agriculture/agstate/.