forum discusses e-commerce for agriculture

A diverse collection of some 500 people is expected to pack a conference hall at Iowa State University today. A forum looking into the impact of e-commerce on agriculture is gathering everyone from rural Iowa farmers to venture capitalists. Bruce Babcock is director of I-S-U’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, which is hosting the forum “E-commerce: The Net Effect on Agribusiness.” Babcock says the computerization of the ag industry can mean good and bad news for all players in the food production process.As for those of Iowa’s 90-thousand family farmers who are resisting e-commerce, Babcock says they really should consider joining the computer age to improve their bottom line.Today’s conference at Stevens Auditorium starts at 8:30 a-m.