The Tri-State Development Regional Report
news & updates
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Tri-State Development Regional Agricultural Statistics |
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All of us Tri-State region dwellers know the important role that agriculture serves in strengthening our economy, but how familiar are we with the statistics that drive our agricultural outcomes - the people, the product, the places? Take a look at some of these facts and figures for our 36-county region.
Source: USDA NASS, 2017 Census of Agriculture.
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- Over 66% of our agricultural land resources, spanning 9.4 million acres, are utilized for crop farming, while 34% are for livestock.
- We are a self-reliant bunch! Only 3% of farms in the Tri-State region report hiring farm labor.
- Look at what we do! Tri-State regional producers provide over 5 BILLION dollars in products annually.
- The Tri-State region's farms are not producing a high percentage of direct-to-consumer products. In fact, the vast majority of our farms sell their commodities through other channels like mills, slaughterhouses, and grain processors. Throughout the U.S. only about 7% of America's farms sold through direct-to-consumer outlets.
- In our 36-county region, there are over 42,000 producers. Of these producers, 32% of them are female, while 68% are male. Interestingly, nationwide, counties with the highest proportion of female-operated farms were largely in the West and Northeast. Counties with the lowest proportion were in the Midwest, the Northern Plains, and the Mississippi Delta. In the Tri-State region, the county with the most female producers is Adams County, IL. Proportionately, though, the highest percentage of female producers can be found in Wapello County, IA where 41% of producers are female.
- On average, 70% of tri-state farms have access to the Internet. Some 82% of farms across the country had internet access in 2021, up from 75% in 2019. Half of the farms across the U.S. had a broadband connection, and 70% used a cellular data plan for access. A study by the Community Policy Analysis Center of the University of Missouri shows that farming is becoming increasingly reliant on broadband connectivity. Like any other business communication and information are essential!
- The Agriculture sector is experiencing a workforce crisis. Why? It has been suggested that farming has an image problem and is largely regarded as a job that's hard work for little pay. And its reputation for contributing to greenhouse gas emissions doesn't help. There are also steep barriers to entry including the high cost of land and equipment and difficulty finding financing.
- According to usda.gov, agriculture and its related industries provide 10.5% of U.S. employment. In 2021, 21.1 million jobs were related to the ag and food sectors. This represents 10.5% of total U.S. employment.
- The agriculture sector is set for a resurgence. It may look a little different - even a lot different from only a few decades ago, but the farmers of our region are proving to be a sophisticated, innovative crop of entrepreneurs who are open to using sophisticated technologies, sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology that allow their farms to be more profitable, efficient, and safe! Learn more about exciting emerging ag innovation in the article provided below.
- The Census of Agriculture, conducted once every five years, is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The most recent Census of Agriculture took place earlier this year. Provided by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, the data will be available in 2024 at the national, state, and county levels.
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10 Emerging Innovations in AgTech |
The investment in agriculture technology has seen accelerated growth of more than 40% just last year. This adds up to approximately $17 billion. In this article, the writer explores 10 exciting new innovations that are set to impact the agricultural sector by increasing production, creating efficiencies, and solving age-old problems.
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Addressing the Rural Workforce Challenge
Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)
March 2023
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The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates that, in total, U.S. agriculture needs 1.5 to 2 million hired workers each year. Farmers have been struggling to fill these positions. This article explores the rural workforce challenges and offers strategies to help.
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SPOTLIGHT: Ag Innovation in the Tri-State Region |
An example of ag innovation right here in our region, The Maiers family, operators of MAC Cattle Co. near Payson, IL, utilize changes to housing and feeding their cattle to increase productivity.
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We are excited to share that the new Tri-State Development website has been launched.
You will find facts, figures, information, and opportunities! We will continue to add to the website as new programs and projects are introduced.
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SHARE YOUR SPOTLIGHT STORY
We want to shine a light on the Tri-State region! Tell us about the great things happening in your community! Please help us spread the word about the activities, projects, programs, and collaborations that positively impact our region. We want to thank you for all that you do!
Click here to submit a spotlight story. It's quick and easy!
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Wednesday, September 13 - Thursday, September 14
Oakley-Lindsay Center, Quincy, IL
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Transform your ideas, research, and best practices into a presentation at the 2023 Tri-State Development Summit. These presentations are meant to spark innovative thinking, encourage dialogue, and drive new solutions for our greatest regional challenges.
Tri-State Development Summit 2023
Full-day program: Thursday, September 14th
Oakley-Lindsay Center, Quincy, IL
We want to hear from you!
Anyone interested in sharing their experiences, ideas, or knowledge with the greater Tri-State Development regional community is asked to submit a presentation proposal no later than June 1, 2023.
Presentations will be provided to attendees in concurrent sessions, allowing for choices among a number of diverse and interesting topics. Some presenters may be asked to present in more than one session throughout the day.
CLICK HERE for more information about presenting at the Tri-State Development Summit 2023.
To submit a presentation for consideration, please CLICK HERE. |
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Please click on the link to the right to access the notes from meetings held to date.
The Tri-State Development Task Forces meet regularly to discuss challenges and opportunities and to develop action plans to move regional initiatives forward. We have completed the first meeting for all seven task forces. To review the discussion notes and actions, please click on the links provided.
Thank you to those participating in the task force meetings, providing insight, direction, and perspective. We value participation from all stakeholders in the Tri-State Development region and encourage you to register for the next meeting.
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Tri-State Development is eager to share the progress and impact of task force efforts by providing access to meeting discussion notes and follow-up actions. Please click on the links below to review the most recent task force notes.
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Catch up on the Tri-State Development Newsletters that you missed!
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Tri-State Development at Culver-Stockton College supports the region by cultivating collaborative relationships, promoting interdisciplinary problem-solving, fostering the expansion of academic-organization-industry initiatives, and developing an environment for collective impact to address the current and emerging economic, and social challenges in the region.
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Please join us in showing gratitude to our Sponsorship Partners who generously support Tri-State Development at the Presenting and Program levels. Their investment helps support the annual Tri-State Development Summit, investments in stakeholder resources, as well as programs and projects throughout the year.
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Tri-State Development Summit at Culver-Stockton College | [culver.edu/tsd]
Leslie Sieck, Executive Director [lsieck@culver.edu]
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