MACA: Crop Protection Industry Faces Myriad Concerns In 2015
February 5, 2015 
McCarvel, MACA
As we look ahead to 2015, there are several key issues facing the crop protection industry which Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) will focus on in the year ahead.
First, there is the need for communication to explain the story of agriculture to students and non-farm consumers. It is our responsibility to explain planting, harvest, weeds, the need for crop protection products as well as the benefits of genetically modified organisms. It is important that we take the time to include consumers in the discussion and put it in terms they can understand.
The human population has exploded in recent years. While it took the world until 1804 to reach 1 billion inhabitants, it only took 12 years to go from 6 to 7 billion. The world’s population is currently increasing by 200,000 a day, and by 2050 there will be an estimated 9.6 billion people on the planet.
Feeding this many people will require even greater productivity so we must make sure consumers understand the need for food and how it is produced and that it is safe and will continue to provide an abundant food supply for the entire world. The CropLife Ambassador program is just one program that MACA supports through volunteers making presentations to elementary students, but the PowerPoint Presentations can also be modified to speak with adult groups.
Attracting Young People
Many MACA member companies are seeing their experienced and long-term employees retire. While that is good, it also means that new people are needed. They must have an understanding and passion for agriculture.
The MACA Young Leader Scholarship Program is designed to help identify potential employees from the 13 Midwestern land grant universities. The program provides a scholarship to help defray tuition expenses, exposes them to careers in the crop protection industry and gives them an opportunity to talk with key company people as well as learn more about the industry by participating in our annual meeting.
This also gives the students an opportunity to talk about new technology which can be used to reach the targeted audience and also a chance to ask questions regarding possible jobs, requirements and the day-to-day work for the various positions. Also, we all need to step up and spend time as a mentor or with a student talking and showing them the opportunities that exist in agriculture — including the technology/science side to sales and marketing and all the points in between.
Transportation
No one wants an accident to occur when storing or transporting crop protection products. MACA’s Distribution & Environment Committee continues to develop industry materials for the warehouse storage and transportation of crop protection products and seed and provides updates on the ever-changing federal transportation rules and regulations. This issue continues to change, so it is important that the industry stays current on the rules and regulations as well as provides input on proposed federal transportation rules and regulations. Input from those in the business make the difference in ensuring the rules and regulations are workable as well as practical.
Water
MACA continues to monitor the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and Nutrient Run-off. These three initiatives are under government review and the proposed rules and regulations may have a tremendous impact on the Midwest region.
Regarding WOTUS, the EPA and the U.S. Corps of Engineers have proposed new federal rules that will dramatically increase the amount of waters regulated by the federal agencies. This could significantly affect agricultural land use.
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the U.S. and Canada includes development of a list of Chemicals of Mutual Concern. Again, this could impact the crop protection industry, so we must be a part of the discussions.
Increased regulation of nutrient run-off threatens to impact all of agriculture. States have to develop nutrient runoff reduction strategies. MACA has joined with others in a lawsuit that would stop numeric nutrient criteria being forced upon states for use with Total Maximum Daily Loads calculations.
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