Farmers identified several top issues impacting their operations in a survey conducted by Case IH, including: new government mandates and regulations, availability and price of land for expansion, and stability of global financial markets. For impacts over the next year, new government mandates and regulations was ranked as the most impactful issue by nearly 30% of respondents. Over the next five years, this issue remained the top concern according to 33% of farmers. The survey found that farmers anticipate growth in their operations in the coming years and look to equipment dealers, financial advisors, and agronomists for guidance on key business decisions.

1. Farmers list top issues impacting agriculture
Farmers are faced with new challenges and opportunities every day -- from feeding an expanding
global population while meeting strict new emissions requirements, to producing more food on
fewer acres while minimizing their environmental footprint. As part of its commitment to help
farmers meet their challenges, Case IH issued a survey to gather farmers' perspectives on the
leading issues impacting their operations.
Farmers are faced with new challenges and opportunities every day -- from feeding an expanding
global population while meeting strict new emissions requirements, to producing more food on
fewer acres while minimizing their environmental footprint.
Issues identified in the survey include:
• Supplying the growing global demand for commodities arising from developing economies and
world population growth
• Availability and price of land for expansion
• New government mandates and regulations
• Stability, development and fluctuations in global financial markets
• Impact of global trade policies on food security and the supply and demand for commodities
• Development and use of bio-based fuels
Farmers were asked to rank the top issues that would impact their business, both in the next year
and five years out. The number one issue is new government mandates and regulations, with
nearly 30 percent of the Ag Connect farmer group ranking it as having the most impact on their
business within the next year. Availability and price of land for expansion, and stability,
development and fluctuations in global financial markets are tied, with 24 percent of respondents
ranking them as the second most impactful issue.
For the Ag Connect farmers' five-year impact projections, new government mandates and
regulations top the list again, with 33 percent ranking it as the most impactful. Nearly 24 percent
of respondents rank availability and price of land for expansion as the second most impactful.
Other key findings from the Ag Connect survey:
• Nearly 25 percent of respondents indicate that equipment dealers/experts will be one of the top
advisors to influence their decision making, along with their financial advisor and agronomist
advisors
• 89 percent anticipate operation growth in the next five years

2. • Online farm audience shares similar, but not identical concerns
While the Ag Connect survey attracted primarily large farmers -- 65 percent report farming more
than 5,000 acres, and all have a minimum of 1,000 tillable acres -- the CaseIH.com survey
attracted more mid-size and smaller-acreage farmers. More than 70 percent of online survey
respondents identify themselves as "predominantly cash grain producers" -- of which nearly 54
percent farm 1,000 acres or less, and more than 41 percent farm between 1,000 and 5,000 acres.
About 25 percent of CaseIH.com survey respondents rank availability and price of land for
expansion as having the most impact on their business within the next year, followed by stability,
development and fluctuations in global financial markets (21 percent). Other top issues include
new government mandates and regulations, and supplying the growing global demand for
commodities arising from developing economies and world population growth.
Their five-year impact projections not only track closely to the rankings for business impacts
within the next year, but also emulate the Ag Connect survey results. Online respondents rank
availability and price of land for expansion (26 percent) and new government mandates and
regulations (21 percent) as the top issues impacting their business in the next five years.
Another key finding from the CaseIH.com survey: almost 82 percent anticipate operation growth
in the next five years.