Include Goals, Philosophies in Farm Estate plans

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Farmers must start with their end goals when planning to pass their farms to the next generation, a certified public accountant on Monday advised Farm Bureau members attending a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. “Evaluate what you want to do with your goals and philosophies,” said Christopher “Chris” Hesse of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. “It’s never too soon to do it.” “At least have the conversation with the children and evaluate where you’re at—even if you decide not to do anything yet,” Hesse added. Tax laws and implications should then be applied to help meet those goals and philosophies, he explained. He recommended farmers consider many factors when determining how to divide their assets. These include any children with special needs, long-term education goals or mitigating factors. When dividing their assets, farmers are only limited by their imaginations, according to Hesse. Hesse stressed farmers should keep in mind $14,000 is the annual threshold for the gift tax exclusion. Annual gifts of that amount or less do not have tax implications.

Grassroots Action Needed on Clean Water Act Proposal

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—There are two things that farmers need to realize about a new regulation that the Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to release in the coming weeks, two experts in water regulations said at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. One is that the new rule that EPA is proposing would greatly increase the scope of the Clean Water Act, making it of enormous importance to farmers across the country, said environmental and natural resources attorney Virginia Albrecht of the law firm Hunton & Williams LLP and Don Parrish, AFBF’s senior director of regulatory relations. “We know there are people saying, ‘Oh, what – this again?’” Albrecht said. “But now we’re at this crossroads.” Second is the need to make sure that EPA and Congress hear from farmers. “Grassroots action on this issue is going to be hugely important,” Parrish said. The Clean Water Act began in 1972 as a non-partisan piece of legislation designed to reduce water pollution in the nation’s navigable rivers and streams. At the time, discharging raw sewage into rivers and streams was standard practice across the country. The act set up a regulatory program that required permits that limited the volume of pollutants In the years since, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers have attempted, with some success, to expand the scope of the program, particularly by expanding the definition of “navigable waters” or “waters of the United States” beyond rivers and streams to include such things as isolated ponds and wetlands, ditches, and even temporary water features caused by runoff and seasonal flooding. Not all of EPA’s efforts to expand the definition have succeeded, Parrish and Albrecht said. But the new rule, at least in its current form, would go even farther, they said. While there are some exemptions, there is no exemption for all standard farm practices, and there is no exemption for isolated or manmade water features such as ditches. In fact, Albrecht said, ditches are explicitly included in the proposal. “People will tell you that there’s a ditch exemption,” and many genuinely believe it, she said. “But in fact you should worry about your ditches.” The rule is expected to be released and opened for comment sometime in the next few weeks, Albrecht said, noting that the standard comment period is 60 days. That might be extended, but probably not for very long, she explained. During that comment period, it’s vital that farmers comment, she and Parrish said, and they added that it’s also important that they talk to their members of Congress even after the comment period is over. “Help them understand that this issue is hugely important to you,” Parrish said.

Trade Representatives Hopeful on Ag Negotiations

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014–Trade Promotion Authority legislation introduced in Congress recently is further evidence that negotiations are moving in the right direction, providing further hope for completion of trade partnerships with the European Union and Trans-Pacific partners. That was the feeling as trade officials spoke to Farm Bureau members attending a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. “With the world economy, things seem to be working in the right direction, but we need to make sure trade is there to maximize the gains of the economy and to speed it up,” said Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, head of the delegation of the European Union to the United States. Speaking of the on-going negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, Vale de Almeida was hopeful barriers that existed in the past will be overcome in the coming years. “TTIP is the mother of all FTAs (Free Trade Agreements)…and a game changer for bilateral relations between the European Union and the United States, potentially leading to 800 million high-spending and highly sophisticated consumers,” Vale de Almeida said. “It also has the potential to be a game changer globally, as Americans and Europeans work to reenergize the world’s system, and do it according to our values and principles.” Having recently completed the third round of negotiations, Vale de Almeida anticipated restarting negotiations soon, working on improving market access and lowering tariffs, and also including a strong regulatory component. He hopes to bring tariffs closer to zero, and remove “behind-the-border barriers” which can also serve as a form of tariffs. These barriers can be as high as 10 percent to 20 percent when fully realized, he said. Vale de Almeida was confident these negotiations will continue to go well, having recently completed reforms of the European “Common Agricultural Policy” moving away from support based on production and toward a model that encourages rural development and rewards environmental protection. “Though a few obstacles remain, we are seriously and sincerely engaged in opening up markets for American exports,” Vale de Almeida said. Rowena Hume, trade counselor for the New Zealand Embassy, echoed Vale de Almeida’s comments on the positive nature of change taking place regarding trade in her Pacific region. Speaking on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Hume shared the belief that improving the trade potential in the Trans-Pacific region will greatly help American agricultural exports, which she said have decreased by 40 percent in recent years. “Regaining market share would increase U.S. total exports by $600 billion or 3 million jobs,” Hume said. “The TPP could increase exports by $2 billion, with the dairy industry benefiting the most.” Hume added that agricultural trade with all TPP members represents $150 billion–$79.6 billion for the U.S. alone–and 43 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports. Though some concerns remain–specifically regarding geographic indications–both trade officials were hopeful these deals could be passed in the coming years, with benefits to national economies as well as down to the individual farmers looking to increase consumers of their products.

EU, U.S. Face Feeding the World With Differing Ag Policies

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—While the European Union and the United States are together feeding the world, their agriculture policies differ, the EU’s Agriculture Counsellor Giulio Melato told workshop attendees at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. The European Union has 13.7 million farms, Melato said. About 70 percent of those are less than 10 acres and 92 percent are family farms. Those farms employ 17 million people and comprise 6 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product. With 50 percent of Europe’s land area devoted to agriculture, “We have a different reality in Europe,” than the much larger U.S., Melato noted. With a higher population density, “The [European] population has a strong relationship with the countryside.” The side-by-side coexistence of urban and rural means they share the same air, water and other natural resources, which prompted EU policymakers to actively engage the public as it formulated modern ag policy. Recent droughts and price volatility “scared” European consumers, Melato said, and those fears increased public interest in ag policy. Melato said the three overriding policy goals are viable food production, sustainable management of natural resources and balanced development. Government’s role, he noted, is to incentivize farmers, not provide subsidies. Roughly one-third of EU direct payments are dependent on three areas: maintaining permanent pasture/grassland; crop diversity; and maintaining “ecological focus” areas of at least 5 percent of the farmer’s land. “Europe is a price taker,” Melato said, which pushes farmers to maximize what they can get for their product. This means farmers are encouraged to move from bulk commodity production to specialty products identified with regional agriculture. Policymakers are working to protect origin, history and product names, he said, “because the consumer wants authenticity.” “These kind of products provide real jobs” for skilled workers who market, advertise, transport and sell specialty products, Melato said. Regional agriculture also helps drive tourism and investment, which lead to more jobs. The United States and other nations are welcome to invest in European ag ventures, Melato said, but production will take place in Europe rather than in the investor nation. Melato said EU ag policy dictates that the safety net be a “real safety net,” and not hiding another support. He said farmers are expected to cooperate with each other in order to improve their position in the market. The state is ready to provide support in the event of major market drops, but farmers “must assume risk.” Less than 10 percent of the EU’s ag budget is earmarked for market intervention.

Big Data to Bring Innovation to Food Production

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Precision ag is being replaced with “Big Data” and “AgInformatics” as sources of innovation in agriculture, Matt Bechdol, founder of GeoSilos, a consulting firm focused on leveraging place-based solutions for agriculture, said at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. “I don’t like the term ‘precision ag’ anymore,” said Bechdol. “Especially if we’re not doing anything precise with it. We’re going to move to predictive ag and prescriptive ag. We’re going to move beyond precision ag with Big Data.” Bechdol’s consulting firm helps agricultural companies maximize the use of data and conducts analyses for businesses, policy makers and economists. Bechdol said data is the modern agricultural commodity and that place-based approaches are important tools in adding value because roughly 80 percent of all data has a geographical element. A takeover of new technology is coming soon, according to Bechdol. Wearable technology, for example, like the Fitbit and Google glasses are poised to be used by farmers to help make better planting decisions in real-time while walking their fields. Bechdol went on to discuss apps but criticized their inability to provide the full picture of an organization’s data in one place. “Here’s my problem with apps. Apps don’t talk to other apps and that’s got to change.” He predicted a rise in dashboards and benchmarking tools that can aggregate data from various apps to make it easier for farmers to access and utilize it. On a larger scale, Bechdol said a technique called “fly and scan” using unmanned aircraft, or drones, will play an increasing role in collecting data for crop producers. Commenting on the downside of big data collection, Bechdol warned attendees to read the terms of service agreements when signing up for free email accounts or downloading operating systems on tablets and cell phones. “They make you agree to share your data with their affiliates, which I’m not saying is malicious, but it’s not clear what their intentions are,” said Bechdol. With all this rapidly changing and newly available technology and data, Bechdol called upon Farm Bureau to bring stability, clarity and guidance to farmers who are unsure how to capture and utilize Big Data. “Because [change is] coming and it’s going to make the difference between the strong and the weak,” said Bechdol. But ultimately, Bechdol believes Big Data and AgInformatics will help developing nations acquire the information they need to sustainably feed the world’s growing population. “I don’t think the United States is going to feed the world in [the year] 2050.” Bechdol said. “I think we’re going to create innovations to help the world feed itself.”

Mom Demographic Key to Building Trust Among Consumers

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Panelists from various state Farm Bureaus suggest that moms are today’s core influencers when it comes to building greater trust among American consumers. During a panel discussion Monday afternoon at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Meeting, nearly every one of the participants cited moms as the most important demographic. Panelists also said farmers must engage. “First moms, the public, need to know us, like us and then trust us,” said Rita Hechmer, marketing specialist for Ohio Farm Bureau. “It has to be in this order.” Ohio’s “Grow and Know” events through its Our Ohio program provide on-farm events, community involvement and hands-on learning. Panel facilitator Judy Rupnow of Morgan Myers, began the session with consumer research. “Researchers tell us the public has concerns about where their food comes from. They want to learn more. And while they appear to like farmers, consumers are sometimes concerned that farmers won’t act ethically.” “Along the way, we forgot to tell the public what we were doing,” Rupnow said. “This created a trust gap but that’s changing.” As panelists shared their activities they consistently pointed to the importance of moms. “What we've found at Arizona Farm Bureau is that we must create an environment where we’re building ongoing relationships with our Arizona families and most importantly our moms,” said Communications Director Julie Murphree. “Once they get to know us, especially ‘foodie influencers,’ we try to engage them in all aspects of our activities and programs where we know there's a fit.” This ongoing engagement is resonating with moms on both sides of the aisle, including farm moms. Rebecca French Smith, multi-media specialist with Missouri Farm Bureau, said, “In addition to all the things we do in this area, our biggest initiative is to introduce them to farmers so we can put a face to farming. This is done in part by farm mommy bloggers too.” Chris Magnuson, executive director of operations, news and communications, Illinois Farm Bureau, highlighted Illinois’ Farm Families program. “We’re using farmers for outreach through our website, videos and more and we’re engaged with mommy bloggers.” Illinois Farm Bureau has also done extensive consumer research and plans to conduct a follow-up study to determine consumer attitudes now, after several years of consumer outreach. “We hope to measure a shift in attitudes,” explained Magnuson.

Crop Growers Told to Prepare for Low Price Era

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Following some of the best years ever for growing row crops, an agricultural economist advised farmers to prepare for several years of lower prices, at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. “The last six years have been extraordinary years if you are a row crop producer,” said Matthew Roberts, an associate professor at Ohio State University’s Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics. “It's been the best six years in history. The next six years will not be like that.” Strong demand from China and the ethanol industry altered corn and soybean production globally during agriculture’s recent boom period. A decent U.S. crop year in 2013 and curbed growth from ethanol may mean some acreage will revert back to pasture and forage crops. “The question is how fast, after a grower has made an investment into row crops, we’ll likely have to see losses before that land reverts to another use,” Roberts said. Roberts advised large, aggressive and young growers to prepare for a bumpy ride by putting cash in the bank. “We are entering a four year to five year period of lower costs and profitability. I think we’ll see some farms (that expanded aggressively) in the corn belt go bankrupt,” he predicted. “Put one year’s worth of land charges (above normal working capital needs) in the bank as soon as possible.” “Cash is the only way to ultimately manage risk”, Roberts added. “We have a generation of young farmers who have never experienced hard times,” he said. Roberts urged farmers to get their spouses fully on board with the farm's financial outlook. “Don't compound financial problems with divorce,” he said. “We are living in the most prosperous time in history,” Roberts noted by pointing out that the world poverty rate has dropped significantly over the past 40 years. In 1970, nearly a quarter of the world's population lived on a dollar a day or less. That number fell to 5 percent in 2007. People who live better, eat better. Improving economic conditions in the developing world have caused demand for U.S. agricultural commodities to surge. From 2001 to 2011, China's demand for soybeans grew by 30 million acres. Over roughly the same time period, U.S. ethanol usage increased by 20 million acres. “Fifty million more acres were needed just to meet the top two demands,” he said. “High prices give incentives to change behavior. As a result, global corn, soybean and wheat production have all increased substantially.” However, ethanol's demand for corn has flatlined. Roberts said 2013 saw the first decent corn yields in four years and that means lower prices. He thinks more corn will be added back into feed rations, and exports will increase. Domestic demand is flat for soybeans, but exports are very strong, from China, Africa and the rest of the developing world. As for wheat, he said the United States has been using more than it produced lately, which has positively ate away at wheat stocks. The U.S. cotton sector is expected to grow according to Sharon Johnson, senior cotton specialist for KCG Futures in Atlanta. Cotton supplies are at a 29-year low. Worldwide, Johnson predicted 2014 cotton production will mirror consumption. China, a major player in the cotton market, is rebuilding its state reserves to control prices. The U.S. supply will expand requiring prices to be more competitive to secure exports, especially if Chinese imports shrink

Drones Hold Great Promise for Agriculture

SAN ANTONIO, January 12, 2014—Small unmanned aircraft systems, better known as drones, hold great promise for agriculture, Kansas State University agronomist Kevin Price told farmers at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. Agriculture applications for drones in development include data collection on crop health, vigor and yields, tracking the spread of invasive plant species and monitoring cattle feedlots. Data collection of field images by cameras mounted on drones is extremely accurate—to within 1 inch— Price said. “The biggest challenge is extracting useful data from the ‘tons’ of it that is collected,” Price said. “New software needs to be created that can take data and transform it into useful information.” The economic potential of drones is tremendous in terms of precision agriculture but will not be realized without approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. States with the most agriculture stand to reap the greatest benefits from the technology. “About 80 percent of economic income from drone technology will be in agriculture,” Price said. Drone technology continues to develop rapidly while costs are declining, Price explained. However, he cautioned farmers that many companies are attempting to capitalize on the strong interest in drone technology by selling the wrong aircraft to anyone who will buy them just to make a quick buck.

Open Dialogue Key to Changing Conversation about GMOs

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Despite the head start biotechnology opponents have, there’s still plenty of opportunity for farmers, ranchers and the biotechnology industry to change the conversation about genetically modified organisms, Dr. Cathleen Enright told attendees at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. The key to making that change happen is an open and transparent dialogue with consumers, according to Enright, Biotechnology Industry Organization executive vice president, food and agriculture. While the adoption of GM crops is on the rise around the world, so is consumer opposition in the U.S. “More and more organizations are working to create fear, attack agriculture and malign biotechnology companies,” Enright said. And if the mandatory ballot labeling activity in more than 30 states in 2013 is any indication, the anti-GMO message is getting through. There are three components common to all these legislative efforts and ballot initiatives: they are framed as consumers’ “right to know;” they exempted alcohol, dairy, meat and restaurant food; and they would allow lawsuits based on asserted non-compliance. “They’re trying to change market conditions through legislation. Their goal is to convince you to buy something else,” Enright said. Opposing these efforts on a state-by-state basis is unsustainable and untenable, she added. Anti-GMO groups were among the first to use social media to establish their message and rally people around their cause, but biotech supporters are catching up quickly. With research showing that people who have unfavorable opinions about GMOs base their purchasing decisions on other factors, like price, there is clearly an opening for farmers, ranchers and other biotech proponents, Enright said. The first step to opening that dialogue is acknowledging people’s skepticism about food made with GM ingredients. “We have great stories that are not being heard because we are not believed,” she said. “Only when our audiences understand we are listening to them will they listen to us.” To that end, BIO last year launched the GMO Answers website, through which they invite anyone to ask any question about biotechnology. And ask people did. From July through December, 626 questions were posed and 404 were answered. Another 100-plus are in the process of being answered. Also during this time, there were more than 120,000 visits to the site and more than 526,000 page views, with visitors spending more than 5 minutes on the site on average—a significant amount of time. The questions are answered by independent, third-party experts. Enright also credits the website for the uptick in biotech coverage by the mainstream media. “Who wouldn’t be interested in asking Monsanto, Dow or DuPont the tough questions?” Enright asked. Whether it’s a considerable undertaking like GMO Answers or a conversation between a farmer and grocery store customer, the main goal is to give people the whole story so they can make up their own minds. There’s too much at stake not to succeed, she added. “We are going to need as much knowledge, diversity and innovation as possible to feed the world.”

Federal Crop Insurance Program Expands

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—-The Federal Crop Insurance Program is expected to grow in 2014, said an Agriculture Department official at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. Tim Hoffmann, director of Product Administration and Standards for the Risk Management Agency, presented to convention attendees at a workshop the reasons behind the growth of the program that farmers use to manage the risks of growing crops. Hoffmann said USDA plans to expand the program by focusing on production history enhancements, creating a limited irrigation contract and prevented planning contract and making nursery program enhancements. USDA is also looking for new ways to use data it collects from insured farmers. “USDA collects a huge amount of data from crop insurance,” said Hoffmann, noting that it has more data on crop plantings than the National Agriculture Statistics Service. The Federal Crop Insurance Program covers more than 125 crops, including corn, soybeans and wheat, as well as nursery flowers, fruit and tobacco. Last year it expanded to include specialty crops like seafood, cotton seeds, as well as organic and community supported agriculture. The program insured more than 295 million acres of crops in 2013 and 283-plus million acres in 2012. The program experienced a sharp increase in costs from last year, totaling $13.2 billion, up from $4.6 billion in 2012. Hoffmann attributed the rise to higher commodity prices and increased liability for insurers.

The Fight for Technology in Agriculture Rolls On

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Although technology has enabled farmers and ranchers to keep up with the demands of a growing world, it is increasingly under attack by consumers. According to Dr. Jayson Lusk, regent’s professor for the department of agriculture economics at Oklahoma State University, the biggest obstacle that agricultural technology must overcome is educating consumers about how it’s used. Lusk spoke to farmers and ranchers about how they can reach those consumers at a conference sponsored by Dow AgroSciences at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 95th Annual Convention. Lusk discussed both the good and bad that has come with consumers’ growing desire to know more about how food comes to their tables. This new “food awareness” offers consumers more choices and gives farmers opportunities to develop new markets. This sudden interest, sparked by the modern consumer’s separation from farming, also leads to a vacuum of knowledge that has, more often than not, been filled by those opposed to the modern system of agriculture. “My fear and concern is that somewhere along the way this positive marketing, trying to sell a higher-quality product, somewhere turned into fear mongering, in some cases downright denigration of modern agriculture,” Lusk said. “I really get concerned when these arguments are made on shaky science, or in my case when it is made on poor economics.” Those competing with agriculture technology for the support of the consumer have human nature on their side. While fear and sensationalism may be easier to spread, farmers and ranchers have to deliver the positive message about what they do, and the technology that allows them to do it. Much of the technology used by modern farmers is both new and often hard to understand, making it difficult for consumers to trust and accurately assess the risks associated with it. Lusk gives farmers suggestions on how to communicate with consumers in ways that endure: • Get in the conversation; • Tell agriculture’s story, by telling your story; • Talk about how technologies have made your farm better; • Make sure to let consumers know the tradeoffs that will come with using or not using a technology; • Develop tech that directly affects the consumer; and • Above all, be honest and straight forward. Even though farmers must get ready for an uphill climb for the support of consumers, Lusk argues that it must happen soon. Many of agriculture’s opponents are calling for a return to a more “natural,” romanticized version of farming. Those opponents do not take into account that this will have a negative effect on the millions who suffer from food insecurity, not only in the United States but throughout the world. “A world that celebrates naturalism in food as a core value will be hostile toward growth and innovation even if it can make food more efficient, portable and safe,” exclaimed Lock. With 9.6 billion mouths to feed by 2050, every technology is vital to today’s farmers and ranchers. It is now up to farmers and ranchers to prove that to consumers so that technology can continue to help feed the world.

Carter of Georgia Elected YF&R Chair

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Members of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee elected Jake Carter from McDonough, Ga., as the committee’s chairman for 2014. He will take over as chairman in February, at the end of the committee’s leadership conference, and serve for one year. He will also serve a one-year term on the AFBF board of directors. Carter graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in business management. Soon after graduation, he returned to the farm and began transforming the former dairy operation into the 320-acre agritourism destination that it is today. Operating as Southern Belle Farm, Carter, along with his wife, Jennifer, offers u-pick strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, a fall corn maze and educational school tours year-round. The couple has two daughters, Karson and Kennedy. As the seventh generation to farm in Henry County, Carter is passionate about connecting with consumers, especially those who have been misled about what farming is all about. “We need to put a face on farming and show people what we do how, how we do it and why,” Carter said. Carter and his family consider themselves lucky that they can make that connection in person with the people who visit their farm. “We enjoy giving people a sense of where their food comes from. That’s not an option for most farmers and ranchers, but there are other ways to connect, like social media,” he pointed out. As YF&R chair, Carter said he and the committee are committed to Farm Bureau’s unique grassroots structure. They’re also looking forward to building on the success of previous young leaders. “We’re going to really focus on turning some of our big ideas into action,” he said. The YF&R program includes men and women between the ages of 18 and 35. The program’s goals are to help younger Farm Bureau members learn more about agriculture, network with other farmers and realize their full potential as leaders in agriculture and Farm Bureau.

GEORGETOWN’S MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION COLLABORATE ON RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Partnership Focuses on Encouraging Innovative Business Ventures to Help Strengthen Rural America Washington, D.C. – The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and The Georgetown University McDonough School of Business Global Social Enterprise Initiative (GSEI) today announced a partnership to help strengthen rural America. The multi-year collaboration will address solutions to building greater economic opportunity and security for those who live in rural communities, starting with a program involving the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative to advance rural entrepreneurship. The GSEI, Entrepreneurship Initiative, and AFBF collaboration kicked off today at the AFBF annual convention in San Antonio with remarks by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and AFBF President Bob Stallman In comments, Vilsack credited the effort as a private, collaborative way to help spur entrepreneurial spirit that will lead to small business creation in rural America. “It creates a sense of entrepreneurship so that you have investors and entrepreneurs looking for opportunities to start businesses in rural areas,” Vilsack said. “The program dovetails with what we are doing at USDA– trying to educate investment banks and investors about the opportunities to invest in rural opportunities.” “It’s often said that farmers are this country’s original entrepreneurs,” said Stallman. “Our partnership with Georgetown is dedicated to giving them and other leaders in rural communities nationwide both a forum and the practical means to brainstorm, strategize and bring their inspirations to fruition and, ultimately, strengthen their communities.” “The Global Social Enterprise Initiative is focused on developing business solutions that deliver both economic and social value,” said Bill Novelli, distinguished professor of the practice at Georgetown McDonough and former CEO of AARP. “Together with AFBF and our Entrepreneurship Initiative, we will reach out to rural communities – a vital part of America particularly hit hard by the recent recession – with tools and initiatives that fuel their innovative spirit and drive.” Initial components of the rural entrepreneurship program on which AFBF and Georgetown will collaborate include: • Rural Innovation Challenge to provide an opportunity for rural entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and business ventures in a collegial, yet competitive environment, and to receive mentoring and recognition; • National summit on rural entrepreneurship that convenes thought leaders in rural economic development, public policy, and entrepreneurship to discuss barriers and solutions to increased business development in rural areas; • An online rural innovation hub that highlights stories of rural entrepreneurs’ experiences, learning, and successes, and serves as a virtual meeting place for individuals to share information; and • Training workshops and webinars that give business tools and guidance in areas such as market research, concept and product development, pitch development and fundraising techniques, marketing, and more.