Page 53 - strategicfactbook

2020 SWOT Analysis
The following OPPORTUNITIES do not represent a consensus among all divisions and centers, and management recognizes them as important:
• Fee-based Services. Large-scale professional service offerings (environmental services, transportation audits, MIOSHA and labor training, farm housing development, agribusiness consulting, high school training programs) could grow funds and membership; media bundling; ; in-house resource to help farmer members acclimate and adopt technology.
• Elections. Get Friends of Agriculture in office to ensure agriculture is at the table; focus on educating elected officials (and future officials) about agriculture; go beyond finances to help elect FOA; keep members connected to policymakers.
What threats could distract of cause Michigan Farm Bureau to not meet our mission going forward?
The following THREATS represent consensus among all divisions and centers:
• Farm Size/Structure. Average age of farmers, number of farmers, farm consolidation, losing members; fewer farmer volunteers; members engaged in specialized ag organizations; loss of organizational clout, influence and effectiveness as our constituency declines; losing connectivity with younger members; meeting needs of small/large, diverse types of farms; farmers who have less needs or interest in Farm Bureau structure could negatively impact our membership and insurance revenue; polarization of agriculture issues causes the needs of members to change; supply chain mandates; escalation of tension between small and large farms.
• Farm Economics. Market and trade volatility; labor; economic hard times; farm finances will continue to put farmers under stress that can undermine their ability/interest in membership; continued agribusiness consolidation reduces competition, number of potential partners, agricultural advocates and agricultural employers.
• Impacts of COVID19. Economic impacts of shutting down the economy to regular and associate members; not gathering in larger groups; changes to education and impact on programming (e.g. FARM Science Lab).
• Activist, Policy and Legislative Actions Unfavorably Impacting Agriculture. Legislation, regulation and elected officials have a tremendous impact on our members; activists propagating inaccurate stories about food and agriculture sway consumers; increased social and political polarity will make it harder for agriculture to be heard; increasing environmental scrutiny and expectations for food production without an associated willingness or ability to pay more; scrutiny of what benefits the industry receives at the state and federal level than some other industries; poor legislative leadership and bad public policy could make it increasingly difficult to find legislative solutions; tough elections ahead; over-regulation of agriculture, which could discourage some farmers from continuing; agriculture industry groups that are not aligned with MFB.
• Uncertainty for Insurance. Impact of no-fault and driverless vehicles and other new technologies; single state operation limitations for FBI; MFB reliance on our insurance company for operating funds.
THREATS