Ted McKinney didn’t mince words while addressing Indiana Farm Bureau members recently. He laid out challenges facing U.S. agriculture, but he didn’t leave farmers without hope.

McKinney, former director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, is executive director of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He previously served as undersecretary of agriculture for trade under President Donald Trump.

Challenges for U.S. ag

Here are key issues McKinney believes U.S. agriculture must address:

Farm bill. If the farm bill is not finished by this spring — and he sees the odds at 50-50 — it may languish until after the presidential election.

“The nutritional piece is 85% of the budget, and it will drive discussion,” McKinney said. “However, I believe crop insurance for farmers will be protected.”

Endangered species. “This issue is bigger than life,” McKinney said. “Yes, we all want to protect endangered species, but at what cost?”

McKinney said the ability to spray certain chemicals efficiently hangs in the balance. Too many restrictions on where and when certain chemicals can be sprayed could drastically change farm practices.

Villainization of pesticides and fertilizers. U.S. EPA once weighed risk vs. benefit when evaluating pesticides. “That cost-benefit approach is gone,” McKinney said, adding that this is an area where agriculture must push to have its voice heard.

Proposition 12 and animal agriculture. Proposition 12 approved by voters in California threatens to dictate how animals are raised around the country. It sets requirements for animal care in the swine industry. Currently, it’s resulting in higher prices for California consumers. The biggest unknown is what precedent it sets for other states.

Rejection of technology. Reports indicate that without technological advances, it will be difficult to meet food demands by 2050, McKinney said. Yet there are forces that oppose the use of certain technologies in food production.

Climate change. “We must make sure agriculture’s side of the story is told,” McKinney said. “Agriculture can be part of the solution instead of part of the problem, and we must make sure others view it that way.”

Positives for U.S. ag

Not everything in the ag outlook for the future is negative, McKinney said. Here are some positives:

Respect for farmers. The majority of the general public in the U.S. still respects farmers. Several recent studies verify this finding. “Farmers and veterinarians are still respected by most people,” McKinney said.

Importance of food. Given the chance, once they have adequate disposable income, people around the world choose meat as their protein. That is still true today, McKinney noted.

USA’s reputation. There are still leaders around the world who haven’t forgotten what the U.S. did to help feed people around the globe. Sometimes it is people working on behalf of U.S. policies or ideals behind the scenes that prevent louder voices from instituting policies detrimental to American agriculture.

“Helping people around the world in the past and today pays off, even if you don’t always see it,” McKinney said.

Sustainable and renewable fuels. “There is a real opportunity here,” McKinney said. “We must figure out how to feed the world and produce for renewable fuels at the same time, but it is an opportunity.”