By Karen Macdonald

The New Year started off with a fresh look at the future of agriculture from a variety of viewpoints.  The United Nations underscored the necessity for more efficient food systems to feed a growing population, suggesting that a “paradigm shift” is needed to meet the challenge.  As to who will be consuming, and sometimes producing, that food, we need look no further than the Millennials, a group revealed by an industry study to be awash in contradictions, which will be key to both their success in farming and agriculture’s success in marketing to them.

Also in the news in January: 

Ag Economy and Land Values

• Farmland rental rates a tough topic – Agweek 
   
• Study shows cropland prices weakening, pasture values rising – Drovers CattleNetwork
   
• Seed Companies Expected to Hold Line on Price Increases – AgFax
   
• USDA: Reduced Crop Receipts Largest Contributor to the Forecast Decline in U.S. Farm Income – Agri Marketing
   
• American Farmers Had $9.5 Billion Opportunity For Additional Revenue In 2014 – Yahoo! Finance
   
• Tight budgets expected for upcoming crop year – AgriNews

Technology

• Someday Your Tractor Will Drive Itself...And Know What It's Doing! – Agriculture.com
   
• Ohio farmer: Precision ag pays – Agweek
   
• New Incubator To Bridge Technology and Agriculture – Yahoo! Finance
   
• Mobile apps for tech-savvy corn growers – Farm Industry News
   
• Agricultural Technology: Agri-Data Launches Native Mobile App for Farm Management Software – Chron.com

Policy

• Vilsack, AFBF president talk about farm policy, USDA – Drovers CattleNetwork
   
• Food issues will not block EU-U.S. trade deal - German minister – Yahoo! Finance
   
• U.S. Agricultural Coalition For Cuba Launched – Agri Marketing
   
• Ag policy to aid shellfishermen, seaweed farmers – Chron.com

Farm Credit In the News

• AgFirst Receives Award for Workflow Application – MidlandsBiz
   
• Port delays could hurt agricultural markets, Northwest Farm Credit Services report says – Spokane Journal of Business
   
• AgTexas Farm Credit announces merger with Great Plains Ag Credit – Stephenville Empire-Tribune
   
• Farm Credit launches new program to support local youth in agriculture – Foster Folly News
   
• Farm Credit of the Virginias Launches New Website – San Antonio Express-News