The Structure and Outlook for the Domestic Farm Supply Industry

February 2010 - A Multi-Client Study

Fast-paced change is not new to the agriculture and food industry. The products, markets, production processes and structures are changing in every industry segment, driven by powerful and dynamic forces of consumer demand, globalization and technology, among other factors.

Although much public attention often focuses on retail and processing, nowhere is the change likely to be more widespread or have more significant business and policy implications than in the farm supply/service sector. There, a vast complex of local dealer networks, farm supply coops, financial institutions and specialized markets has evolved over the years to service this $300+ billion market. But, many forces are making much of that complex redundant, causing some products and services to become obsolete, and fundamentally reshaping the competitive profile of the industry--and all in the face of a rapidly evolving customer base.

This rapid change prompts several key questions:

●  What is the future of the farm supply/service industry? How will it respond to the powerful new forces? How and where will purchases be made? Who will the new competitors be?

●  What will become of the traditional dealer service network -- for seeds, pesticides, fertilizer, machinery, capital and credit? What alliances are being formed across firms and industries, and what are the implications for the competitive arena and the products and services offered?

●  Is there a future for many of the local farm supply/marketing coops?

●  What is the profile of the farm customer base -- how is it changing, and how do the product and service requirements differ across sub-segments?

The entire prospectus and enrollment in pdf form

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