In a slumping economy, Michigan's agricultural industry showed an almost 12 percent increase. “Agriculture is a force for economic stability in Michigan, with yearly economic impact estimated to be $71.3 billion, on the basis of data from 2007,” said Christopher Peterson, director, MSU Product Center and a study author. “This represents a $7.6 billion increase from the $63.7 billion impact projected in an analysis of 2006 data released last year.” Not too shabby considering these numbers represent 20% of the state's economy.

So why is it that we don't hear parents encourage their children to get into this field? Probably due to a variety of sources. We're told of the countless hours farmers work. Some might argue that 60-70 hour work weeks (not including travel time) in meetings or spent locked in a cubicle would be long as well. Perhaps the cast images of gun-toting, tobacco-consuming, NASCAR-loving, bare-foot, toothless stereotypes still pop into people's minds? Heck man, even Kenney Chesney got people to think his tractor is sexy.

Farming has been a long-standing pillar of American freedom. Our first seven presidents all were raised with an agrarian background. The modern farmer is anything but a throwback but rather a new breed of brains and brawn. It's 4-H with an MBA. It's Science meets Economics meets Politics meets Web Site design. Yet the numbers suggest that fewer people are getting into agriculture even as the average age of the American farmer is over 60 years of age and rapidly approaching retirement.

Michigan is primed for an even larger increase in the field-literally and figuratively. Real estate values are incredibly reasonable for those looking for land. Even the urban areas of Flint and Detroit are being evaluated for use. Information is widely available on the web and now at the university level. Further, the global demand for healthier and high-quality products will continue.

Maybe it's time to consider trading blue ties for blue skies. Maybe it's time to consider trading traffic for a fence-post walk. Maybe it's time make real relationships with a community instead of mindless, water cooler gossip. Maybe it's time for quality control to come in the form of that first tomato instead of reports. Maybe it's time for the business quarter to be marked the smell of fresh air instead of the usual smell of corporate BS! Maybe it's time to measure bonuses in extra days of sunshine instead of $5 pizza lunches for your tireless devotion to your boss' kids' private school tuition.

Maybe.