Michael Patrick Shiels interviewed Jim Byrum regarding the impact of our transportation system on agriculture.

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Michael Patrick Shiels: Radio stations across the state of Michigan. Jim Byrum is with us, the president of the Michigan Agri-Business Association on transportation and infrastructure. The weather was nice this weekend and that means, well we have warm weather, it’s going to be pot hole season pretty soon, isn’t it Mr. Byrum?

Jim Byrum: It absolutely is, I’ve been driving towards Detroit this morning we’re in the midst of it. Pot holes are with us.

MPS: And so that will be perfectly in perfect timing to remind every body that the attention that the governor’s administration and others in the legislature have for some how addressing our infrastructure and roads.

JB: Well absolutely. You know our contention is in the agricultural industry and many other industries across the state are that roads are important, absolutely critical, no question about it. We need to have a comprehensive solution to the transportation infrastructure if you will. That includes a little bit of investment in railroads and some investment in port facilities and water. Because if we use some of those conveyances railroads and water transportation, that has the potential of taking more trucks and some of the demand off the highways, roads, and bridges and that would be a win long term.

MPS: Is agriculture still growing in Michigan? Pardon the pun.

JB: It absolutely is and it is a great pun. The irony is last year I remember, we spent about a half billion, that’s with a b, on investments and infrastructure and expansion and facilities. This year we’re actually on pace to increase over that again one more time. There’s lots of things happening. We’re seeing two or three things across the state that are fascinating. One is with a little bit of climate change and better, shorter, season maturing corn and soybean varieties we’re farming further north in Michigan, we’re seeing grain production further north. We’re seeing yields even in existing production areas increase. So, overall agriculture is growing rapidly in the state.

MPS: Alright thank you very much. Travel safely to the D today and we’ll see you soon back in the State Capitol soon.