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Changes in agriculture during the last century, such as increased mechanization and improvements in crop genetics, helped pave the way for increased productivity, freeing up thousands to move from the farm to the factory and beyond. In the early 1900s, about 40 percent of the U.S. population was employed in agricultural production. That number stands at less than 2 percent today. This transition allowed the U.S. economy to become more productive and diverse, providing increased opportunities in manufacturing and other industries.
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The Crossroads of America— Indiana 's moniker dates back to frontier days, when the territory was a corridor for movement from north to south and east to west. Today, Indiana is bisected by more interstates and highways than any other state and is within a day's drive of two-thirds of the nation's population. These are two of the reasons why a feasibility study of the Indiana economy identified transportation, distribution and logistics as an economic cluster for the state to pursue. |
Just what this transitioning economy means for Indiana remains to be seen.“ Indiana is a strong manufacturing state,” McKinnis says. “We have a tremendous capability here and a very good future, though the total future employment in manufacturing will probably remain flat or decrease.”
Taking a long-term view, DeBoer sees a future in which even more manufacturing is done offshore, where labor costs are cheaper, while management, design and marketing—jobs that tend to require at least a bachelor's degree—become new areas of emphasis for traditional manufacturing companies.
“The way today's college students' parents and grandparents got to the middle class is gone,” DeBoer says. “The path of going to high school and landing a solid, secure factory job will become an ever more scarce reality in the future. The question we need to ask is, ‘If you're going to hedge your bets heading into the future, wouldn't you rather do it with a good education?'”
Sidebar Features:
Tapping into Purdue resources
New businesses up even when economy is down
Related links:
Department of Agricultural Economics
Purdue Office of Engagement
Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership
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