**The best way to determine whether or not meatless meats become a disruptive technology for livestock producers is probably to … follow the money.

Agweb.com reports world demand for meat alternatives is expected to hit $5.8 billion by 2026 and such big money has attracted big players such as ADM, Cargill and Tyson Foods.

Past-president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Craig Uden says the “Long-term, alternative proteins represent a challenge to animal agriculture.”

While lab-grown meat is not yet commercially available, plant-based foods are growing rapidly, up 20% this year.

**As the U.S. economy continues to grow and unemployment dwindles, labor scarcity and wage inflation threaten rural economies and put additional stress on profitability of the agriculture industry at a time of depressed commodity prices.

CoBank economist Ben Laine tells agweb.com wages have historically been higher in other industries, but now they’re more widely available.

The scarcity of farm labor is also exacerbated by the shrinking number of migrant workers from Mexico.

**A recent poll shows support for the President in rural America is widely divided.

The Agri-Marketing magazine Poll talked with 149 people and asked them … What grade would you give the Trump Administration?

35% gave the President an A, 15% were less impressed and gave them a B, 8% said average with a C, 13% came in with a D, and 29% failed the administration with an F.

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