By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Michigan Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism (MI-FMAT) Assoc. has more than tripled its membership in the last three years. It was formed in late 2005 to advance Michigan agriculture by promoting the collective interests of farm market and agritourism business owners and operators.

“This association truly works to bring together all points of the farming industry, regardless of what you grow, to market and sell your commodities to consumers,” MI-FMAT President Steve Tennes said during a session at the Great Lakes Expo in Grand Rapids last month. “We have to work together to continue educating the public on buying locally.”

As the owner of The Country Mill Farm Market in Charlotte, he understands that more and more, consumers are looking for ways to connect to the land and from where their food comes. Tennes said one focus of the MI-FMAT has been reaching out to farms that offer special items or services such as riding stables, cheese-makers and others.

“We’re looking for a diverse group of people to come together,” he said. “When you think of consumers, they want a good overall farm experience.”

Farm marketing and tourism combine the state’s second and third largest income-producing industries behind the number-one automobile industry. In Michigan 193,000 residents are employed by tourism and more than a million by agriculture and related processing operations.

“This is the first and only association in the state of Michigan that combines our number two and number three industries – agriculture and tourism,” Tennes said. “We have to continue working with our legislators to get what we need for our industry.

“What we’re trying to do is reach out all the way across agriculture, from riding stables to milk parlors to fruit and vegetable producers, and encompass all of agriculture in our farm marketing and agritourism association. By promoting agritourism, we help educate the public about farming in general.”

The MI-FMAT was formed after an Internet survey and roundtable discussions showed strong interest in creating a statewide organization dedicated to serving the needs of the farm markets and agritourism businesses. The association works to represent the interests of the state’s farm markets and agritourism businesses at the local, regional and national levels.

Efforts include addressing and working through regulatory issues such as zoning and site inspections, as well as creating promotional and educational programs to encourage consumers to visit farm markets. Owners, managers and employees of farm markets or agritourism destinations in Michigan are eligible for active member status. These members are entitled to vote, hold office and participate on committees.

Membership is $100 per year and includes a listing in the organization’s 2009 directory, which will be prepared and distributed by MI-FMAT with support from Farm Bureau (FB) insurance and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA).

The format of the directory will be improved this year to accommodate an increase in the number of listings, Tennes said. “Last year’s booklet format was a challenge because we had almost 90 pages of listings,” he said. “This year, we will create five regional publications instead of one statewide directory, which will allow for more listings, greatly reduce our per-directory printing costs and enable us to print significantly more directories.”

The regional directories will be available on May 1 and provided to Travel Michigan Welcome Centers, FB insurance agencies in every county, farmers’ markets and other locations. In addition, farm listings will be included in a searchable database on MI-FMAT’s consumer website at www.MichiganFarmFun.com

MDA Director Don Koivisto endorses the organization. “I encourage family farmers, agribusinesses, and others across the state to take advantage of this low-cost, high-benefit opportunity to promote their businesses,” he said. “This directory makes potential visitors aware of the diverse and unique opportunities existing in Michigan to select fresh, safe and high quality, locally grown food and agricultural products; to enjoy recreational experiences; and to reconnect with their agricultural roots.”

Applications for membership/directory listings are available at MI-FMAT’s website at www.MichiganFarmFun.com and advertising opportunities exist for agricultural businesses, commodity organizations and tourism associations.

Applications and payment are due Jan. 31 to: MI-FMAT, 235 N. Pine St., Lansing, MI 48933. For more, call 517-484-3912.