By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent

LANSING, Mich. — Farmers and agricultural leaders will have the chance to meet Michigan’s gubernatorial candidates during a March 19 forum in Lansing.

Organized by the Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. (MCGA), 18 other state agricultural organizations are acting as co-sponsors to bring this unprecedented event to the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing. During the forum, each candidate will have the opportunity to present his or her platform, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

MCGA President Tom Durand said Michigan agriculture has a lot at stake in this year’s election and the outcome of the upcoming gubernatorial race will have a significant impact on the entire community. The purpose of the forum is to help farmers learn about the gubernatorial candidates so they can make educated voting decisions at the polls this fall and to help the candidates better understand agriculture’s significance in Michigan.

“There are going to be monumental changes in Lansing this next year,” Durand said. “We feel that voters – and the agricultural voters in particular – need to be educated about the candidates. This is a wide open race and there is a lot to get to know about each of the candidates to make informed decisions at the voting booth.”

The forum will begin with a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and the program will start at 9 a.m. Pre-registration by March 12 is required by contacting Penni Sweeney at 517-668-2676 or psweeney@micorn.org

Michigan Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization, is an event sponsor. MFB Land Use and Elections Specialist Matt Kapp said the forum will be helpful to members of county farm bureau candidate evaluation committees who will soon recommend candidates for MFB’s “Friend of Agriculture” political endorsement.
“This forum provides a unique opportunity to go more in-depth with the candidates on issues important to the state’s farmers, including government streamlining which is a priority of the Michigan Farm Bureau,” Kapp said. “Michigan is broken. We need to know how each candidate plans to reform state government, reduce state spending and help foster continued growth of Michigan’s $71.3 billion agriculture industry.

“It’s our hope the candidates get as much out of the forum as the farmers in the audience,” Kapp said. “The next chief executive officer of Michigan needs to have an appreciation for what farmers do and how their work impacts the lives of every person in our state on a daily basis.”

The other agricultural groups co-sponsoring the forum are the Cherry Marketing Institute; Julian Vail, LLC; Michigan Agri-Business Assoc.; Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, Inc.; Michigan Apple Growers; Michigan Cattlemen’s Assoc.; Michigan Equine Partnership; Michigan Floriculture Growers Council; Michigan Great Lakes International Draft Horse Show; Michigan Harness Horseman’s Assoc.; Michigan Nursery and Landscape Assoc.; Michigan Pork Producers Assoc.; Michigan Soybean Assoc.; Michigan Standardbred Breeders Assoc.; Michigan Sugar Company; Michigan Vegetable Council and the Potato Growers of Michigan.