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Michigan Farm Bureau set to host its 90th annual meeting

By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent

LANSING, Mich. — More than 1,000 Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) members will demonstrate how much “Farmers CARE” during the organization’s 90th annual meeting Dec. 1-4 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.

The theme is a simplified way of expressing Michigan farmers’ “Commitment to Agriculture while Respecting our Earth (CARE)” – a campaign MFB implemented earlier this year.

“Farmers CARE is more than a theme or slogan; it’s a driving philosophy and way of life for Michigan farmers,” said MFB President Wayne H. Wood. “But it’s fitting for Michigan Farm Bureau’s premier event because our grassroots policy development process, achievements and contributions of award winners and other annual meeting activities reflect farmers’ everyday caring for safe food, the environment, their animals and Michigan’s future.”

During the meeting, hundreds of farmers from Michigan’s 67 county Farm Bureaus will serve as voting delegates charged with adopting organizational policies on state and national issues. Resolutions adopted at the meeting dealing with state issues will direct MFB action in 2010.

Adopted resolutions dealing with national issues will be forwarded to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) for consideration at the AFBF annual meeting Jan. 10-13, 2010, in Seattle, Wash.
Delegates will consider 147 resolutions on a wide range of issues, including streamlining state government, state budget matters, election reform, animal care, national dairy policy and national health care. These have been consolidated by MFB’s 20-member Policy Development Committee from nearly 900 resolutions first approved by county Farm Bureaus.

New this year, the MFB Promotion and Education Committee will sponsor a series of concurrent workshops Dec. 3 aimed at helping members carry out MFB’s Farmers CARE campaign and defending agriculture against increased public scrutiny. Individual workshops will provide lessons on working with the media, communicating shared values, utilizing social media and establishing relationships with teachers to further agricultural education.

The first-ever “Defending Agriculture: Yes You Can!” workshop series replaces Project Rural Education Day (RED). For the past four years, the MFB Promotion and Education Committee had sponsored Project RED to educate Grand Rapids-area school children about agriculture.

“While Project Rural Education Day was a very successful event, the shift this year allows our members to expand their reach beyond schoolchildren and find ways to also connect with adult consumers,” said MFB Promotion and Education Department Manager Deb Schmucker.

Several educational workshops and guest speakers will address the organization’s delegation during the conference. On Dec. 2, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert P. Young, Jr., and WOOD-TV 8 political reporter Rick Albin will be the featured speakers during the annual breakfast of AgriPac, MFB’s political action committee. The pair will discuss AgriPac’s endorsement process and farmers’ potential impact on the 2010 election.

Later that day, two concurrent educational workshops will offer a look at the agricultural economy and an overview of social networking.

AFBF chief economist Bob Young will lead a presentation about the outlook of farm commodities and the overall agricultural economy, and he will offer insight on the future of international trade, input costs, credit availability and more.

At the same time, Roxi Beck of the Center for Food Integrity will discuss social media communications tactics to promote the agriculture industry, to educate the non-farming public about agriculture and to further the Farmers CARE campaign.

Charlie Arnot, CEO of the Center for Food Integrity, will speak during breakfast on Dec. 3. In his “Consumers are from Venus, Farmers are from Mars” presentation, he will outline what consumers expect from today’s farmers and what Farm Bureau members can do to build public trust and support for agriculture in Michigan.

A variety of contests and award recognitions also will be conducted during the annual meeting.

Activities for young farmers between the ages of 18-35 kick off Dec. 2 when contestants advance through several rounds of competition in the Young Farmer Discussion Meet, a public speaking contest on agricultural topics. The Michigan FFA will also hold its state-level Discussion Meet for high school finalists that day.

MFB will recognize the winners of the Farmer Idea Exchange, County Activities of Excellence, Ecology Leadership and Volunteer of the Year Awards during the Membership Awards Banquet Dec. 1. The third annual 4-H Excellence in Agriculture Award from MFB and Michigan 4-H Youth Development will also be presented.

On Dec. 2, contestants in the Young Farmer competitions will be recognized during the Young Farmer/Promotion and Education Luncheon. In addition, the K-12 Educator, Agriscience Educator and Agricultural Promoter of the year honors will be awarded.

Other awards to be presented Dec. 3 include the Print and Broadcast Agricultural Communicator of the Year Awards during the President’s luncheon.

11/18/2009