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Michigan governor candidates seek support from agriculture

By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent

LANSING, Mich. — A sheriff, a physician turned state senator and a businessman vying for Michigan governor all tried to win the support of a room full of agricultural leaders during a March 19 forum at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing.

Although all of the candidates seeking Michigan’s top office were invited, only three Republicans – Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, State Sen. Tom George and Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder – attended the forum organized by the Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. (MCGA) and sponsored by 18 other state agricultural organizations.

Each candidate presented his platform to the room full of agriculture industry leaders, farmers, state legislators and friends of agriculture, and then answered a variety of questions presented by the audience. During their remarks, the candidates all agreed on one point – drastic changes in state government are needed to turn around Michigan’s ailing economy.

“Reforming state government is like cleaning out the barn,” Bouchard said. “It will stink, but it has to be done.”

Bouchard touted his experience as a state Senator in the 1990s while serving under Gov. John Engler. Bouchard said his experience is key to the future success of Michigan.

“I know the issues. I have sat on every major committee or chaired it,” Bouchard said. “Past performance is predictive of the future.”
As governor, Bouchard told the agricultural community that “you will not only have a friend, you will have an advocate” for the industry. “Eight out of 10 jobs created in this state are by small business such as the family farm. The policy that I’ll pursue (as governor) is that every business is important.”

A part-time anesthesiologist and 20th District State Senator, George repeatedly told the crowd that health care reform will be essential to successfully retooling Michigan.

State governmental leaders need “to change the priorities,” George said.

An advocate of rewriting the state’s Constitution, George told the attendees, “The ag community can help rewrite Michigan government.

“If you are going to cut taxes, you have to cut spending. To reform taxes, you have to restructure social programs because that’s where the money is going.”

George said one of the state’s primary problems is “none of the government programs ask recipients to do anything” to take responsibility for their health problems. “That’s what’s missing with our government health care programs.”

Snyder, a self-made businessman, urged attendees not to select a “career politician” for governor. “It’s time for a real-world common-sense approach to come to Lansing.

“Michigan is an economic disaster. Agriculture is one of the bright lights,” he said.

“There’s a fundamental lack of leadership in Lansing – there’s no vision, there’s no plan. Bureaucracy needs to go away, and we need to replace it with customer service government. I am an entrepreneur and an innovator. I know what it takes to create jobs.”
Changing Michigan “is about creating a diverse economy, and as an industry, you’re at the core of that. Agriculture is one of our success stories.”

In a recent poll from The Washington Post, Snyder is in the lead pack with Attorney General Mike Cox and U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, with Bouchard and George trailing.

State Rep. Mike Huckleberry, D-Greenville and chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, said he believes all of the candidates have strengths they would bring to the state Capitol if elected governor.

“I look forward to working with any of them as an advocate, not an adversary,” Huckleberry said.

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

3/30/2010