The St. Joseph County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting is held each year. Members gather to renew friendships, have a great meal, elect their board and discuss issues affecting agriculture in the county. This year we welcomed Todd Feenstra, Hydrologist to speak on water use and the Prairie River Reclassification issue.
2023 proved to be a great year for St. Joseph County Farm Bureau with many of our leaders being appointed to positions on the state level for Michigan Farm Bureau. Loren King (SJCFB Policy Chair) was appointed to the State Policy Development committee, as well as Riley Brazo (SJCBF Young Farmer Co-Chair) representing St. Joseph County & District 1 on the State Young Farmer Committee. Jennifer Bennett & Morgan Walton were elected to the St Joseph County Farm Bureau Board and we couldn't be more excited to have 2 fresh new faces join us.
Young Farmer Co-Chairs Drew Bordner, Riley Brazo, and Mark Trowbridge congratulated our Young Farmers on all their accomplishments through the year. Emily Swift and Marcia Cripps were Young Farmer Award finalists and Drew Bordner won the 2023 Young Farmer Agriculture Employee Award. The county also has 5 Young Farmers representing us in the YF discussion meet.
Recognition was also given to the winners of the Connie Maystead Scholarship winners Jacie King & Emily Mead as they further their education with agriculture being the basis of their studies.
SJCBF County Promotion and Education Committee Chair, Mike Stears, presented an award to Ryder Tice for his winning poster in the 2023 Poster Contest. The poster was based on the book "I Love Strawberries". Riley's poster was also featured as the placemat for the county annual. Stears also thanked the 4H groups that participated in the Harvest for All food drive where we collected 659lbs of food and supplies for the St . Joseph Catholic food pantry in White Pigeon.
A big thanks goes out to our agents in the county, without you none of this would be possible! Austin Cooper -Sturgis, Jason Scramlin -Mendon, and Mike West -Three Rivers. Your continued support to further our goals is appreciated more than you know!
