Policy development resources at the ready

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”  

Helen Keller’s words, I believe, are a great reminder of the importance of getting involved in our member-driven policy development process.

For more than a century, county Farm Bureau members have stepped up by crafting policy in a purposeful and pragmatic fashion. The policy development process continues to serve Michigan Farm Bureau well in that it helps staff and members alike address problems, embrace opportunities, and evolve the food and agriculture community so that at the end of the day you can keep doing what you do best: contributing to a safe and abundant food, fiber and fuel supply.   

All that to say — thank you — for your membership and involvement. 

To keep fueling your valuable local conversations, here’s a quick refresher on all the resources at your disposal:

Emerging issue briefs 

Emerging issue briefs raise awareness of challenges and opportunities and help get discussion and ideas flowing. Farm Bureau staff annually prepare the briefs on developing issues impacting the food and agriculture sector; here’s the current crop: 

• Agricultural Processing Growth
• Artificial Intelligence
• Cold and Freezer Storage
• Composting and Anaerobic Digestion
• Federal and Private Lands 
• Improving Conservation Delivery
• Paid Family Medical Leave
• Property Tax Reform
• Seasonal Farm Worker Housing

Also, the 2024 Michigan Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau Federation policy books are always available to explore, search and download.  

If any of these topics (or others) strike a chord, here’s how you can turn it into more…

Submit an idea online 

There’s a policy submission form on the MFB website for sharing ideas or amendments throughout the year. You might use it to: 

• Propose an amendment to existing policy, 
• Write new policy language, or
• Delete existing language. 

Ideas submitted through the form shared with your county policy development committee chair for further consideration. 

Join a local committee  

Contributing your voice to your county Farm Bureau’s policy development committee is a great way to share your ideas directly and hear what’s on the minds of your fellow members. The process looks different in each of our 65 county organizations: larger group meetings by district, smaller and more frequent individual county meetings, or even mostly electronic work via email.   

With that in mind, the best way to learn more is to contact your county office, get in touch with your MFB regional manager or reach out to our policy development lead, Emily Reinart at 517-679-5337.