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Michigan Farm Bureau siting new policy

Michigan Farm Bureau members are debating what policies will guide the organization next year as a new clean energy plan moves forward in the state.

Government Relations Director Matt Smego tells Brownfield the organization’s policy continues to support renewable energy efforts and farmers’ rights to decide how to use their land.

“But, what it really is saying though is that’s a local community discussion and that decision as far as sitting and zoning really needs to be done from a community perspective, not a statewide cookie cutter perspective,” he says. “We heard from counties, but the delegates will have their opportunity this week to decide if, in fact, that’s where they want us to continue the discussion.”

He says delegates will also discuss the general election process of the Board of Trustees for Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, along with other state appointments.

“And deferring that to the governor’s appointments like the remaining universities in the state are selected,” he explains.  “That would be a significant change, but I think it has warranted some conversations in how we look at the selection of leadership.”

Smego says members are asking the American Farm Bureau Federation to create a Guest Worker Task Force to immediately focus on farm labor solutions.

The annual delegate session is closed to the public this year.