House Agriculture Committee adopts rules, sets regular meeting time; hears Michigan Farm Bureau overview

The House Agriculture Committee adopted its proposed committee rules and set a regular meeting time, then heard a presentation from Michigan Farm Bureau on literacy and labor programs and industry trends at an organizational meeting.

The committee, chaired by Chair Nyar, voted to adopt the uniform committee rules as set out in chapter 4 of the House rules and to hold regular meetings Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in Room 308 of the House Office Building. Both motions passed by voice vote with the clerk recording 11 yeas, 0 nays.

Michigan Farm Bureau representative Rebecca Park gave a 25-minute overview of the bureau's programs and services, including K-12 outreach, farm-science trailers, monthly "farm crates" for classrooms, and a labor-service company that helps farmers use the federal H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. Park said the Farm Bureau "was founded in 1919" and called the organization "a family of companies." She told the committee that "Michigan agriculture contributes $104,700,000,000 to the economy every year" and said the Farm Bureau's labor arm, Great Lakes Ag Labor Services, brought 2,500 workers into Michigan last year.

Park described several education and outreach efforts. She said the Farm Bureau runs Ag in the Classroom and a farm-science program (K–5) using two mobile labs; since 2017 those programs have reached more than 100,000 students and roughly 400 educators. She also described a monthly shipment of about 400 "farm crates" that the Farm Bureau estimates reaches roughly 10,000 students annually.

On labor, Park outlined Great Lakes Ag Labor Services' role helping employers navigate the paperwork of the federal H-2A program and providing trainings; she said the service is a paid service for employers. Park said the Farm Bureau has expanded that work into other states, "we now have work in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and most recently Texas." She also described a social mission that directs $1 from each insurance policy sold by Farm Bureau-related companies toward efforts to address childhood hunger and noted a matching-grant program for local hunger relief work.

Committee members used the presentation for substantive questions. Representative Leitner asked about insurance and unpredictable weather; Park said farmers "take advantage of different insurance products" and that insurance needs vary by crop and operation. Representative Wirtz and others raised concerns about avian influenza; members discussed short-term relief and biosecurity as priorities. Representative Lightner asked about the Farm Bureau's venison donation idea; Park said the venison donation program is at an early stage and that a task force is examining partners, processing costs and links with existing programs such as the state Department of Natural Resources' hunter-to-food programs.

Members also asked about workforce and succession problems. Park said Farm Bureau policy discussion has included beginning-farmer programs and cited examples such as tax credits to assist new producers and encourage established farmers to sell or rent land and equipment to entrants.

Votes at a glance: The committee recorded two formal motions and unanimous recorded tallies. The clerk announced both motions carried 11 yeas, 0 nays.

- Motion: Adopt committee rules (uniform committee rules stated in chapter 4 of the House rules). Mover: Representative Koontz. Outcome: approved; clerk recorded 11 yeas, 0 nays.

- Motion: Adopt regular meeting schedule — Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in Room 308, House Office Building. Mover: Representative Alexander. Outcome: approved; clerk recorded 11 yeas, 0 nays.

The meeting concluded with the chair moving to adjourn after a brief photo opportunity and committee members meeting presenters for follow-up questions and materials. Several members requested additional Farm Bureau literacy books for planned school visits and asked Farm Bureau staff to follow up offline on insurance and H-2A technical details.