2019 County Annual Minutes Approved ☒ | Denied ☐
2019 Review of Financials Approved ☒ | Denied ☐
MFB State Annual Delegates selected by Board of Directors Approved ☒ | Denied ☐
Election of 2020 Shiawassee County Board of Directors
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District 2 – Courtney Kingsbury
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District 4 – Will Willson
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At-Large – Bob Carlin (District 4)
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At-Large – Tim Kiesling (District 3)
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Promotion & Education Committee Chair – Hanna Dutcher
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Young Farmer Committee Chair – Wyatt Demerly
County Annual Award Winners
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Distinguished Service to Agriculture – Jamie Zmitko-Somers
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Volunteer of the Year – Ken Deschepper
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Agricultural Educator of the Year – Juliana Forbush
Door Prize Winners
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Stihl Chainsaw – Gary Solgat
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Toolbox – Richard Semans
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Battery-operated Grease Guns – David Williams
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Cooler – Anthony Chunko
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Canopy – Carol Seidel
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Cornhole Boards – Patricia Crothers
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Murtle’s Handmade Chocolates Gift Card – Holli Denson
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Murtle’s Handmade Chocolates Gift Card – Robert Misjak
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Mancino’s Pizza & Grinders Gift Card – James Laureta
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Mancino’s Pizza & Grinders Gift Card – Clifford Free
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Family Farm & Home Gift Card – Sally Pajtas
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Family Farm & Home Gift Card – Francis Osika
Policy Resolution -
As we evolve to a more and more digital society with added technology and complications from pandemic events we should question the value of the current library system.
Colleges and K-12 schools are quickly moving to on-line instruction to cope with a myriad of logistical issues. This form of education relies heavily on high- speed internet service.
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau supports a change in the Library Law that would allow municipalities to opt-out of a library system if the funds were diverted to support internet service for the residents.
Member Action: Approved ☒ Denied ☐
Title: High demand for Agriscience teachers
Submission#: 2020-78-5
Teachers provide the foundation to a student that often guides them down the road to success. The agricultural educators that provide direction to those students not only educating them on a host of agriculture issues also developing leadership abilities and helping them become successful members of their communities. Now it is time to provide those who are interested in becoming Agriscience, Food and Natural Recourse Education (AFNRE) teachers’ clear guidelines, facts and statistics on how to become an Ag educator.
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau supports:
MFB would expand and promote the development of Ag teachers by providing virtual resources for people interested in entering this field providing them the information needed to start on the path of becoming an AFNRE educator.
Member Action: Approved ☒ Denied ☐
Title: Pandemic Employer Liability
Submission#: 2020-78-4
Pandemic related guidelines, practices and procedures continue to rapidly evolve. These guidance’s, practices and procedures are recommendations at this point in time. They are not standards or regulations and therefore are not legal obligations.
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau supports the following:
1. Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as State and local public health authorities on how to best protect agricultural employees.
2. The MFB legal team continuing talks with Michigan Department of health and Human Services to assist them in decisions appropriate for agricultural employees and staff in regards to pandemic safety requirements and feasibility.
3. That H2-A workers qualify as employees under the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP).
4. Employers provide appropriate PPE and pandemic testing for employees and are provided financial assistance for such practices through federal grants.
5. Pandemic legal protections for businesses that are making good faith efforts to comply with ever changing requirements for worker safety.
6. Pandemic liability waivers.
Member Action: Approved ☒ Denied ☐
Title: Local Government
Submission#: 2020-78-2
Recently PFAS and related chemicals have become a concern to farmers in Michigan and the US. These are used in fire retardants and foams in addition to water proofing textiles these chemicals pose health concerns for humans and animals when these chemicals are applied to farm land in the form of bio solids from municipal treatment systems.
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau supports the following:
1. Ag land found to be contaminated by PFAS, PFOS and/or PFOA by scientific testing methods that exceed State or Federal agency safe standards be diverted to non food production uses while cleanup occurs. Solar and wind renewable energy generation being examples of possible uses.
2. Legislation establishing a program to provide funds to MDARD to purchase lands with legacy chemical contamination from owners. This will allow farmers the ability to recover losses and provide an exit from future litigation.
Member Action: Approved ☒ Denied ☐
Title: Deer Damage
Submission#: 2020-78-6
Deer are a serious health concern to livestock a safety issue to the motoring public and a significant economic problem for crops. There are many programs in place to deal with the over population of the deer herd however, the current harvesting scenario is too late in the year to alleviate the earlier mentioned concerns.
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau supports:
An increase from 10 to 25+ crop damage/ nuisance permit tags available at the same time the current system allows from June 1 to September 1. This would be similar to the deer management assist permit available in the fall.
Member Action: Approved ☒ Denied ☐
Title: Local Government
Submission#: 2020-78-3
Recently PFAS and related chemicals have become a concern to farmers in Michigan and the US. These are used in fire retardants and foams in addition to water proofing textiles these chemicals pose health concerns for humans and animals when these chemicals are applied to farm land in the form of bio solids from municipal treatment systems.
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau supports the following:
1. Ag land found to be contaminated by PFAS, PFOS and/or PFOA by scientific testing methods that exceed State or Federal agency safe standards be diverted to non food production uses while cleanup occurs. Solar and wind renewable energy generation being examples of possible uses.
2. Legislation establishing a program to provide funds to MDARD to purchase lands with legacy chemical contamination from owners. This will allow farmers the ability to recover losses and provide an exit from future litigation.
Member Action: Approved ☒ Denied ☐