Monroe County Farm Bureau taking home the 2025 Excellence in Grassroots Lobbying Award is an exercise in simplicity, persistence and consistency revolving around an axis of two fundamental components: communication and relationships.
Because it’s true what they say about squeaky wheels.
By adhering to a straightforward practice of regular, consistent contact with their elected officials, members of Monroe’s public policy committee effectively maximize the voice of farmers, farm families and Farm Bureau. Co-chairs Dennis Meyer and Tom Woelmer accepted the award Feb. 25 at Michigan Farm Bureau's Lansing Legislative Seminar.
Woelmer explained his Monroe’s team prefers to meet with legislators in small groups and little fanfare.
“We think they’re more candid and honest with their answers,” he said. “And the atmosphere is more personal.”
On the day-to-day level, Monroe’s practices are straightforward: They follow through on action requests coming from the state Farm Bureau, and they aren’t shy about using their smartphones:
“We have the personal numbers of our lawmakers and their staff, and we message, text or call them with our concerns,” Woelmer added. “It’s more personal and more effective than email.”
Effective Farm Bureau advocates know the only thing better than a phone call is making your case face-to-face. To that end, Monroe’s public policy committee members are active in their communities, regularly crossing paths in-person with the same lawmakers at parades, benefits, fair auctions and other local events.
“We keep the relationship strong by meeting them where they are in the community,” Woelmer said.
And where those opportunities are sparse, they plan their own events to stay on lawmakers’ radars and present in their decision-making.
Last year’s efforts started with a February coffee hour at the county Farm Bureau office in Ida, where Dist. 16 State Senator Joe Bellino met with more than a dozen regular Farm Bureau members who turned out for the conversation.
“We’ve had a good relationship with him going back to his time in the state House, and even before he entered politics,” Woelmer said. “He was very interested in hearing our concerns and communicated with us what was going on in the Senate.”
The next month saw U.S. Congressman Tim Walberg visiting another member’s shop in Milan, where 15 members turned out.
“He’s been meeting with us like this for many years,” Woelmer said. “He gave us an update on issues in Washington, and several of our members shared their concerns on labor issues, the farm bill, energy policies, renewable aviation fuel and ethanol.”
An April meeting hit a snag when Dist. 31 Rep. Reggie Miller was forced to reschedule. But the time and place were already booked, so Monroe just picked up the phone and invited a couple backups.
State Representatives JamesDeSana and William Bruck — Dists. 29 & 30, respectively, and both Farm Bureau members — made their way to John Calder’s dairy farm to meet with almost two dozen Farm Bureau members.
Comparing notes and venting frustrations, the group shared an open exchange about the state’s role in renewable energy siting, taxation, regulations, MAEAP and the very future of agriculture in Michigan.
“Going to these events just gives me the ability to meet with my constituents in the farming community,” Bruck said. “They’re always accommodating to elected officials… We respect them, they respect me and it works out we have a better relationship.”
Bellino picked up that ball and ran it forward:
“It’s the constant communication: You have to have it,” he said. “It’s all about relationships. If you don’t have a relationship now with your people in power, go get it.
“Even your county commissioners, who you probably do know, and your township officials, who you probably know. You have to have relationships from the bottom all the way up.”
And back to Bruck:
“My advice to other Farm Bureaus would be this: Reach out to your legislators, and reach out again, and reach out again. Once we see what farmers are doing, it’s hard to ignore what’s happening or what legislation affects them.”
And finally Woelmer for the score:
“Legislators are just people wanting to do right by their constituents. It’s all about relationships and our ability to communicate our concerns with them.
“If we show them the respect they deserve, they will give us an ear. That’s sometimes all we can ask for.”
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