My interest in livestock stems from growing up on my family’s farm; both of my parents came from farm backgrounds.
Dad took over his family farm when he was just 14 years old: 400 acres of diversified livestock and cash crops where we produced various traditional feed grains along with poultry, cattle, hogs — and children!
I have seven brothers and two sisters, and all of us played integral roles on the farm. My responsibility was caring for 40 sows in the farrowing room. I spent many nights in that old barn farrowing sows when it was so cold you wondered how those little pigs would survive.
Later in life I’d establish my own farm, Birchmeier Show Hogs, after showing pigs at the county and state fairs through high school and college. The State Fair in Detroit became an annual highlight I shared with my brothers while they were competing in 4-H.
At the 1995 Michigan State Fair we had the Grand Champion Market Hog and thought for sure we’d struck it rich — our champ was going to bring in a lot of money. The anticipation built for our big day in the sale ring, only to see that excitement turn to disappointment when the sale was a big disaster.
The next day then-MFB President Jack Laurie walked into my office and said Governor John Engler was embarrassed by the sale.
“So was I!” I replied.
Governor Engler basically said, “Fix it or it’s gone.”
The challenge was on.
With a lot of hesitation from State Fair leadership, I took the opportunity to lead a team of volunteers who moved the livestock sale to the middle of the Governor’s Luncheon with all the dignitaries watching.
(The biggest concern was what to do if an animal did its business in front of all of those important people. I said we’d scoop it up with a shiny new shovel and move forward!)
Relocated to the luncheon, the livestock sale was a success once more and subsequent years saw record prices and the launch of the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund. With help from ag lawyer Jeff Haarer and others, that fund has awarded more than $750,000 in scholarships and educational awards since 2000, and is poised to reward exhibitors for many years to come.
The next chapter in this story is equally remarkable.
Years of declining attendance and participation had the State Fair itself on its knees, leaving those of us who were still deeply invested wondering what to do. One year during the van ride back from Detroit (after attending a State Fair Council meeting, actually), leaders from MFB, Michigan Milk Producers and GreenStone asked: “What are we going to do when the State Fair dies?”
“We need to start a new show,” I said. “Put it at the pavilion at MSU. Have a sale for the top eight in each species. Hold it in July so those who don’t make that sale can still show their animals at their county fair.”
“Sounds like a plan,” replied the leaders in the van. “Get it done.”
I thought to myself, “What did I just get myself into?”
We dug in, gathered a team of good people, and soon the Michigan Livestock Expo was born.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the help of my best friend — a friend to all in agriculture — the late Scott Acker. He was more than my right hand through that process; Scott was there every step of the way!
So many volunteers stepped up and together we built something more than a livestock show — we built an event that would soon unite the livestock community, agriculture, business and government officials to celebrate our industry. If you ever want to see what can happen when we all work together and no one cares who gets the credit, check out the Michigan Livestock Expo in mid-July; it’ll make you smile.
Looking back, I suppose we could’ve just quit, but that wasn’t my nature and it’s not the nature of our industry. When things get tough, we figure out another solution. When doors close, we cut a new one and swing it wide open!
When you remember your roots — remember where you came from — sometimes you realize that the task at hand is more important than our individual successes; it’s about a family, and an industry that excels at innovating creative new solutions.
MFB’s longtime livestock & dairy specialist, Ernie Birchmeier retires later this year after 35 years of service to Michigan farmers.