If you haven’t been invited yet to your county Farm Bureau’s 2023 annual meeting, consider this your invitation!
Below you’ll find an early list of dates and times. Some details still need nailing down, but the bulk of it’s there; we’ll keep sharing updated information ‘til they’re all wrapped up.
From August to November, these annual meetings are the alpha and omega of your county Farm Bureau. They recap and celebrate the accomplishments of the past year while ushering in the next by adopting policies and electing new leaders.
Annual meetings vary widely from one county Farm Bureau to the next — from homey potlucks to catered shindigs with entertainment and door prizes — but here are the basic elements you can expect:
- A hearty spread. This is Farm Bureau, so you may arrive hungry but nobody goes home that way!
- Reports from leaders of your county’s Young Farmer and Promotion & Education programs, recapping their activities and achievements over the past year.
- Review, discussion and adoption of changes and additions to your county’s policy slate — one of your organization’s most vital components. (More on this below.)
- Review and approval of your county Farm Bureau financials.
- Election of members to your county Farm Bureau board of directors: choosing who will lead your organization through the coming year, helping set priorities, delegate responsibilities and guide decision-making.
About that policy component: In the months leading up to your annual meeting, a dedicated policy development (PD) committee has formulated a slate of proposals for consideration. Some are changes to existing policies, others may be fresh from the ground up.
Either way, their overall intent is to further the Farm Bureau mission by amplifying the voice of its members in the ears of decision makers, from the township trustee who lives down the road to the county commission, the state legislature and the U.S. Congress. (Regulators too, from your local drain commissioner to the EPA.)
These policies are meant to reflect your interests, concerns and priorities. If they do not — or if you have thoughts on how they could be improved — it’s imperative you take this opportunity to chime in! Even though they’re drafted by a small group of your local peers, your input can only help strengthen the integrity of the final product.
(Some county Farm Bureaus deliberate their policies in a dedicated meeting separate from the county annual. Even so, your input is welcome!)
Policy gets a spotlight but it’s not the only Farm Bureau activity that relies on your involvement. Depending on your own interests and talents, several other programs would welcome your interest and improve with your participation. The best way to learn more is to introduce yourself and start asking questions, and there are few better opportunities for that than your county annual meeting.
Now that you’ve been invited, all that’s left is to R.S.V.P. to your county Farm Bureau office; a quick phone call to your county administrative manager (“CAM”) is the fast and painless way to learn all the necessary details and reserve your spot.
After that you just show up with smiles, handshakes and questions!
Note: County annual meetings are open to all Farm Bureau members, with voting rights reserved exclusively for regular (farming) members.
2023 County Farm Bureau Annual Meetings
(Information current as of Aug. 10; look to Farm Gate for ongoing updates.)
ALLEGAN — Aug. 29, 5 p.m.; C&J Country Gardens; 3720 34th St., Hamilton
ANTRIM — Aug. 23, 6 p.m.; ASI Community Center, 102 S. Maple St., Bellaire
ARENAC — Aug. 15, 6 p.m.; The Flying Pig, 2723 Grove Street Rd., Standish
BARRY — Aug. 21, 6 p.m.; MOO-ville outdoor pavilion, 5875 S. M-66, Nashville
BAY — Aug. 21, 5 p.m.; DoubleTree Hotel, 1 Wenonah Park Place, Bay City
BENZIE-MANISTEE — Aug. 10, 5 p.m.; West Wind Orchards, 4021 13 Mile Rd., Bear Lake
BERRIEN — Oct. 30, 8 a.m.; Lake Michigan Gardens, 2584 E. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor
BRANCH — Sept. 18, 5:30 p.m.; Dearth Center, 262 S. Sprague St., Coldwater
CALHOUN — Sept. 19, time TBD; Marshall Methodist Church, 721 US-27 North, Marshall
CASS — Sept. 9, 11 a.m.; Midwest Energy, 60590 Decatur Rd., Cassopolis
CHARLEVOIX — Sept. 23, 6 p.m.; Boyne City Administration Building, 321 S. Park St., Boyne City
CHEBOYGAN — Sept. 14, 6 p.m.; Reimann Farm, 6543 W. Birchwood Rd., Cheboygan
CHIPPEWA — Sept. 28, 6 p.m.; Tanglewood Marsh Golf Course, 2600 W. 16th Ave., Sault Ste Marie
CLARE — Sept. 14, 5 p.m.; Wild Pumpkin, 5799 Beaverton Rd., Beaverton
CLINTON — Sept. 25, 6 p.m.; AgroLiquid, 3055 M-21, St. Johns
COPPER COUNTRY — Sept. 26, 6 p.m.; details TBD
HIAWATHALAND — Oct. 23, 6 p.m.; details TBD
EATON — Aug. 23, 6 p.m.; Hidden Creek Farms, 2161 E. Vermontville Hwy., Charlotte
EMMET — Sept. 8, 6 p.m.; LTBB Government Center, 7500 Odawa Circle, Harbor Springs; separate PD meeting Aug. 21, 6 p.m.; Nothelfer Farm Bureau Insurance Agency, 2780 Charlevoix Ave., Suite 15, Petoskey
GENESEE — Aug. 13, 2 p.m.; Crossroads Village, 6140 N. Bray Rd., Flint
GLADWIN — Sept. 9, 5:30 p.m.; Gladwin County Fairgrounds, 41 S. State St., Gladwin; separate PD meeting Aug. 17, 5:30 p.m.; Gladwin County District Library, 402 James Robertson Dr., Gladwin
GRATIOT-ISABELLA-MIDLAND — Sept. 6, 5:30 p.m.; ZFS Ithaca, 1266 E. Washington Rd., Ithaca
HIAWATHALAND — 6 p.m. Oct. 23; Delta County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 N. Lincoln Road, Escanaba
HILLSDALE — Sept. 9, 4:30 p.m.; Dawn Theater, 110 N. Broad St., Hillsdale
HURON — Aug. 23, 5:30 p.m.; Huron County Fairgrounds, 170 W. Soper Rd., Bad Axe
HURON SHORES — Aug. 28; mail-in ballots
INGHAM — Sept. 7, 5 p.m.; Ingham County Fairgrounds Community Building, 700 E. Ash St., Mason
IONIA — Aug. 9, 6 p.m.; Shadow Ridge Golf Course, 1244 Kelsey Hwy., Ionia
IOSCO — Oct. 4, 5 p.m.; Brycelynn's Pumpkin Patch, 530 Miller Road, Tawas City
IRON RANGE — Oct. 24, 6 p.m.; Sagola Township Community Building, 301 1st Street, Sagola
ISABELLA-GRATIOT-MIDLAND — Sept. 6, 5:30 p.m.; ZFS Ithaca, 1266 E. Washington Rd., Ithaca
JACKSON — Aug. 19, 11 a.m.; Heritage Park Event Center, 121 Tefft Road, Hanover
KALAMAZOO — Aug. 17, 5 p.m.; Vicksburg Farmers Market, 300 N. Richardson St., Vicksburg
KENT — Sept. 5, 5:30 p.m.; Fairway Event & Banquet Center, 13955 Cascade Rd. SE, Lowell
LAPEER — Sept. 11, 5 p.m. PD meeting, 6 p.m. dinner, 6:30 business meeting; Ankley Family Farms Greenhouse, 6669 Clear Lake Rd., Imlay City
LENAWEE — Aug. 18, 6 p.m.; Carpenter Farms, 2534 US-223, Adrian
LIVINGSTON — Sept. 13, 6 p.m.; Block Brewing Company, 1140 S. Michigan Ave., Howell
MAC-LUCE-SCHOOLCRAFT — Oct. 12, 6 p.m.; Garfield Township Hall, N6760 M-117, Engadine
MACOMB — Sept. 14, 6 p.m.; Armada Fairgrounds, 74280 Fair St., Armada
MASON — Aug. 23, 6 p.m.; Farm View Resort Barn, 6700 US-31, Free Soil
MECOSTA — Sept. 16, 6 p.m.; Kuzins Equipment, 519 N. Cass St., Morley
MENOMINEE — Oct. 3, 6 p.m.; Belgiumtown Restaurant, W4346 Belgiumtown Road, Stephenson
MIDLAND-ISABELLA-GRATIOT — Sept. 6, 5:30 p.m.; ZFS Ithaca, 1266 E. Washington Rd., Ithaca
MISSAUKEE & WEXFORD — Sept. 28, 6 p.m.; details TBD
MONROE — Sept. 21, 5 p.m.; Matthes Tree Farm, 13416 Lulu Rd., Ida
MONTCALM — Aug. 17, 6 p.m.; Nutrien Ag Solutions, 6288 Greenville Rd., Greenville
MUSKEGON-NEWAYGO — Aug. 22, 6 p.m.; Kropscott Farm Environmental Center, 6523 W. Baseline Rd., Fremont
NEWAYGO-MUSKEGON — Aug. 22, 6 p.m.; Kropscott Farm Environmental Center, 6523 W. Baseline Rd., Fremont
NORTHWEST MICHIGAN — Sept. 16, 9 a.m.; details TBD
OAKLAND — Sept. 17, 1:30 p.m.; Bowers Farm, 1223 E. Square Lake Rd., Bloomfield Hills
OCEANA — Sept. 12, 6 p.m.; Fox Barn, 500 18th Ave., Shelby
OTSEGO — Sept. 12, 6 p.m.; Livingston Township Hall, 3218 Old 27 North, Gaylord
OTTAWA — Sept. 19, 5:30 p.m.; Spring Meadow Nursery, 1261 120th Ave., Grand Haven
PRESQUE ISLE — Aug. 22, 6 p.m.; Knaebe’s Apple Farm & Cider Mill, 2621 S. Karsten Rd., Rogers City
SAGINAW — Aug. 18, 5 p.m.; UpTown North Main, 975 N. Main St. Suite A, Frankenmuth
SANILAC — Aug. 29, 6 p.m.; Miracle of Life Barn, Sanilac County Fairgrounds, 210 N. Dawson St., Sandusky
ST. CLAIR — Sept. 13, 6 p.m.; St. Clair County Fairgrounds Community Building, 8254 County Park Drive, Goodells
ST. JOSEPH — Nov. 1, 5:30 p.m.; Sturges-Young Center for the Arts, 21 N. Nottawa St., Sturgis
SHIAWASSEE — Aug. 29, 5:30 p.m.; Bear Creek Farm, 5703 W. Bennington Rd., Laingsburg
TUSCOLA — Aug. 17, 5:30 p.m.; MSU Saginaw Valley Research & Education Center, 3775 S. Reese Rd., Frankenmuth
VAN BUREN — Aug. 21, 6 p.m.; Sunset Cattle Ranch, 42664 24th Ave., Bloomingdale
WASHTENAW — Sept. 18, 4:30 p.m.; Alber Orchard, 1311 Bethel Church Rd., Manchester
WAYNE — Sept. 15, 5 p.m.; Wayne County Fairgrounds, 10871 Quirk Road, Belleville
WEXFORD & MISSAUKEE — Sept. 28, 6 p.m.; details TBD
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