Dave Bahrman, who represented the Upper Peninsula as Michigan Farm Bureau’s District 12 Director for nearly 25 years, sadly passed away on April 17. He was 67.
A graduate of Gwinn High School, Bahrman attended Northern Michigan University and married his wife Karen in 1988. He always joked that he was devoted to their dogs and tolerated their horses.
Bahrman was inducted into the Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame in 2024, along with his twin brother Daniel. After previously working on their family’s fifth-generation dairy and potato farm near Skandia, the brothers split off and began their own farm in 1993, raising hay, sugar beets and beef cattle outside Chatham in western Alger County.
Before being elected to the MFB Board of Directors in 2001, Bahrman served as Hiawathaland Farm Bureau president, vice president and board member, and held state-level positions on MFB’s Policy Development and AgriPac committees.
“Dave had an incredible passion and dedication for Farm Bureau, serving on behalf of members across the entire Upper Peninsula,” said MFB President Ben LaCross. “His wisdom and insight, always shared with a sense of Yooper humor, will be dearly missed.”
Bahrman was instrumental in helping start an ag tech program at Bay College, had a strong commitment to the U.P. State Fair, and helped involve Farm Bureau in the 4-H sale there, said MFB District 12 Senior Regional Manager Craig Knudson.
“Dave made a lasting impact on the Michigan Farm Bureau through his hard work, commitment, and the positive spirit he brought to every meeting or event he attended,” Knudson said. “Dave’s passing is a significant loss to Michigan agriculture in the Upper Peninsula, but his leadership and foresight has positioned the next generation of ag leaders to carry on his legacy.”
Bahrman’s keen eye for identifying and fostering talent extended to his first meeting with now-Senator Ed McBroom (R-38th District) at a Young Farmer Discussion Meet in 2004, where he encouraged the Iron Range Farm Bureau member to participate in more Farm Bureau events. He was later asked by Bahrman to serve on the state’s Young Farmer committee.
“I could tell that he was always actively seeking and watching for folks who could become more involved in the organization and help the organization move forward,” McBroom said, noting that Bahrman was a “big believer” in the Young Farmer program.
He was also a big believer in the U.P. State Fair and was integral in keeping its Miracle of Life exhibit going, McBroom added.
“I remember one of the other really early things in my involvement probably was when the state was backing out of doing state fairs and Farm Bureau members all across the U.P. were very determined to keep the Miracle of Life exhibit running at the U.P. State Fair,” McBroom said.
“So many people reached out to Dave that when I spoke to him, he said, ‘Don't worry, I've already heard from everybody. I'm going to make sure they know.’ My friends who were on the board said, don't worry, Dave came down here. He let all of us know where the U.P. Farm Bureaus were with keeping the Miracle of Life exhibit going — he delivered your message.”
Delivering that message and others like it to MFB’s home office in Lansing required Bahrman to make a seven-hour drive — each way, and not accounting for snow — from his home near Rumley.
“If you look at the area Dave represented, the U.P. is more than one-third of the total land base of the state of Michigan,” said Menominee County Farm Bureau President Pete Kleiman.
“Dave never forgot where he came from, and he always understood the difference between Farm Bureau members in lower Michigan, and Farm Bureau members in the U.P. He had that personality that was polite and easy going, but he was far from a pushover.”
Kleiman said that people spoke about Bahrman with tremendous respect, because if they needed something they could turn to him and he would always find the answer for them.
“Dave was incredibly friendly and great at listening, so much so that he came across as very unassuming,” McBroom said.
“A person would walk away confident that you could have many more conversations with him, because he was interested in what other people had to say and interested in listening to them, but you could tell he had a lot more information, a lot more wisdom and understanding, than you got just in that one brief discussion.”
Bahrman is survived by his wife of nearly 37 years, Karen; his brother Dan (Pam) Bahrman; other siblings Steve (Barb) Bahrman, Barry (Michelle) Bahrman, Kris Sharp, Paulette (Sam) Massenburg and Linda (Marty) Talsma; numerous nieces and nephews, including Andy and Breanna with whom he was particularly close; and dogs Gabby and Bambi.
Per his own wishes, there will be no formal memorial, but when weather permits an outdoor gathering will take place at his beloved farm, where some of his ashes will be scattered. Read more here.
For those wishing to celebrate Bahrman’s life, his family suggests donating to the American Heart Association in his memory.