Taking up most of the space between Perry and Owosso, Bennington Township straddles M-52 (sticker please) near the middle of Shiawassee County. The new treasurer there in Bennington is Maria Carlin, whose deep resume of Farm Bureau involvement set the stage for her jump into the political arena.
She and her husband farm 250 acres of corn and soybeans in the township, and direct-market their farm-fresh produce at their wine shop at the Flint Farmers Market, half an hour up I-69.
Carlin was well acquainted with the previous Bennington Township treasurer, and when he chose not to seek reelection, Maria saw an opportunity to put her business administration degree to practical good for her community.
It was a right-place, right-time kind of situation.
“My husband and I have always been politically active. We’ve gone to D.C. several times with Farm Bureau to speak on behalf of Michigan agriculture,” Carlin said.
She’s also been involved in her county Farm Bureau’s candidate evaluation and county policy programs, and served on the state-level direct-market advisory committee.
And at MFB’s Lansing Legislative Seminar several years ago, she sat in on a breakout encouraging more farmer-members to run for political office. Hosting that session was Matt Kapp, Michigan Farm Bureau’s government relations specialist and leader of the organization’s popular Academy for Political Leadership, the biennial program for prospective office-seekers.
“It’s been a long-time goal of Michigan Farm Bureau to increase the number of farmers serving in government,” Kapp said. “Even in rural areas, fewer of our elected officials understand agriculture, which too often is detrimental to the industry.”
Over in Allegan County, another Academy graduate is readying for his first term in elected office. Brad Lubbers is part of a family-run farrow-to-finish operation near Hamilton with 200 sows and 900 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat.
Come first of the year he’ll begin a four-year term on the Allegan County Board of Commissioners.
Like Carlin, Lubbers found a lot of very practical guidance in the Academy.
“Absolutely, the Academy was totally helpful,” he said. “Not so much about the office I was considering, but the logistics of how to run for office — the laws, rules, campaign financing — all the gritty, how-to details, so I knew all the steps.”
Before his experience with the Academy, Lubbers already had a long track record of Farm Bureau involvement, both locally and at the state level.
“I’ve been quite involved for 15-18 years,” he said, rattling off a long list of roles on the Allegan County Farm Bureau board of directors, committees and state boards. “It just piqued my interest, being involved in politics, but I wasn’t yet involved in governmental politics. Because of my Farm Bureau ties, our county commissioner got me on some committees.
“I said to him, ‘When you’re ready to retire I’d like to sit down and discuss taking over your seat.’”
That plan accelerated dramatically when that commissioner unexpectedly died on the eve of the primary.
“I didn’t plan on doing this this soon because I didn’t start with the primary," Lubbers said, "but here I am.”
The next Academy for Political Leadership starts in January; click here for more information.
“The Academy’s goal is to inspire and help prepare Farm Bureau members to run for public office — and win,” Kapp said. “These members stepped up to represent agriculture in these positions.
“We’re ecstatic to see graduates of our Academy for Political Leadership get elected!”
Learn more about another pair of Farm Bureau members who won elected office this month in an upcoming issue of Farm Gate.
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