U.S. Sen. Stabenow, U.S. Representatives attend Michigan Ag Club Breakfast with agri-business, lenders as well as pork, milk producers
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, speaks to the group assembled for the Michigan Ag Club Breakfast on Wednesday, March 29, in Washington, D.C., as others look on, including U.S. Rep. John Molenaar, R-Midland; U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, and chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Lansing Democrat and a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
LANSING, Mich. — Agricultural business groups, including those representing lenders, agri-business as well as milk and pork producers, that make up Agricultural Leaders of Michigan met Wednesday with members of Congress and others in Washington, D.C., to discuss the state’s growing agriculture sector and related priorities and opportunities.
Wednesday’s Michigan Ag Club Breakfast in Washington, D.C., marked the return of the annual event after a hiatus of a few years. Groups and businesses in attendance are advocating on behalf of member farmers and organizations, while also monitoring developments related to the 2023 Farm Bill. Among those at the event on Wednesday were U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, who is chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, as well as U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Lansing Democrat and a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
Michigan’s agricultural industry is critical to the state’s overall economy as it employs 805,000 people, which is 17.2 percent of the state’s population, and contributes $104.7 billion to Michigan’s economy each year.
This year, agricultural business groups are focused on efforts to build the labor force in Michigan, to continue to make investments in infrastructure and to balance a number of financial variables, including inflation, interest rates and labor.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to meet with members of Congress who have a hand in funding and policy that directly affects the agricultural sector and the work our member farmers and organizations do every day. We look forward to continued dialogue with our valued representatives in Washington, D.C., and we remain deeply appreciative of Sen. Stabenow’s dedicated leadership on the Farm Bill, which is critically important to the success of the agriculture industry in Michigan and across the country,” said the member organizations of Agricultural Leaders of Michigan, which includes the Michigan Agri-Business Association, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Michigan Pork Producers and Michigan Milk Producers Association.
Chuck Lippstreu, president of Michigan Agri-Business Association, with U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet.
Mary Kelpinski, CEO of Michigan Pork Producers, and Joe Diglio, President and CEO of Michigan Milk Producers Association, talk with U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Lansing.
Travis Jones, President & CEO of GreenStone Farm Credit Services, talks with U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids.
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, speaks to the group assembled for the Michigan Ag Club Breakfast as U.S. Rep. John Molenaar, R-Midland, looks on.