Gubernational Candidate Forum on Ag Set

Candidates vying to be Michigan's next governor will lay out their agricultural agendas on March 19 for this campaign season's first gubernatorial candidate forum dedicated to agriculture, Michigan's second largest-and growing-industry.

Farmers and other agribusiness professionals who belong to Michigan's commodity and agricultural organizations are encouraged to attend the free event, which will be held at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing beginning at 8:30 a.m. Pre-registration by March 12 is required by contacting Penni Sweeney at (517) 668-2676 orpsweeney@micorn.org.

At the forum, each candidate will have the opportunity to present his or her platform, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

While individual agricultural organizations have conducted similar activities in the past, this gubernatorial candidate forum represents the first time several agricultural groups have partnered for an event of this kind. The monumental forum is being organized by the Michigan Corn Growers Association and co-sponsored by 18 agricultural organizations, including the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB).

The forum aims to accomplish two goals: one, make farmers knowledgeable about the gubernatorial candidates so they can make educated voting decisions at the polls this fall; and two, help the candidates better understand agriculture's significance to Michigan.

"It's our hope the candidates get as much out of the forum as the farmers in the audience," said Kapp. "The next chief executive officer of Michigan needs to have an appreciation for what farmers do and how their work impacts the lives of every person in our state on a daily basis," said Matt Kapp, MFB land use and elections specialist.

The forum will be an especially helpful tool for members of county Farm Bureau candidate evaluation committees who will soon recommend candidates for MFB's prestigious "Friend of Agriculture" political endorsement, said Kapp.

"This forum provides a unique opportunity to go more in-depth with the candidates on issues important to the state's farmers, including government streamlining which is a priority of the Michigan Farm Bureau," said Kapp. "Michigan is broken. We need to know how each candidate plans to reform state government, reduce state spending and help foster continued growth of Michigan's $71.3 billion agriculture industry."

AgriPac, MFB's political action committee, will hold an additional candidate forum after the August primary. This second forum is tentatively scheduled to take place Sept. 1 in Lansing and involve candidates also running for Secretary of State and Attorney General.

The other agricultural groups co-sponsoring the forum are the Cherry Marketing Institute; Julian Vail, LLC; Michigan Agri-Business Association; Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, Inc.; Michigan Apple Growers; Michigan Cattlemen's Association; Michigan Equine Partnership; Michigan Floriculture Growers Council; Michigan Great Lakes International Draft Horse Show; Michigan Harness Horseman's Association; Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association; Michigan Pork Producers Association; Michigan Soybean Association; Michigan Standardbred Breeders Association; Michigan Sugar Company; Michigan Vegetable Council and the Potato Growers of Michigan.