Michigan Farm Bureau started its first all-virtual annual meeting with nominations and elections for the board of directors that leads the state’s largest farm organization.<\/p>\n
One new member was chosen to represent the organization’s vital Young Farmer program. All other elected officers were incumbents reelected to two-year terms on the MFB Board of Directors.<\/p>\n
President<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuscola County cash crop farmer Carl Bednarski was reelected to his fourth two-year term as MFB’s president.<\/p>\n First elected to the position in 2014 as the organization’s 16th president, Bednarski raises corn, dry beans, sugar beets, soybeans and wheat alongside his wife, Lisa, and their three sons.<\/p>\n Program representatives<\/strong><\/p>\n Seventh-generation Branch County farmer Paul Pridgeon was elected to represent MFB’s Young Farmer program on the board, succeeding Ottawa County apple grower Adam Dietrich. In partnership with his father, Bill, and brother Brian, Pridgeon raises hogs and 4,500 acres of corn, soybean and wheat. He and wife Nikki have three children.<\/p>\n St. Joseph County farmer Julie Stephenson was reelected to represent Farm Bureau’s Promotion & Education program on the board. Stephenson and husband Eric’s cash crop and seed corn operation also includes a farm market.<\/p>\n Reelected district representatives<\/strong><\/p>\n Following nominations from delegates attending district-level meetings in early November, all incumbent directors representing even-numbered districts were reelected to their positions:<\/p>\n Jennifer Lewis \u2014 District 2: Branch, Calhoun, Hillsdale, Jackson and Lenawee counties<\/p>\n Jeff Sandborn \u2014 District 4: Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Ottawa counties<\/p>\n Travis Fahley \u2014 District 6: Huron, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Tuscola counties<\/p>\n Michael Mulders \u2014 District 8: Bay, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw counties<\/p>\n Leona Daniels \u2014 District 10: Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Clare, Gladwin, Iosco, Ogemaw counties<\/p>\n Dave Bahrman \u2014 District 12: the entire Upper Peninsula<\/p>\n Incumbents not up for reelection<\/strong><\/p>\n Incumbents in odd-numbered districts were not up for reelection and therefore retain their seats:<\/p>\n Brigette Leach \u2014 District 1: Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Van Buren counties<\/p>\n Mike Fusilier \u2014 District 3: Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne counties<\/p>\n Stephanie Schafer \u2014 District 5: Clinton, Shiawassee, Genesee, Eaton, Ingham counties<\/p>\n Michael DeRuiter \u2014 District 7: Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola counties<\/p>\n Ben LaCross \u2014 District 9: Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee and Wexford counties<\/p>\n Patrick McGuire \u2014 District 11: Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Otsego, Presque Isle counties<\/p>\n Rounding out the board are at-large members Andy Hagenow of Kent County and Monroe County’s Douglas Darling. Both were reelected to two-year terms at last year’s annual meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Michigan Farm Bureau started its first all-virtual annual meeting with nominations and elections for the board of directors…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2865,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n