Skyrocketing labor costs threaten the future of Michigan’s fruit and vegetable sector
LANSING, Mich. (May 22, 2024) – Michigan Agri-Business Association President Chuck Lippstreu today thanked members of the Michigan Congressional delegation who voiced bipartisan support for freezing the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) at 2023 levels through 2025. The Members of Congress were among 120 total U.S. Representatives – Democrats and Republicans – calling for this sorely-needed action in a joint letter. The letter is available here.
HART, Mich. – Amid Michigan’s asparagus harvest season, Michigan Agri-Business Association President Chuck Lippstreu joined Jamie Clover Adams, Executive Director of the Michigan Asparagus Association to spotlight the urgent need for reform of high labor costs facing Michigan specialty crop farmers.
“Skyrocketing labor costs driven by an unrealistic, unsustainable federal government calculation pose a critical threat to the future of Michigan fruit and vegetable production,” said Lippstreu. “Rural businesses and communities in West Michigan and across our state depend on a thriving specialty crop sector. Unfortunately, runaway costs created by a broken U.S. Department of Labor program threaten the future of this industry. We thank the bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress who have supported a freeze of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, and we continue to call for lasting reform of this broken system.”
MABA announced the opening of registration for its 2024 Outlook Conference on Mackinac Island.
“This long-running event is a unique opportunity to bring together leaders spanning Michigan, Midwest and U.S. agriculture,” said MABA President Chuck Lippstreu. “This event also showcases a cross-section of our industry. In addition to bringing together leaders who from across the full spectrum of Michigan agriculture, we enjoy welcoming attendees who serve in many different roles and are at different places on their career journey. It’s what continues to make the Outlook Conference a truly unique opportunity for networking and in-depth discussion about what the future holds for agriculture, all in a one-of-a-kind location.”
Now in its 27th year, the Outlook Conference brings together approximately 150-200 leaders of agricultural businesses, along with senior government and NGO partners, for a weekend of discussion about the future of the agricultural industry. The conference is intended to provide insight and facilitate discussion on large-scale industry trends to help inform leaders as they chart a path forward for their businesses. The conference is useful for anyone who wants to gain more in-depth insights into key drivers of the agricultural economy.
This year, the Outlook Conference returns to a Friday-Sunday weekend format. The event begins Friday evening, September 6, concluding in the afternoon on Sunday, September 8.
Conference events are closed to members of the media.
For questions, contact any member of the MABA staff or email maba@miagbiz.org.
The Michigan Agri-Business Association is proud of our role as a strong advocate and dedicated resource for the Michigan agriculture industry. As we often say, our Association’s effectiveness comes from the participation and support of our member companies. We strive to deliver world-class service and results for these Michigan businesses.
Throughout 2024, the MABA team has focused on steady, continuous improvement across all we do in member services, advocacy, information sharing and beyond. Today we wanted to share a summary of key investments and improvements your association has made during the last six months, all geared toward ensuring world-class value for you.
We are proud of these improvements we have made for MABA members. They are helping us maximize the value we provide for businesses statewide, and complement our work to grow the Association’s events, membership involvement and advocacy. We welcome your suggestions. At any time, contact Chuck or Kara of the MABA staff with your questions and comments!
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