Michigan corn grower Matt Frostic and Michigan Agri-Business Association representative Chris Betz will serve on key CFTC committee
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Agri-Business Association (MABA) and the Michigan Corn Growers Association (MCGA) today spotlighted two Michigan agricultural leaders named Friday to serve on the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Agricultural Advisory Committee.
Chris Betz with Lansing-based Michigan Agricultural Commodities, and Michigan corn grower Matt Frostic, who serves as First Vice President of the National Corn Growers Association, were among the members named Friday to the committee.
“The CFTC plays a vital role for U.S. agriculture and we thank Commissioners for consulting agricultural leaders from across the nation to help inform their decisions,” said MABA President Chuck Lippstreu. “As someone who has served admirably on this committee as a representative of the Michigan grain industry, Chris Betz will continue to be a trusted resource for the CFTC and help bring Michigan’s voice to the table. We thank the CFTC and Chris Betz for their efforts to support Michigan agriculture.”
“Matt Frostic continues to step up as a national leader for corn growers and the entire Michigan agricultural industry, and his appointment to serve on the CFTC’s agricultural advisory committee will benefit Michigan farmers,” said Scott Piggott, Executive Director of the Michigan Corn Growers Association. “This committee exists to ensure the CFTC’s decisions are informed by the perspectives of the agricultural industry, including American farmers, and Matt is exactly the kind of advocate corn growers need in that role. We are grateful to the CFTC for relaunching this important committee and we thank Matt for raising his hand to serve.”
The CFTC’s Agricultural Advisory Committee serves as a vital information source to promote and advise the Commission on sound policy impacting millions of farmers and ranchers across the country. The Committee helps ensure a direct line of communication to market participants in all aspects of the agricultural sector, informing the agency’s regulations and helping adapt them to market and consumer needs.
Learn more by reviewing this recent announcement from the CFTC.
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Michigan’s agricultural industry was in the spotlight Monday as U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Congressman Tom Barrett visited the MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center and held a roundtable with industry leaders. The Secretary and Congressman also announced new federal funding supporting Michigan’s specialty crop industry.
The Michigan Agri-Business Association truly appreciated Secretary Rollins for hosting an in-depth discussion with industry leaders on issues important to the sector. MABA President Chuck Lippstreu represented the association at this discussion, joining Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz, Michigan Farm Bureau President Ben LaCross, several Michigan farmers and others spanning Michigan’s agricultural community. MABA Board member John Tilt was in attendance on behalf of the association.
“Monday’s meeting was an important opportunity to elevate the unique aspects of our Michigan agricultural industry and provide Secretary Rollins actionable information to take back to Washington,” said Lippstreu. “The Secretary’s visit to Michigan State University was appreciated because it underscored the incredible partnerships between MSU and our state’s agricultural industry. The Secretary also took time to hear directly from farmers and rural business leaders, and we were glad to have the opportunity to elevate topics important to our MABA members. We thank Secretary Rollins for her time visiting Michigan and her interest in advancing Michigan agriculture.”
Lippstreu emphasized MABA’s strong support for the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the university’s world-class outreach and partnership efforts with the agricultural industry. MABA also recognized Michigan Farm Bureau and the organization’s president, Ben LaCross, for helping to organize and lead Monday’s meetings.
MABA members interested in learning more about our association’s federal policy priorities and topics raised with Secretary Rollins can contact Chuck Lippstreu at the MABA office at chuck@miagbiz.org.
Throughout March, our MABA team took the opportunity to connect with our members and partners, and we continued to make progress on our advocacy efforts. We wanted to provide a short update to MABA members and interested partners.
At the beginning of the month, we made a major announcement detailing expanded events serving the industry. We encourage all MABA members to review our calendar of upcoming events!
In Lansing, the Michigan Legislature is making its way through a busy spring that’s mainly focused on the creation of an FY27 state budget. MABA has continued communication on our budget priorities, including support for Michigan State University and funding for certain government services important to the industry.
We are also working on a number of bills making their way through the Legislature independent of the budget. Notably, MABA this month joined other agricultural organizations supporting legislation that would streamline water permits in certain circumstances, an important topic affecting many of our members. We also weighed in with testimony to the Michigan Strategic Fund Board, supporting a project that will bring hundreds of new jobs to West Michigan and boost our state’s dairy industry.
We also endeavor to make your voice heard in Washington, DC, partnering with national ag groups to represent the industry. This past month we were represented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Pesticide Control Officials, as well as the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan’s Washington DC breakfast. Thank you to Board members Jacob Hecht from Star of the West Milling Company and Larry Dassance with Helena for helping represent MABA at the breakfast, and in meetings on Capitol Hill. In followup meetings with Members of Congress, we discussed a range of priority topics, including the need for a long-term Farm Bill and the importance for Michigan of USMCA renewal.
As the industry faces serious economic uncertainty, MABA continues to partner with national experts to ensure Michigan policymakers, the press and other stakeholders have good and actionable information on important topics.
Beyond these efforts, one of our main focus areas this year is to continue meeting all of you, our members, in the communities where you live and work. This month we hosted two member listening sessions in Jackson and Bad Axe, and a webinar briefing for members. We also attended the Michigan Milk Producers Annual Meeting, and met with several MABA members located in Southeast Michigan.
We will get back out around the state for more of these meetings into the summer. In the short term, we’re continuing in April with an Ag Club Breakfast in Hart, MI, and welcoming members to grain grading seminars in mid-April.
We appreciate your continued support and we are working hard to earn it! Here are some photos from the past few weeks:
March 24, 2026 – Speaking to the Michigan Strategic Fund Board today, Michigan Agri-Business Association (MABA) President Chuck Lippstreu emphasized MABA’s strong support for a bipartisan proposal to help expand La Colombe’s processing facility in Norton Shores, Michigan. The company today announced a major $567 million expansion at the facility that will create hundreds of new jobs and greatly increase the facility’s demand for Michigan milk.
A news release from Governor Whitmer’s office on the announcement can be found here.
A statement from Michigan House Agriculture Committee Chairman Jerry Neyer can be found here.
MABA delivered the following remarks at the MSF Board meeting:
“Good morning, Chairman and members of the Board. I’m Chuck Lippstreu, President of the Michigan Agri-Business Association. MABA is a nonprofit trade association based in Lansing, representing agricultural value chain businesses across Michigan. Our members partner with Michigan farmers to help them achieve year-round success. MABA members span the entire industry, from rural farm supply businesses, to animal nutrition companies, transportation and logistics providers and beyond.
Michigan agriculture is proud to serve as a job-creating engine in our smallest towns and biggest cities. The dairy sector is especially important for the Michigan industry, benefiting our entire agricultural system. That’s why I am here today in strong support of this project to further support Michigan’s dairy sector, building on the strong success La Colombe has delivered for Muskegon and our state.
This is exactly the type of employer and project Michigan agriculture can count on. La Colombe has been making ready-to-drink lattes in Norton Shores for more than a decade and is deeply rooted in the community. This expansion will take the facility to the next level. It’s an investment in a trusted, longtime employer that’s ready to double-down on our state.
For all of us in Michigan agriculture, this project couldn’t be more important. It will dramatically increase milk demand to the facility, from 30 million gallons of milk annually to an estimated 615 million gallons, a 20 fold increase. That increased demand for milk benefits — first and foremost — our Michigan dairy farmers. But the benefits don’t stop there. Success for dairy farmers means success for the rural businesses working with them, and the communities they call home. It’s an investment in the entire Michigan agriculture sector.
It’s also a project that’s come together the right way, with strong, bipartisan partnerships. I want to note and recognize the collaboration that’s gone into this project, starting first on the ground with local leaders helping shape what’s right for Muskegon County, and then building strong support at all levels from there. From an agricultural perspective, I can confidently say we stand with the many local, state and federal leaders who have identified this as a well-planned and common-sense investment for the future of Michigan.
MABA is proud to stand in support of this project which will be a win-win for the whole community. We urge the Board to approve it. Thank you.”
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