MABA September Activities and Legislative Update Welcome to FY24! We’re very much in our “full swing” season for events and activities, with the Outlook Conference last month kicking off our fall and winter meeting season. MABA also remains highly engaged at the Capitol, and we were able to make progress last month on important issues facing our members in the Legislature. Here are some updates from September: Outlook Conference brings industry leaders to Mackinac Island Once again this year, MABA welcomed agricultural professionals from across Michigan and the region to Mackinac Island, from September 14-16. This special event focuses on big-picture shifts and trends in agriculture, equipping leaders with insights and information to help advance the industry. Mark your calendar for the return of this conference next year, September 6-8, 2024. We appreciate all those who attended and helped make this one of the most-attended Outlook Conference events in several years. Go here for photos and a list of speakers! West Michigan Works! and MABA host briefing on Going PRO Talent FundThe Going PRO Talent Fund (Talent Fund) makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. A 10-minute briefing from Karrie Brown can be found here. We encourage you to become familiar with this program! Harvest Solar discusses solar applications for agribusinesses, benefits of REAP program at Ag Club Breakfast This month’s Lansing Ag Club breakfast was sponsored by Harvest Solar; Ken Zebarah with Harvest discussed how agribusinesses and farms have used on-site solar to generate energy – and outlined the opportunities provided by the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Thank you to Harvest Solar for sponsoring breakfast! MABA joins national industry in honoring truck driversIn mid-September, MABA joined other Michigan agricultural organizations in honoring trucking companies and truck drivers crucial to the success of Michigan, and American agriculture. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is an annual, nationwide effort led by the American Trucking Associations to recognize and honor the vital contributions of 3.6 million U.S. truck drivers. Michigan farmers and rural businesses depend on truck drivers before, during and after the growing season. Truck drivers’ hard work keeps rural communities supplied, keeps ag supply chains moving, and helps fuel the success of Michigan’s $100+ billion agricultural industry. You can read our news release here. MABA Ed Trust hosts Memorial Golf OutingThe fall Memorial Golf Outing brought more than 100 MABA members and friends together to raise funds for the Educational Trust. We appreciate all those who played golf as well as those who sponsored the event. This caps off another excellent fundraising year for the Ed Trust. CCA Spotlights continue – MABA speaks with Andrew Greenhoe We recently visited with Andrew Greenhoe, an agronomist with Michigan Agricultural Commodities who became a Certified Crop Adviser early in his career, and continues to put this important certification to great use! Read more about Andrew: https://tinyurl.com/GreenhoeCCA Stewardship Newsletters: MABA distributed briefings this month on the role of CCAs in protecting the state’s soil and water resources, as well an update on drain water management, which you can see here. # # #
