Programs

Ag in the Classroom

One exciting way to help students relate to agriculture is when farmers visit classrooms and relate agriculture to their lives and the products they use every day. If you would like to help please call Cheryl Strautz (989) 831-4425 or our County Administrative Manager Patsy at (989) 831-4094.

Community Action Groups

This group of friends and neighbors meets monthly to discuss key issues affecting agriculture. Whether the issue is zoning, community planning, school finance, or even a neighborhood beautification project, a Community Action Group is the perfect tool to find solutions, gain knowledge, share ideas, and take action.

For more information about joining a Community Action Group, or starting your own group, contact the Administrative Manager at Montcalm County Farm Bureau (989) 831-4094.

For more information about this program, visit the Community Action Groups website.

Lansing Legislative Seminar

Each year, Farm Bureau organizes face-to-face meetings with hundreds of Farm Bureau leaders and their respective elected officials. These annual "lobbying" missions are a key element in the Farm Bureau grassroots policy development and policy execution process.

Several members of our community attend this event annually. If you have an issue with your farm, you would like our board to discuss for you, just give anyone on our board a call.

For more information about this program, visit the Lansing Legislative Seminar website.

Marge Karker Scholarships

The Marge Karker Scholarship is designed for students who are enrolled in the two or four year Ag program at M.S.U.. This scholarship is to be given to a two or four year or post-graduate student currently enrolled in an agricultural program at Michigan State University after completing one year. Application deadline is March 1, 2010. Please contact the County Administrative Manager for more details at (989) 831-4094.

Michigan Farm Bureau Promotion & Education Department Scholarship

Michigan Farm Bureau Promotion & Education Department offers one scholarship to Farm Bureau members pursuing a career in agriculture at Michigan State University.  The deadline for this scholarship is December 1.  Applications will be available through your local county Farm Bureau in August 2010.

Montcalm County Farm Bureau Scholarship

Each scholarship shall be no less than $250.00 or in excess of $500.00. Multiple scholarships or scholarship in excess of $500.00 may be awarded at the discretion of the Montcalm County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. Deadline to apply is April 1. For further information contact the county Farm Bureau office (989) 831-4094.

Promotion & Education

The goal of the Promotion and Education program is to educate Michigan consumers about agriculture through working with children and schools and coordinating public outreach programs to promote and educate about agriculture. In addition, the Promotion and Education program strives to educate farmers on issues impacting agriculture.

If you have some ideas or would like to help, contact our Chair-person Cheryl Strautz (989) 831-4425 or our county Farm Bureau office (989) 831-4094.

Our committee will be doing our National Agriculture 3rd Grade Poster Contest again this year. The theme will be "I Spy A Caring Farmer". All entries must be hand drawn, no larger than 9" X 12". We will have a local contest between the schools in Montcalm County then send one winning poster to the State Farm Bureau poster contest, at the state level the top three winners will receive savings bonds. At the county level the winning student will receive a gift from Montcalm County Farm Bureau and the winning 3rd grade class that submitted the most poster pretaining to the theme will receive a pizza party.

Junior Journalists in grades one through six are invited to participate in a statewide essay contest co-sponsored by the Michigan Farm News and the P&E Department. The contest is open to students from Farm Bureau families which could include children, grandchildren or nieces and nephews. Click on P&E website below.

For more information about this program, visit the Promotion & Education website.

Quarterly Legislative Breakfasts

Montcalm County Farm Bureau sponsors a quarterly legislative breakfast for our local and state officials as well as our county commissioners. These meetings are free to Farm Bureau members and are held the third Friday of a month at the Montcalm County Farm Bureau office. These meetings allow our members the opportunity to discuss current issues and the oppotunity to speak directly with our Senator and State Representatives. If you are interested in attending one of these meetings, please contact the county office to be added to our mailing list. For further information call Patsy at (989) 831-4094.

Washington Legislative Seminar

Each year, Farm Bureau organizes face-to-face meetings with hundreds of Farm Bureau leaders and their respective elected officials. These annual "lobbying" missions are a key element in the Farm Bureau grassroots policy development and policy execution process.

March 10-12, 2010 will be held in Washington, D.C. Two board members will be attending this year.

For more information about this program, visit the Washington Legislative Seminar website.

Young Farmer

The Young Farmer program is designed to develop leadership potential for men and women between the ages of 18 and 35.

For more information about the Young Farmer program or if you have any ideas or would like to help, our Young Farmer Chair-person is Heather Waldron (989) 235-3276 or contact the county Farm Bureau office (989) 831-4094.

It also gives opportunities to go to local and state discussion competitions, and win cash and prizes. This is an exciting way to be part of Michigan's agriculture.

For more information about this program, visit the Young Farmer website.

Young People's Citizenship Seminar

Over two hundred twenty of the top students from Michigan convene each year in late June to learn about world economic and political systems and conduct their own mock election. Sponsored by county Farm Bureaus across the state, the Citizenship Seminar has been conducted for over 35 years and has provided leadership skills for over 5,000 of Michigan's youth.

YPCS Seminar will be held June, 2010 at the Northwood University in Midland. Participants should be juniors or seniors in the 2008-2009 school year and have not previously attended the conference. If you or someone you know is interested in attending the Young People's Citizenship Seminar, the contact Chair-person is Chris Rader (989) 358-6153 or contact the county Farm Bureau office (989) 831-4094.

For more information about this program, visit the Young People's Citizenship Seminar website.