Michigan Farm Bureau is reminding members and supporters of agriculture they can stay informed and take quick action on urgent issues by signing up for text alerts. When fast, high-volume outreach to lawmakers or regulators is needed, this tool helps amplify agriculture’s voice.
Signing up is easy — just text FBACT to (855) 374-5673. After a quick confirmation message, you’re in. Messages are sent only when it matters most, so you’re reached at the moments your voice can truly make a difference.
Launched in 2017, the program now boasts more than 55,000 followers and has facilitated nearly 200,000 connections with state and federal lawmakers, regulatory leaders, and other government officials. Its success is due in large part to county Farm Bureau promotions and engagement from both members and non-member supporters.
“With every call to action, we show our strength in numbers and lawmakers take notice, often prompting them to connect with both Farm Bureau members and staff,” said Nicole Sevrey, MFB’s public policy communications specialist. “The program makes it easy for farmers and supporters to share their perspectives, grounded in member-developed policy, and it complements the vital relationship-building work happening year-round at the local level.”
Since its inception, the action request program has played a pivotal role in mobilizing Michigan Farm Bureau members and supporters to respond to critical issues, with powerful results:
In 2025, more than 1,200 individuals sent over 2,400 messages to state lawmakers as they considered changes to Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act, helping highlight the unique needs of agricultural employers.
Just a year earlier, in 2024, the program was instrumental in opposing a bill to remove legislative oversight from the water quality rulemaking process, with over 1,800 messages sent to state representatives and senators.
The program’s impact was equally evident in 2023, when nearly 900 advocates submitted public comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on three key issues: regulations on treated seed, livestock air emission reporting, and pesticide labeling. That same year, the organization rallied support around the farm bill, collecting more than 1,100 messages to Congress and over 1,200 petition signatures from individuals backing Michigan’s priorities.
May 2023 marked another high point when 1,431 advocates sent nearly 13,000 messages to the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, urging the inclusion of an agricultural representative in the university’s presidential search committee.
Other efforts have targeted energy, labor, and local control. Over the past three years, nearly 4,000 advocates have contacted federal agencies and Congress to demand solutions for the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, which continues to put intense pressure on the sustainability of family farms and domestic food production. In addition, more than 2,100 people sent over 4,200 messages to Michigan lawmakers in 2023, urging that decisions on solar and wind energy siting remain in the hands of locally elected officials, not state bureaucrats.
One of the most striking campaigns came in 2020, when more than 56,000 people contacted the governor, state legislators, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in response to pandemic-era restrictions — pushing to allow the retail sale of plants, nursery stock, and flowers at the state’s greenhouses and garden centers.
These campaigns continue to demonstrate just how powerful and timely grassroots engagement can be when agriculture is on the line. Sign up now and never miss a chance to have your voice heard! Text FBACT to (855) 374-5673.