Protecting the Upper Peninsula's agriculture, timber and mining industries remains a top priority for State Rep. Dave Prestin as he campaigns for Michigan's 38th Senate District.
Prestin recently received the Michigan Farm Bureau AgriPac's "Friend of Agriculture" endorsement. He has maintained a 100% Michigan Farm Bureau voting record during his time in the House and is seeking the seat being vacated by longtime farmer and Friend of Agriculture Sen. Ed McBroom, who is term limited. The 38th Senate District includes Alger, Baraga, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft counties, along with portions of Chippewa and Mackinac counties.
Serving in the Michigan House since 2023, Prestin said he has focused on reducing regulations, expanding access to healthcare and emergency services, and supporting affordable, reliable energy. He said he wants to continue advocating for the Upper Peninsula's rural communities and the industries that have long supported the region's economy.
"Agriculture, timber and mining built the Upper Peninsula," Prestin said. "Our state senators have been on the front lines of that fight, working pragmatically to make sure that the U.P. isn't forgotten and that our essential industries are protected."
A Menominee County Farm Bureau member himself, Prestin said he attends local meetings to hear directly from farmers and better understand the issues affecting agriculture.
"I attend all the local Farm Bureau meetings that I can so I can hear their concerns and represent the issues that they care about in Lansing," Prestin said.
Prestin identified rising input costs and government regulation as two of the biggest challenges facing Michigan agriculture. He said reducing red tape and expanding right-to-repair protections for agricultural equipment, along with streamlining regulations for farm-to-table meat processing, would benefit both farmers and consumers.
He said understanding agriculture begins with listening to the people who work in the industry every day.
"I educate myself by going to the source to see what people in the industry are facing," Prestin said. "The only place to be well informed on the issues farmers face is to go directly to the farmer and the systems that supply them."
Before serving in the Legislature, Prestin spent nearly 30 years in the food and beverage industry and operated a small business. He also served as a Menominee County commissioner, a volunteer firefighter, licensed paramedic and member of the Alger-Delta Electric Cooperative board.
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