State Rep. Gina Johnsen hopes to build on her 100% Michigan Farm Bureau voting record as she seeks election to Michigan's 33rd Senate District.
Johnsen recently received the Michigan Farm Bureau AgriPac's "Friend of Agriculture" endorsement. She is seeking the seat being vacated by Friend of Agriculture Sen. Rick Outman, who is term limited. The 33rd Senate District includes all of Montcalm and Newaygo counties, along with portions of Ionia, Kent, Lake, Muskegon and Ottawa counties.
Johnsen said she regularly meets with farmers, landowners and local officials and those conversations helped shape her approach to agricultural policy.
"I stay engaged by meeting with farmers, local officials, and community members to understand the challenges they are facing, especially around regulation, land use, and rising costs," Johnsen said. "That input helps guide my work and ensures decisions reflect real conditions on the ground."
Johnsen identified rising input costs, workforce shortages and increasing regulatory pressure as some of the biggest challenges facing Michigan agriculture. She said reducing unnecessary regulations, ensuring rules are clear and consistent, and addressing workforce shortages would help Michigan farmers remain competitive.
Johnsen also believes agriculture and environmental organizations can find common ground through practical, locally driven solutions.
"The best approach is through voluntary, locally driven, and science-based solutions," Johnsen said. "Farmers are already strong stewards of the land, and policies should support that rather than impose one-size-fits-all mandates."
She said programs such as the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program demonstrate how conservation efforts are most successful when they are built on incentives, practical outcomes and local input rather than additional regulation.
Before serving in the Legislature, Johnsen spent more than 20 years working in healthcare, including health insurance and pharmaceutical sales. She also founded Michigan Pray and served as executive director of a pregnancy resource center. She holds bachelor's degrees in economics and international studies from Wesleyan University.
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