Think Spring: Meet with your legislators during recess

Frigid temps got you thinking spring? As our state and federal elected officials near their spring recess, county Farm Bureaus are encouraged to meet with their legislators while back home in their district. 

Like the U.S. Congress, Michigan’s State House and Senate will recess March 30 through April 10.

What does a good meet-n-greet look like? Reach out to legislators and invite them to meet with a few members for a cup of coffee or a farm visit. 

Building relationships with elected officials is vitally important to the strength of our organization’s grassroot advocacy. If you’re a Farm Bureau member with an interest in policy and politics, a focus on building a relationship, and an interest in planning events with a legislative and regulatory focus, we want to hear from you! 

Here are my top 10 tips for a successful legislative event:

1. Decide what type of event you want to host. This determines how far in advance you need to plan.
2. Tap resources like Farm Feed , Michigan government directories, priority and emerging issue pages, legislative accomplishments list, etc.
3. Mondays and Fridays are usually easiest to weave into the legislative schedule. Sessions in Lansing and Washington D.C. are usually Tuesday through Thursday, but coordinate with your individual legislator’s schedule before choosing a date.
4. Call the legislator’s office first, then send a personal invitation via email or mail. Send it four weeks or more in advance, with reminder phone calls or emails one to two weeks before the event.
5. Craft an agenda and allow time for interaction between farmers and legislators. Keep your event to no more than two to three hours.
6. If you plan to have a list of formal questions, consider sharing them with your legislator(s) in advance. A conversational structure works best for informal events.
7. Designate someone to share a welcoming statement, describing the purpose of the event and moderating the discussion if necessary.
8. Be prepared to talk about pertinent issues and answer difficult questions.
9. Send a thank-you card, email or letter to the legislator(s) for attending.
10. Engage your Michigan Farm Bureau Regional Manager in the planning process.

That'll at least get your juices flowing. To really hash it out, take the next step and sit down with your CAM and MFB Regional Manager.

For more fun ideas for luring lawmakers, check out MFB's new Grassroots Lobbying Guide!