Wexford Young Farmers welcome MDARD director to talk through issues

Wexford County’s Young Farmers recently hosted director Tim Boring of the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDARD) for an open coffee chat. The event welcomed members and prospective members from Districts 9 and 7, bringing together producers managing operations from five acres to five thousand. 

Regardless of farm size or commodity, every voice was heard. The goal was simple: create space for meaningful conversation and ensure the voice of agriculture is heard by key decision-makers during a critical budget season.

Speaking of the budget, Boring was specifically interested in gathering feedback about a new program proposed for fiscal year 2027. If passed, the new MDARD program would create a hub with local, state and national resources related to issues including ag education, land access and farm financing — all toward helping ensure the next generation of Michigan agriculture is successful. 

With a good cup of coffee sponsored by Wexford’s Young Farmer team, attendees spoke freely about current issues facing their operations. The conversation made clear that many Young Farmers share the same struggles regardless of operation size or commodity.

Here’s a topic-by-topic summary of our conversations:

• Grant Access & Application Support: Farmers described confusion around grant applications. Short application windows and vague requirements create stress. Attendees asked for a real person they can call to explain specifics and help align proposals with funder goals.
• Time & Resource Constraints: Running a farm leaves little time for grant research or paperwork. Many beginning farmers work off the farm and are exhausted, which reduces capacity for administrative tasks.
• Economic Pressures & Land Access: Land prices and equipment costs have risen sharply. Offers from nonagricultural uses such as solar development make it harder to keep land in farming.
• Community Relations & Education: New neighbors unfamiliar with farming practices lead to Right to Farm conflicts. Tension between organic and conventional producers was noted. Realtors are not consistently providing agricultural disclosure to buyers moving next to farms.
• Program Limitations & Regulatory Gaps: MDARD’s regenerative grant program and produce safety rules currently limit participation to non-produce operations. Under existing guidance, livestock integration into produce systems is not feasible, which excludes many specialty growers.
• Market Development Needs: Direct markets can be highly successful, but small and medium market infrastructure needs investment to create reliable pathways for beginning farmers.

Director Boring summed up his perspective on these challenges plainly: “It is particularly challenging if you are a younger, beginning farmer looking to get into agriculture: How do you make these massive investments in capital infrastructure and land and equipment when there are really questionable economic returns in front of us today?”

UpNorthLive provided media coverage of the event, sharing with the wider community that Young Farmers are working for a better tomorrow.

Wexford County’s Young Farmers urge the whole organization to take the lead in supporting Young Farmers by centralizing resources across the state. Centralized resources would help build bridges in our communities and create easily navigable paths so Young Farmers can allocate time and money where it matters most on their operations.

Here’s what I’d share with other county Farm Bureaus: Our “coffee chat” format works because it makes it easy for people to say ‘yes.’ It’s just an hour long, there’s a good cup of coffee, and before you know it, you’re in a real conversation with a key regulatory leader who made a special trip to hear directly from you.

Once a month we open the doors, pour the coffee and create a relaxed space where farmers can connect; both as a community and around the issues that matter. Folks can drop in, share what they’re seeing on the ground, and hear directly from leadership. It truly is open to everyone: Whether you’re farming full time, working off the farm, or balancing a young family, there’s a seat at the table.

So if you’re looking to get more members involved, start small. Make it easy to say yes. That’s where momentum builds, and big things start to grow.

A big thank you to MDARD and Director Boring for showing up, listening and engaging with open ears and open minds.

Madeleine Smeltzer chairs Wexford County Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer committee.