1. Healthcare

Shiawassee
county newsletter
County 78
A Publication of the Shiawassee County Farm Bureau
January 30, 2015
Representing Shiawassee County Farm Bureau at MFB’s 2014 Annual Meeting were (front row, from left) Cleo Williams, Glenn Williams, Carol Higgins, Gary Higgins, Rosemary Benjamin; (middle row)
Bill Spike, Karen Scovill, Tonia Ritter, Brenda Kiesling, Judy Kirkman, Linda Kiesling, Mark Zacharda; (back row) Charles Scovill, Matt Dutcher, Tim Kiesling, Kenneth Kirkman, Laurence Place and
Stanley Kiesling.
Shiawassee delegates help plot MFB’s 2015 policy
A 21-member team traveled to Grand Rapids
to represent Shiawassee County at Michigan
Farm Bureau’s 95th Annual Meeting, Dec. 2-4.
The group consisted of Rosemary Benjamin,
Ken and Michelle Deschepper, Matt Dutcher,
Gary and Carol Higgins, Dean and Linda
Kiesling, Tim and Brenda Kiesling, Ken and
Judy Kirkman, Larry Place, Charles and Karen
Scovill, Bill Spike, Glenn and Cleo Williams
and Mark and Stephanie Zacharda. Delegates
reviewed and voted on nearly 40 policy
recommendations submitted by county Farm
Bureaus statewide.
This was Young Farmer Mark Zacharda’s
first trip to the state annual meeting. “I was
pleasantly surprised with the delegate sessions,”
he said of the event. “I usually enjoy local
policy issues, but thought the state delegate
floor may simply be boring. I had no idea
what to expect. I found myself engrossed with
most of the topics discussed and was happy to
contribute to the issues that could impact the
future of both the Farm Bureau organization
and of agriculture in our state.”
Policy highlights at this year’s annual
included drone size and usage, the ongoing
right-to-farm discussion, and transportation.
“The new policy regarding transportation
is of particular importance here in Shiawassee
County,” said Tim Kiesling, county Farm
Bureau president. “It’s a matter of state
funding for counties -- the way the Michigan
Department of Transportation will work with
our road commission.”
In addition to policy-setting, delegates had
the opportunity to attend several educational
sessions and award presentations.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President Timothy Kiesling, Vice President Matt Dutcher, Third Member Donald Somers; BOARD
MEMBERS: Nathan Allen, Shelly Allen, Stacie Carmody, Ken Deschepper, Mark Zacharda; P&E CHAIR: Rosemary Benjamin; YOUNG
FARMER CHAIR: Shelly Allen; COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER: Brandi Harrison, 915 N. Shiawasee St. Corunna, MI 48817
(989) 725-5174; NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Jamie Zmitko-Somers, [email protected].
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January 30, 2015
Bednarski
named
MFB
president
Ridge Road CAG celebrating Halloween at their fall gathering. Members include the Millers, Maynards, Kettlers, Elsworths,
Maynards, Gaspers, and Williams.
CAG’s provide
Community Action Groups (CAG) provide
a great opportunity for Shiawasee County Farm
Bureau members. Historically CAGs provide
useful feedback and comments about issues
impacting agriculture. CAG’s also have fun at
their regular meetings!
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau has
established groups that members can join
or members could form their own. For more
information on CAG please contact the
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau office at 989725-5174.
Don’t miss Michigan Farm Bureau’s Farm
Succession and Estate Planning Seminars to be
held Feb. 4 in Saginaw.
“Transition planning is especially important
for intergenerational farms to prepare for a
change of hands,” said Andy Kok, General
Counsel for Michigan Farm Bureau. “It’s never
too soon to start planning, but it is especially
essential as kids and new families are brought
into the mix.”
The seminar will feature attorneys Douglas
Mielock and Todd Hoppe from Foster Swift
Collins and Smith Law Offices discussing
strategies for passing farm assets to the next
generation. Topics will include wills, trusts,
power of attorney, patient advocate designation
and deeds; limited liability corporations,
partnerships and corporation structures;
succession planning for the farm business; and
specific planning strategy illustrations.
“Our members continue to ask for
educational seminars on Estate Planning and
how best to structure their farm businesses.
These seminars are designed to give them high
quality information, so that they are fully
prepared to start their own planning process,”
said Kok.
Entry fees are $25 per person or $35 per family
and members must register in advance at http://
tinyurl.com/MFB-EstatePlanningSeminar.
Be sure to attend an estate planning
seminar!
Start planning for National Ag Week!
National Agriculture Week is coming
quick, March 15-21! Michigan Farm Bureau’s
Promotion and Education Department
reminds county Farm Bureaus to plan ahead
and order educational materials, plans and
resources in advance.
Visit the MFB website’s, www.michfb.
com, Ag Education and Leadership page
for educational resources, facts and other
inspirations for your community and
volunteers.
Contact Communication and Education
Specialist Amelia Miller, [email protected]
or 517-679-5688, with questions.
Tuscola County farmer Carl Bednarski
was elected Dec. 4 as the 16th president
of the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB).
Bednarski served as the District 6 Director
on the MFB Board since 2000.
Bednarski’s organizational involvement
includes six years as vice president of the
Tuscola County Farm Bureau and seven
years on its executive committee. He has
served in several leadership positions at the
county, state and national levels, including
the membership, national affairs, Promotion
and Education and policy development
programs, in addition to service on several
commodity advisory committees.
“This organization is ever-changing and
it ever will change, but we must remember
this process must stay as pure as we can
keep it,” Bednarski said, referring to Farm
Bureau’s member-driven, grass-roots policy
development procedure. “If we lose that
direction, we’ve lost our effectiveness.”
Bednarski and his wife Lisa live near
Caro and have three sons, Carl, Nathan and
Michael. Their family farm raises corn, dry
beans, sugar beets, soybeans and wheat.
January 30, 2015
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Shiawassee’s membership drive planning
under way
Farm Bureau – and what would make your
The Shiawassee County Farm Bureau membership more worthwhile?”
membership committee will launch this year’s
Old and new members alike may RSVP for
campaign with a barn dance on March 28 at the barn dance before March 23. Please call the
Cole Riverview Farm, 9908 Vernon Road county Farm Bureau office at 989-725-5174 or
in Bancroft. Barn doors open at 6 p.m. with email [email protected].
dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Membership committee members are
The family-friendly gathering will bring
responsible
for
together members to
organizing the drive,
learn more about what
Maintaining and increasing recruiting local captains,
the county Farm Bureau
providing
Farm
membership is vital to the
hopes to achieve this
Bureau information to
year and to hear more
survival of any grassroots
membership volunteers
about how members
and
following
up
organization, especially your
hope to benefit from
with new members.
their Farm Bureau county Farm Bureau. Be a part Committee members
membership.
this year include Shelly
“We want you to of our success—lend a hand and Allen,
Rosemary
feel welcome,” said Tim
get involved!
Benjamin,
Brenda
Kiesling, membership
Kiesling and Stephanie
chair.
“We
want
Zacharda. To participate
members to bring their families and enjoy the in the membership drive, contact Kiesling
meal by Gigi’s. We invite suggestions about at 989-413-7369 or County Administrative
how Farm Bureau membership can benefit its Manager Brandi Harrison at the county office,
members. We want to know: why did you join 989-725-5174.
“How did that get in my Lunchbox?”
Encourage your students to participate and
win a gift card!
Poster Contest
Shiawassee County Farm Bureau is inviting
students in Kindergarten and first grade to
draw a poster about farming. The winning
poster could be published countywide!
Students should draw a poster no larger than
9” x 12” on the theme “How did that get in my
Lunchbox?” Posters will be judged on content,
originality, humor and style.
Three winners will be selected and
receive a gift card: first place receives $25,
second place $15 and third place receiving a
$10 card. Winners will also have their poster
and photo printed in the county Farm Bureau
newsletter.
Essay Contest
The county Farm Bureau is also hosting an
essay contest for students in second through
eighth grades. Essays should be no more than
350 words asking “How did that get in my
Lunchbox?”
Three winners will be selected for the
essay contest as well. First place will receive
a $25 gift card, second place a $15 gift card
and third a $10 card. The winning essays
will also be published along with the author’s
photo in the county Farm Bureau newsletter.
Submissions & Deadlines
All entries for both contests are due Feb. 27
and will be judged on March 11. Entries can
be submitted to the Shiawassee County Farm
Bureau office, 915 N. Shiawassee St., Corunna,
MI 48817.
All entries must include the student’s name,
elementary school, teacher and grade level on
the back. Please also include a media release
from child’s parent or guardian.
Contact Administrative Manager Brandi
Harrison with questions, 989-725-5174 or
[email protected].
A Publication of the Shiawassee County Farm Bureau
Kiesling elected
Shiawassee FB
president
Timothy D. Kiesling was elected
president of the Shiawassee County
Farm Bureau at the October 2014
reorganizational meeting.
Kiesling is actively involved in the
agriculture industry in agronomy and
seed sales, along with teaching in the
agribusiness associates program at Baker
College in Owosso. He is a lifelong
resident of the county and leader of the
Busy Farmers 4-H swine club.
In his 22 years of Farm Bureau
membership, Kiesling has served as a
Young Farmer committee and board
member, the former committee for state
and national issues, the county AgriPAC
selection committee, the membership
committee, and is in his third and
final year as membership committee
chairman.
“It’s an honor to be president,” said
Kiesling about taking over as president.
“There is quite a legacy here. Shiawassee
County Farm Bureau has a long history
of being active in the ag community, and
I look forward to serving our members.”
As president, He hopes to focus
on involving FFA and 4-H members,
increasing and retaining members and
encouraging member involvement.
Kiesling lives in Shiawassee Twp. with
his wife Brenda.