AgriPac - Michigan Farm Bureau

AgriPac Influence
Historical Accomplishments
“The AgriPac endorsement
made a tremendous
difference in my 2002
primary race for the Senate.
AgriPac is widely respected
and its influence extends far
beyond those involved in
farming.”
Gasoline Tax
• Shifted the burden of funding our road system from
farmers and property owner to users
Commodities Marketing Act
• Helping farmers to better market and promote their commodities
The Michigan Right to Farm Act
• Protecting farmers from nuisance lawsuits
-State Senator Alan Cropsey
Proposal A
• A shift in school funding that reduced property taxes
for farmers
Water Rights, Usage and Availability
• Various laws sustaining agricultural water use for generations to come
“It’s essential that candidates
for public office hold
agriculture as one of their
highest priorities. Thankfully,
Michigan AgriPac endorses
candidates who will best
support the agricultural
sector and provides them
with important resources
to share their message with
voters.”
Sales Tax Exemption on Farm Inputs
PA 116 and Farmland Preservation
Payment protection for farmers through the new Farm
Produce Insurance Fund
-State Senator and former Congressman Jim Barcia
“We definitely need to find
the friends of Agriculture
out there. AgriPac helps to
do that at the Candidate
Evaluation level and at the
state level. With term limits,
AgriPac is more important
now than it ever has been.”
“Agripac is a very important component within
Michigan Farm Bureau. It is obviously beneficial
for the ag friendly candidates we support and I
am very grateful for the Agripac endorsement
I received as a candidate. But even more than
assisting the candidates, it benefits MFB by helping
candidates understand the issues of production
agriculture and brings them face to face with
producers. It is another means with which to tell
the story of agriculture.”
- Farmer and former Representative
Judy Emmons
-Rob Richardson with wife,
Regina, Farm Bureau Member
AgriPac
AgriPac History
Farmers recognized both a need and opportunity to
engage in the political and legislative arenas to enhance agriculture’s voice. In 1977, farmer delegates
to the 58th Michigan Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
adopted policy to create a Political Action Committee
(PAC) to be known as AgriPac. This was after two years
of studying the feasibility of establishing a PAC by a
MFB Board appointed study committee.
In today’s era of term limits, the need and value of
involvement in the political process has never been
more important.
AgriPac Mission
The AgriPac mission is to evaluate and endorse candidates seeking federal or state office whose positions
are compatible with MFB policies, without regard to
party affiliation; to allocate PAC funds to endorsed
candidates; to promote the personal and financial involvement of Farm Bureau members in the election of
Friends of Agriculture; and to encourage county Farm
Bureaus to further engage
in the electoral process.
Our Process
Our success over the years is rooted in our grassroots
endorsement process. Each county Farm Bureau
meets to review candidates locally, and then makes a
recommendation to AgriPac for endorsement. It follows the basic philosophy that politics are local, and no
one knows that local candidate better than the local
people.
AgriPac
Friends of Agriculture
Endorsement
• Highly sought after by local, state & national
candidates for public office.
• A rich tradition, grounded in local grassroots
involvement and recommendations.
• An excellent success rate. On average, 90% of
Friends of Agriculture are elected.
• Well respected, because of the grassroots
endorsement process.
• The only statewide agricultural Political Action
Committee, representing all sectors of agriculture.
Our Principles
Several basic principles AgriPac has followed over the
years have garnered a tremendous amount of respect
from within and outside our organization, and have
attracted
candidates to seek out our endorsement.
Those principles are:
• Grassroots involvement in endorsement decisions.
• AgriPac does not play games with its endorsement
decisions. The AgriPac philosophy? Be decisive -just as voters must be when they can vote for only
one candidate in the voting booth.
• Effective and responsible use of contributions to
help get Friends of Agriculture elected.
• Getting Friends of Agriculture elected goes beyond
an endorsement and contribution; we strive to
assist with election efforts.
YES! I/we will invest in AgriPac to protect
businesses and ensure the future viability
of our farms and businesses.
Michigan and federal campaign finance law require us
to collect and report the name, address, occupation
and employer of individuals who contribute. AgriPac
cannot accept corporate checks. Please make personal
checks out to Michigan Farm Bureau Political Action
Committee. You must be a Farm Bureau member to
contribute.
Full Name_ __________________________________
Mailing Address_ _____________________________
City, State, Zip________________________________
Phone:______________________________________
Email:______________________________________
(Contact information to be used in communications with your Farm
Bureau and AgriPac. It will never be given to others without your
permission.)
Contribution Enclosed:
_____$50
_____$100
_____$500
_____$250
_____$ Other amount
Want To Know More?
Visit our website for:
• A more in-depth view of these issues;
• To learn how Farm Bureau members are making a
difference; and
• To obain more information about AgriPac.
www.michfb.com/mfb
Please make check payable to Michigan Farm Bureau
Political Action Committee and mail to:
Michigan Farm Bureau
Attn: AgriPac
Box 30960
Lansing MI 48909