In
the good ol’ days, after a long day’s work one would secure his or her horse to
a hitching post outside a local establishment or a neighbor’s house
before heading inside to catch up on the latest issues of the world.
We
may have traded in our original horsepower for one with four wheels — and we
can now communicate with one another without being in the same space — but one
thing never goes out of style: learning something new. And we’ve
got something new to share!
Over
the next six months, members will have the opportunity to listen in as a group
of Michigan Farm Bureau public policy specialists and industry professionals
discuss critical agricultural topics through a virtual, laid-back atmosphere.
They will look at current situations within the topic area, what related policy
or programs MFB provides, and what next steps may look like.
Encourage
someone you know to register if they’re interested in:
- Gaining more awareness of current
agriculture issues
- Better understanding grassroots
policy development
- Getting perspective straight from
the horse’s mouth!
To
watch the Hitching Post, register for each monthly event separately. Attendees
will have the opportunity to submit questions to the group. If you’re unable to
join, but still interested in the content, all events will be recorded and
posted to the MFB YouTube Channel.
Here’s
the schedule of Hitching Post conversations, who’s moderating each discussion,
and a link for participating:
- June 2 — Grassroots
Beginnings (series launch)
- June 9 — Economic
Stability, with Rebecca Park, legislative counsel
- July 14 — Climate
& Weather, with Laura Campbell, ag ecology manager
- Aug. 11 — Big Data
& Technology, with Theresa Sisung, field crops
specialist
- Sept. 15 — International
Trade, with John Kran, national legislative counsel
- Oct. 13 — Broadband
Access, with Matt Kapp, government relations specialist
I’m
helping coordinate these discussions alongside my awesome coworker, Emily
Reinart, the grassroots policy outreach specialist in MFB’s public policy
division.
“This
will be an opportunity for members to join a circle of peers for a short time
commitment and invest in learning about current topics in the industry, how
Michigan agriculture is impacted and how they can be involved in a solution,”
Emily said.
All
Hitching Post conversations will take place online via Cisco Webex, a
convenient and easy-to-use online meeting platform that works on almost any
desktop, laptop, tablet or smart phone with a decent internet connection. Farm
Bureau members can download
it by clicking here.
MFB staff contacts: Katie
Eisenberger (517-679-5444) and Emily Reinhart (517-679-5337