Local farmers and lawmakers will have a chance to share breakfast, and good conversation, later this month.

The Cass County Farm Bureau will host its annual Legislative Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Monday, March 20, at the Cassopolis First Church of God, 21083 Spencer Road. Several local, state and federal lawmakers and lawmaker representatives will attend the gathering, including:

• Representatives with U.S. Rep. Fred Upton and Sen. Debbie Stabenow

• State Sen. John Proos

• State representatives Aaron Miller and Dave Pagel

• Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke and Undersheriff Clinton Roach

• Cass County Road Commission Director Steve Lucas

• Cass County Commissioner Roseann Marchetti

• Ontwa Township Supervisor Jerry Marchetti and Milton Township Supervisor Robert Benjamin

The breakfast is offered free of charge to all regular and associate Farm Bureau members.

Following some introductions and breakfast, the various legislators will be offered the opportunity to speak. Audience members will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions as well, similar to townhall style events, said Pauline Harris, administrative manager with the Cass County Farm Bureau.

“It is a pretty intimate setting, and
promotes some good conservations and debates,” Harris said.

The annual event serves as a way to connect local Farm Bureau members with their lawmakers, and to see what the upcoming legislative year looks like and how it could affect farmers, Harris said. In spite of the audience being predominately invested in agriculture, discussions during the breakfast often focus on a variety of different subjects. Last year, the topic of Flint’s water crisis was a major topic, Harris said.

Around 2,000 people are members of Farm Bureau in Cass County, 735 of which are eligible to vote for policy recommendations during county annual every fall. These recommendations, which can range from everything from energy to technology, are then taken to the state annual later in the year, and are eventually voted on and adopted by the state agency and compiled into a handbook.

“Almost anything you can think of, we have a policy on,” Harris said. “These policies are shared with legislators, so they can know our views. In some cases we can actually influence their views, and shape how they write their policies.”

With that in mind, connecting Farm Bureau members to their leaders is a big priority for the agency, something that the Legislative Breakfast can help accomplish, Harris said.

“A lot of people don’t feel a connection to the government or the decision making process until they actually meet the people who make decisions on their behalf,” Harris said. “It is one thing to vote for someone. It is another way to break bread with them and have a real, honest conversation.”

People interested in attending the breakfast are encouraged to make a reservation by calling (269) 445-3849.