The limited legislative session schedule in the summer affords me a great opportunity to spend more time in the district to visit with the wonderful people who call Southwest Michigan their home.

As I have been crisscrossing Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph counties, I have taken particular interest in visiting with our farmers and agricultural workers, including stopping by the numerous roadside farm stands, meeting with local family-owned farms, and attending farm bureau meetings.

Many take for granted the hard work and dedication of our farming families, but they are an economic force.

Our state is second only to California in terms of crop diversity, and it leads the nation in the production of several crops, including asparagus; black and small red dried beans; cucumbers; tart cherries; Niagara grapes; and squash.

Locally, Berrien County ranks in the top 10 of all Michigan counties when it comes to producing several crops, including melons, potatoes, tree nuts, berries, short rotation woody crops and several others. Cass County produces the third-most hogs and pigs in the state, while St. Joseph County ranks fourth in the state for poultry and egg production.

This top-class production could not happen without the talented people who drive Michigan’s food and agriculture industry. The industry is responsible for more than one-fifth of Michigan’s entire workforce and contributes more than $101 billion to the state economy each year. Together, these hardworking men and women work more than 10 million acres of land on over 52,000 farms.

In southwest Michigan, the industry continues to grow — since 2012, the average farm size has risen by 13 percent in Berrien County, 5 percent in Cass County, and 10 percent in St. Joseph County. And it employs more than 4,200 people throughout the three counties.

I am honored to serve those who serve us in the food and agriculture industry and will continue to support legislation and initiatives that strengthen farming communities and help make them more competitive.

For more information on Michigan agriculture, check out Michigan.gov/MDARD.