"We are disappointed in the use of the Michigan Constitution in this manner; however, we respect the decision of voters," said Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) President Wayne H. Wood. "Our efforts now will be redirected to minimizing the negative impacts of this proposal."

"Preservation of Michigan's equine racing industry and accompanying agricultural industries was our drive behind supporting the Agricultural Enhancement legislation, which ultimately triggered the tribal and Detroit casinos to initiate Proposal 1 to restrict competition," Wood said. "The challenge to revitalize Michigan's equine racing industry hasn't disappeared. We intend to work with the Agricultural Enhancement supporters to review what options we have legislatively and whether there are other alternatives that we should consider."

Ron Nelson, manager of the MFB State Governmental Affairs Department, is hopeful that the Legislature will take up the Agricultural Enhancement legislation before the session ends in December and incorporate Proposal 1's statewide and local vote requirements so that the legislation can move. "The people have spoken, so let's start votin'" said Nelson.

House Bill 4610 - part of the four-bill package - would allow horse racetracks to add video lottery terminals in an attempt to boost attendance at the tracks and compete fairly with tribal and Detroit casinos. The bill remains in a conference committee where legislators must decide on the differences between the House and Senate's approved versions.

"There are still legitimate concerns regarding Proposal 1's ability to hurt the horse racing industry by preventing the racetracks from being able to quickly respond to immediate business opportunities and threats. Essentially, the racetracks would be forced to wait as long as two to four years for the statewide and local elections that Proposal 1 requires. That's a long stretch when you're a business trying to remain viable and competitive," said Nelson. "But the voters have spoken, so the Agricultural Enhancement package deserves its day before voters."

After carefully reviewing Proposal 1's consequences not only for the equine racing and agriculture industries but also the Michigan Lottery and the state's School Aid Fund, the MFB Board of Directors voted to formally oppose the proposal and join the No CasiNO MoNOpolies-Vote No on Proposal 1 coalition.

"We're disappointed by the outcome, but not surprised given that we were outspent nearly 3-to-1 by Detroit and Indian casinos," said coalition spokesperson Kelly Rossman-McKinney. "The Indian and Detroit casinos spent as much in these last 10 days as we spent for our entire campaign. In fact, proponents of Proposal 1 spent more on this election than all of the statewide candidates, Democrat or Republican, spent in 2002.

"We did a good job in the campaign of focusing the debate on who would be most affected by the proposal - Michigan's school children. In the end, however, it was not enough to counter the $20 million campaign blitz by the casino interests," Rossman-McKinney said.

That's the consensus of many individuals who are involved in farmland preservation upon their reflection of Tuesday's results from ballot proposals conducted around the state to finance local purchase of development rights (PDR) programs.

Election data gathered by the Michigan Farmland and Community Alliance (MFCA) indicates that the state saw an unprecedented number of PDR initiatives on local ballots, including eight millage proposals spanning across regions proactive in farmland preservation to curb development pressure - Northwest Michigan, the greater Fruit Belt area in West Michigan and Washtenaw County.

In Northwest Michigan, five adjacent townships located within Grand Traverse and Antrim counties each approached voters with a proposal asking for a 1 mill tax over 10 years. Residents of Acme Township approved the measure by nearly 56 percent, paving the way for the township to raise an estimated $255,432 in the first year. The proposal narrowly failed in Whitewater and Elk Rapids townships and was defeated in Milton and Torch Lake townships.

Newly elected Acme Township Supervisor Bill Kurtz credits the proposal's success in Acme Township to a strong citizen effort.

"Through this process, I think the voters reaffirmed their commitment to the township's master plan," said Kurtz. "They realize that Acme Township is the gateway to Traverse City from the east, making it a target for 'big box' development, and they've said we don't want that kind of development."

Despite only one of the five northwest townships approving the proposal, Antrim County resident Pat McGuire isn't disheartened and considers the entire effort a success.

"It's a great example of what residents can do when they take charge of an issue," said the Atwood farmer and MFCA board member. "I'm excited it passed in Acme Township, and I believe it will pass in the other townships in the next four to five years. After all, liking what you see when you drive home sometimes means having to pay for it."

When it comes to future ballot proposals, the lesson to be learned from Acme Township is to have an "on-the-ground, grassroots, door-to-door campaign," observed Glenn Chown, an MFCA board member and executive director of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.

In Washtenaw County, Scio Township voters overwhelmingly approved a proposal seeking a half-mill tax over 10 years. With support from 75 percent of the voters, the Scio Township millage is expected to raise $575,000 in its first year. Meanwhile, voters in Bridgewater Township rejected a proposal that asked for a quarter-mill tax over five years.

"The success of the Scio Township farmland preservation millage didn't happen overnight," said Jenni Breuninger, co-chair of the Washtenaw County Farm Bureau Land Use Committee. "We owe the success to the involvement of local organizations like the Washtenaw County Farm Bureau and organized educational efforts."

In West Michigan's Barry County, voters defeated a proposed half-mill tax over 10 years. However, considering that most voters were concentrating on the presidential election, Barry County Commissioner Tom Wing is optimistic about the future.

"With a 78 percent turnout of local voters, capturing 44 percent of the vote for the farmland preservation proposal was fairly impressive," said Wing, who also is a member of the Barry County Farm Bureau Land Use Committee.

"This was a big learning process not only for the voters but for those involved in moving the issue of farmland preservation forward," said Wing. What lesson did Wing take away? "One-on-one voter contact is essential," he said. "You can't simply rely on mass education methods."

MFCA Executive Director Jim Furestenau echoed similar sentiments. "The results show that an organized, grassroots-driven approach is the best approach to gaining voter support," he said. Still, he applauded all of the local efforts.

"Any growth in funding PDR programs is positive, and the Michigan Farmland and Community Alliance is encouraged by the successes realized in Acme and Scio townships, as they represent advancements for farmland preservation that other communities can learn from," said Fuerstenau, adding that getting PDR initiatives on local ballots is a success in its own right.

"The record number of local PDR ballot proposals sends a message to the Michigan Legislature that it's time to fund the Michigan Agricultural Preservation Fund," he said. "Local communities are doing their part to provide matching funds for farmland preservation. Now we need the state to do the same."

MFCA is a nonprofit affiliate of the Michigan Farm Bureau dedicated exclusively to farmland preservation and supporting the local efforts of county Farm Bureau Land Use Committees.

The workshops will outline how to take proactive steps to counter negative public perceptions about farming and utilize farmland preservation options to help solve family and financial challenges.

The workshops take place Dec. 2 at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme and run concurrently from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The public perception workshop will be held in Governors' Hall A, and the farmland preservation workshop in Governors' Hall B.

Negative Public Perception: Building Your Farm's Proactive Defense
The first workshop centers on the theme, "Negative Public Perception: Building Your Farm's Proactive Defense," and is organized by the MFB Promotion and Education Department.

Ken Vermeulen, an attorney form the Grand Rapids-based Warner Norcross and Judd law firm, will outline the Michigan Right to Farm Act, the state's Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs), and how utilizing the GAAMPs can assist in protecting farmers from nuisance lawsuits.

Shelly Mayer, executive director of Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, will lead the second half of the session, offering advice on how farmers can build positive relationships with their neighbors and community and positively respond to consumer complaints against agriculture.

"The intent of this workshop is to advise farmers on their rights and the process should a complaint be made against their farm, but more importantly, what they can be doing proactively to avoid complaints," said Deb Schmucker, MFB Promotion and Education Department manager.

Schmucker said the workshop was requested by MFB members in response to urban-rural conflicts over matters such as noise, odor and livestock expansions and the growing divide between people with and without farm backgrounds.

"In general, agriculture tends to be a private industry, but that becomes a problem when you have more and more people further removed from the farm who don't understand how or why farm practices are carried out in certain manners," said Schmucker. "We've reached a point now where producers agree that it's to their benefit to prove that they are meeting the highest standards and to do a better job of teaching the public about their businesses."

Vermeulen brings to the table expertise in environmental and real estate law, including agricultural permitting and compliance issues as well as environmental cleanup and enforcement actions. Mayer has an agricultural journalism background and attributes her organization's membership growth in recent years to the addition of dairies seeking professional assistance in handling public relations matters.

Solving Family and Financial Challenges Using Farmland Preservation
The Michigan Farmland and Community Alliance (MFCA), an MFB affiliate dedicated exclusively to farmland preservation, will host the second workshop, "Solving Family and Financial Challenges Using Farmland Preservation." This workshop will present four possible scenarios that a farm family might encounter based on geographical, life cycle and financial circumstances.

One scenario, for example, might profile a farmer who is close to retirement and concerned about how to pass his land assets to his children when not all of them are involved in farming. Another scenario may focus on a farm that is in the path of development, while another could address an operation struggling with financial debt.

Workshop participants will then identify which scenario most closely resembles their real-life situation or interest and break into one of four small work groups devoted to that scenario. In the small groups, participants will examine the different farmland preservation options available for that particular scenario and the potential outcomes of each farmland preservation option - for instance, the difference between net proceeds earned and total taxes paid from selling the farm outright versus selling only the development rights to the farmland.

"The scenarios that will actually be presented at the workshop are being fine-tuned, but the examples outlined here are a good representation of the types of circumstances that this workshop will examine," said MFCA Executive Director Jim Fuerstenau. "The objective is to engage farmland owners in the issue of farmland preservation, so our approach is real-life oriented and very hands-on and interactive. We want attendees to ask and learn, 'What's in it for me?'"

"The individual work groups will be a place where participants can engage in discussion and get a glimpse of the types of opportunities that are out there to deal with the issues they're facing," Fuerstenau added.

Andrew Richards, a partner with the Smith Bovill law firm, will be the workshop's guest presenter. Richards manages the firm's Frankenmuth office and specializes in estate planning, taxation and business law, including nonprofit, tax-exempt and charitable organizations.

"We're really excited about what happened at convention this year," said Jeff Hawes, Michigan FFA Association state projects consultant. "We've always had success at national convention, but this year it came in multiples."

Byron FFA
The Byron FFA Chapter earned the 2004 National Chapter Model of Innovation - a first-time honor for Michigan. As part of the National Chapter Award program, the award recognizes chapters that pursue the mission and strategies of the FFA organization.

Tate Forbush and Emily Opper, the Byron FFA advisers, worked with the chapter's 127 members on projects such as a fruit and nut sale that raised more than $6,500, an officer retreat, a recruitment plan that increased the chapter's membership by 6 percent and a chapter exchange program with the Roosevelt FFA in Wyandotte. The chapter also partnered with the Flint Urban Garden Corporation to plant fruit and vegetables and distribute the harvested produce to about 75 urban families.

The chapter's application outlined its activities and commitment to student, chapter and community development, earning it the prestigious award.

Quincy winner
Aaron Preston, of Quincy, won the National FFA Prepared Public Speaking Evaluation Career Development Event. Preston, the state FFA treasurer, is the first Michigan FFA member to win the competition since the organization's inception in 1928.

Preston's eight-minute, memorized speech, "Is COOL really that cool?," focused on country-of-origin labeling, better known as COOL, and a national animal identification program. He received a scholarship to help further his education at Michigan State University, where he is a freshman majoring in environmental economics and policy.

"I was excited to be at the national competition, let alone do so well when no one from the state has ever done that well," said Preston, a past member of the Branch Area Career Center FFA chapter in Coldwater. "It was a thrilling experience, and I have a lot of people to thank for helping me along the way."

Springport winner
The Star in Agriscience title went to Jeremy Glaspie, of Springport, for his outstanding agricultural skill and competency, demonstrated management practices and proven achievement in agricultural education, scholarship and leadership. Glaspie is the fourth Michigan FFA member to earn a national star award, the highest honor bestowed on FFA members. Along with the honor, Glaspie received $2,000.

Glaspie, a junior at the University of Arizona majoring in agricultural education, was a member of the Springport FFA chapter, where he managed the chapter's greenhouse. Glaspie worked with other members to produce hydroponic tomatoes. Producing a crop without using soil sparked Glaspie's interest in agricultural science and research.

Upon graduation, Glaspie plans to work as an agriscience educator and FFA adviser in Michigan. He also plans to obtain his master's degree in agricultural education.

More than 380 county Farm Bureau members served on 59 county Farm Bureau Candidate Evaluation Committees to evaluate and recommend to AgriPac candidates believed to best represent agriculture. Thousands of volunteer hours were committed to this grassroots process, and the results of these efforts will help serve agriculture for the next two years and beyond.

The re-election of President Bush will help farmers in Michigan and throughout the United States, as the President is committed to maintaining a healthy and vibrant rural America. President Bush also understands that the agriculture industry needs to be strong in order to have a safe and healthy United States.

With the elections behind us, MFB looks forward to the challenges that face agriculture in coming years, and feels confident that our newly elected representatives will work together to develop policies that will help address these concerns.

Contact: Doug Ewald, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2042

Combined, the four Michigan watersheds encompass an estimated 918,952 acres and 4,865 farms. Located in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, the eligible Michigan watersheds are the Pere Marquette-White, Raisin, Kawkawlin-Pine and Carp-Pine.

"This voluntary program supports ongoing stewardship of working agricultural lands by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources," said U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Ann Veneman.

Authorized by the 2002 farm bill, the 2005 CSP will include a renewable energy component. Eligible farmers will receive compensation for converting to renewable energy fuels such as soy biodiesel and ethanol, for recycling 100 percent of on-farm lubricants, and for implementing energy production, including wind, solar, geothermal and methane production.

USDA will publish a sign-up announcement, along with the final rule that will detail specific program requirements in the watersheds. The program will be offered each year on a rotational basis in as many watersheds as funding allows.

Additional information on CSP, including a map of the fiscal year 2005 watersheds and eligibility requirements, is on the Web at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp.

Contact: Scott Piggott, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2021

"This is a voluntary program that provides matching funds to state and local governments and nongovernmental organizations to protect productive agricultural land," said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman. "These funds are allocated to 16 states that requested additional funding to protect more than 5,000 acres of farm and ranch land."

This enhances the $84.8 million in FRPP funds allocated for fiscal year 2004. The additional dollars were the result of savings in administrative costs garnered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service through fiscal year 2004.

Contact: Sarah Black, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2025

Crop progress reports were mixed across the state, as shown in Table 2. Some farmers were able to make decent harvest progress, while inclement weather put a damper on harvesting and fieldwork for other growers. Many areas faced high moisture levels in late planted corn. Farmers were delaying harvest in hope that the crop would continue to dry down. Scattered rainfall across the state made soybean harvest difficult. Like the corn crop, farmers had made good progress on early plantings, but were now waiting on later planted fields. Winter wheat continued to make good progress. Planting was near completion, and the rain over the week helped the crop emerge.

This information is available from the Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service. A free subscription can be established at http://www.nass.usda.gov/sub-form.htm.

Table 1: Soil moisture for week ending 10/31/04
Stratum	Very Short	Short	Adequate	Surplus
Topsoil	1%	10%	77%	12%
Subsoil	6%	37%	54%	3%

Table 2: Crop Progress for week ending 10/31/04
Apples, harvested	97%	88%	N/A	N/A
Corn, harvested	51%	34%	39%	53%
Potatoes, harvested	98%	95%	N/A	N/A
Soybeans, harvested	70%	65%	92%	83%
Sugar beets, harvested	68%	36%	89%	78%
Winter wheat, planted	98%	93%	96%	96%
Winter wheat, emerged	76%	56%	74%	75%

America's farmers prove themselves to be true professionals by bringing a variety of educational experience to their agricultural businesses. For example, most farmers are trained and certified in the use of agriculture chemicals.

Ethanol and biodiesel fuels made from corn, soybeans and other crops are beneficial to the environment and promote energy security.

Thanks to modern farming techniques, such as biotechnology, global positioning satellites and conservation tillage, America's farmers are producing more food on fewer acres with fewer inputs.

In 2003, $56 billion worth of American agricultural products were exported around the world. The United States sells more food and fiber to world markets than we import, creating a positive agricultural trade balance. Source: American Farm Bureau Federation Farm Facts