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Volunteer of the Month
MFB's Volunteers of the Month are selected by a panel of discerning staff judges who work with Farm Bureau members statewide in a variety of program areas. Nomination forms are available at all county offices, or by contacting Lori Chamberlain at the MFB Young Farmer Department at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3234.
Ed Kretchman
May, 2008 Volunteer of the Month
Farm Bureau honors Berrien County member for service, dedication
In recognition of his work over recent months championing a progressive safety program for local farmers, Berrien County Farm Bureau President Ed Kretchman has been honored by the Michigan Farm Bureau as the state-level organization's Volunteer of the Month for May 2008.
With his sister and parents, Kretchman runs a fruit, vegetable and grain farm near St. Joseph, raising grapes, apples, cucumbers, corn and soybeans.
Kretchman has been the driving force behind an ongoing campaign to help Berrien County farmers purchase and install safety equipment on older tractors. Beginning with the formation of a committee hand-picked to address the issue, Kretchman guided the development of a county-level policy - later adopted by the membership - to fund and execute the project. Already a successful endeavor, the cost-share program reimburses Berrien County Farm Bureau members up to $300 toward the purchase and installation of a rollover-protection structure (ROPS) on older tractors lacking the now standard equipment. Several local farmers have already expressed interest and plan to take advantage of the offer to make potentially life-saving improvements to almost a dozen older tractors.
"Ed has really given a tremendous amount of his time to the ROPS cost-share program," wrote his nominator for Volunteer of the Month honors. "Besides researching ROPS suppliers and looking at similar programs in other states, he's applied for grants to secure additional funding.
"Ed truly believes the Farm Bureau should play a role in promoting farm safety practices. He's passionate about providing this service to members in Berrien County. He's a great volunteer for the organization and is always looking for ways to provide services to members in Berrien County."
Kretchman is a model of Farm Bureau involvement, having served as county president for many years and playing an active role in several committees and programs, including land use, local and national affairs, candidate evaluation, policy development, water use, farm labor, membership and communications.
