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Come to the MIFFS Annual Meeting on March 9, 2010 at the Kellogg Center at MSU

February 15, 2010 - Get connected with MIFFS staff, council and members at the MIFFS Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Come to meet and greet others who share your passion for local food systems, learn what MIFFS has been up to this past year, see what plans are for 2010, exercise your membership voting privileges, elect council members and more!

We’ll begin the evening at 6:30 p.m. with coffee, tea and goodies while everyone has a chance to visit with old friends and colleagues and meet and share with new members and acquaintances. The official business begins at 7 p.m. and will include a revisit of last year’s meeting and of MIFFS activities in 2009, financial review and budget updates, and electing our 2010 Council members.

Dave Kleweno from the Michigan office of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be joining us, too, to share some of the results from the 2007 Ag Census and how they reflected our state’s small, sustainable and limited resource farmers. Dave has partnered with MIFFS on many occasions to get the word out about the census and make sure that these farmers are counted.

We are actively seeking new nominations for the MIFFS Council, the governing body of MIFFS.  The role of the Council is to guide the organization and make important decisions regarding its future programs, budget and sustainability. It includes representatives from all realms of food systems, including growers, environmental and conservation interests and consumers, so anyone invested in local food, agriculture or the environment can serve, assuming that they are a MIFFS member in good standing. Each Council member will be elected for a two-year term.

If you or someone you know may be interested in serving, or you’d like more information on the Council and its responsibilities, please contact the MIFFS office at (517) 432-0712 or e-mail miffs@msu.edu. Please note “Council Nominations” in the subject line if you e-mail. All nominations should be submitted by Wednesday, February 17.

MIFFS also has several committees that are always looking for new energy and ideas. Being involved in these committees is a great way to get more connected and engaged with the organization and help MIFFS move forward and grow through the coming year. Committees include: Agricultural Stewardship, Membership, Fundraising, Nominations, and Strategic Planning. If you’re interested and want to know more about getting involved, please contact the MIFFS office. 

If you or someone you know isn’t a member but is a family farmer or is passionate about local food and sustainable agriculture, please feel free to invite them along – this gathering is a great opportunity to learn about MIFFS programs, meet council, staff, partners and members and connect with others. Plus, we hold it during ANR Week at MSU because there’s a pretty good chance that there are other educational programs or meetings that you’d benefit from attending. With more than 80 to choose from, including the Michigan Farmers Market Association’s 3rd Annual “Boot Camp” for market managers, make sure you stop in to Room 103AB of the Kellogg Center Tuesday night to see us.

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Founded in 1998, MIFFS is a statewide membership organization (501c3) whose purpose is to promote diverse efforts that foster and sustain food and farming systems that improve economic, ecological and social well-being.  MIFFS has been effective at establishing successful partnerships among producers, markets and institutions that have created more profitable, environmentally friendly food systems in Michigan.    

The organization’s vision is based on the premise that agricultural productivity, environmental stewardship and profitability reinforce each other for the benefit of Michigan’s rural and urban communities.  To learn more, please visit www.miffs.org or call (517) 432-0712.