July 25, 2013
LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced five appointments and one reappointment to the Michigan Farm Produce Insurance Committee.
Appointed are Steven Kluemper, of Williamston; Greg Ackerman, of Vassar; Benjamin Chaffin, of Ithaca; Matthew Frostic, of Applegate, and James Howe, of Frankenmuth. The governor reappointed Scott Miller, of Elsie.
Housed within the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the 10-member board establishes, administers and promotes the Farm Produce Insurance Fund.
“This is an experienced group of appointees and I am confident they will serve effectively on this important committee,” Snyder said.
Kluemper is the vice president of credit for GreenStone Farm Credit Services, where he leads a team of analysts to underwrite, structure, approve and service the commercial lending and capital markets portfolios of GreenStone’s agricultural loans. He has more than 20 years of experience working as a banker for grain elevators and crop farmers across the country. Kluemper holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and a master’s of business administration in food and agribusiness from Purdue University. He will represent the largest Michigan organization representing the interests of agricultural lenders and replaces Mark Stoeckle.
Ackerman is a partner of Ackerman & Son LLC. He farms more than 2,000 acres annually, including dry beans, corn, sugar beets and white wheat. Ackerman has also served in various leadership positions on the Tuscola County Farm Bureau Board. He will represent the largest Michigan organization exclusively representing dry-bean producers in the state and replaces Gene Van Driessche.
Chaffin is the owner of Chaffin Farms, where he is responsible for farming more than 2,000 acres. Together with his father and uncle, the family farms more than 8,000 acres. Chaffin is certified to produce organic crops, some of which supply Gerber Baby Food. Chaffin holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management and a master’s degree in agricultural economics, both from Michigan State University. He will represent the largest Michigan organization exclusively representing the interests of soybean producers in the state and replaces Lyle LeCronier.
Frostic is president of Frostic Farms Inc., where he farms corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar beets, hay and livestock. He is the previous chairperson of Farm Bureau’s feedgrains and oilseeds committee and former chairman of the government streamlining committee. Frostic holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Oakland University. He will represent producers from the largest Michigan organization representing general farm interests in the state and replaces Carmen Cousino.
Howe is the vice president of Star of the West Milling Co. He has more than 30 years of elevator and farm supply experience and also farms 40 acres of corn and soybeans. Howe is the immediate past chair of the Michigan Agri-Business Association and served on the board of governors for the Great Lakes Leadership Academy. Howe holds an associate degree in agricultural business from Michigan State University and was a participant in the MSU Great Lakes Leadership Academy. He will represent the largest Michigan organization representing the interests of licensees in the state as a nonvoting member and replaces Arthur Loeffler.
Miller is the owner/operator of Miller Family Farms, a fourth generation family farm. He farms 2,000 acres annually, including corn and soybeans. He is the vice chair of the Michigan Corn Marketing Program and past president of the Michigan Corn Growers. He also served as a high-school football coach for 20 years. He will represent the largest Michigan organization exclusively representing the interest of corn producers in the state.
Members serve three-year terms that expire June 20, 2016, and their appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the state Senate.
