Protect Our Produce

At the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo (glexpo.com), growers are making their voices heard to secure the future of Michigan’s fruit and vegetable sector. Federally mandated wage rates are pushing farmers to the brink, threatening our local food supply, and raising prices for everyone. In this 🎥, a grower signs the petition to President-Elect Trump, urging immediate action to: ✅ Adjust the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to reflect fair, sustainable wages. ✅ Protect U.S. farms from being replaced by imported produce. ✅ Modernize the H-2A guestworker program to support farmers while ensuring safe, affordable food for all Americans. 👉 Sign the petition today and share it with your friends: https://lnkd.in/eFQ5VrAg Together, we can make a difference. Don’t let America’s ability to feed itself slip away. #GLExpo #LaborPolicy #MichiganFarms #LocalProduce #HealthEating #FarmtoTable

🥦 A Voice from Schultz Fruitridge Farms in Mattawan, MI 🍎 Bill Schultz, a third-generation grower, highlights a critical issue in his letter to the Battle Creek Enquirer. Read it below. His farm, known for its fresh, local produce and u-pick experiences, is facing mounting pressure due to unsustainable wage hikes under the federal guestworker program. This program helps seasonal businesses like his secure the labor needed to harvest his fruit and vegetables. 📢 Bill’s Warning: Without action from Washington, rising labor costs—now over $18/hour in Michigan—threaten to put local farms like his out of business, forcing us to rely on imported fruits and vegetables to feed ourselves. Let’s stand with Bill and Michigan growers to protect the legacy of family farming and keep locally grown fruits and vegetables on our tables. Learn more at ProtectOurProduce.com. #LaborPolicy #LocalProduce #FarmtoTable #MichiganAgriculture #DomesticProduction

Our nation’s food security and farming heritage are at a critical crossroads. Farmers across America, including our neighbors in Michigan, are facing unsustainable labor costs due to federal government wage policies. This policy threatens not only the livelihoods of growers but also the affordability and safety of the fruits and vegetables we rely on every day. We’ve launched a petition to President-Elect Trump, urging immediate action to: 1️⃣Adjust the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to ensure fair, sustainable wages. 2️⃣Safeguard America’s food supply by keeping locally grown fruits and vegetables on U.S. soil. 3️⃣Strengthen domestic food security by supporting family farms. 4️⃣Modernize the H-2A guestworker program to reflect today’s agricultural realities. 👉 Sign the petition now and share to spread the word: https://lnkd.in/eFQ5VrAg #ProtectOurProduce #SupportFarmers #FoodSecurity #HealthyChoices #LocalProduce

🚨 Attention Michiganders and food lovers everywhere! 🚨 Join us and sign a petition to President-Elect Trump to support local growers, safeguard local food production, and protect America’s food supply. Here is an article from Michigan Farm News about the petition and how you can get involved. https://buff.ly/41kuJhG #ProtectOurProduce #localproduce #foodsecurity #farmtotable #youngfarmers

Michigan farmers are facing a crisis. For 56 years, Golden Stock Farms has provided safe, fresh, and local produce, but rising costs and outdated policies now threaten their future. Without immediate action, we risk losing the fruits and vegetables grown right here in Michigan. Read more about the challenges here. https://buff.ly/3CYFufn Learn more at protectourproduce.com #ProtectOurProduce #MichiganGrown #localproduce #foodsecurity #farmtotable

In a letter to the Detroit Free Press, third-generation Michigan sod farmer Diane Mischel highlights a critical issue: escalating labor costs under current federal policy that are putting local farms at risk. With mandated wages now over $18/hour—far above Michigan’s minimum wage—our farmers face unsustainable pressures. 📢 Diane’s question to us all: Are we willing to rely on overseas food because local farms can’t compete? Read Diane’s full letter. https://buff.ly/3ZBvKkc #ProtectOurProduce #MichiganFarms #MichiganEconomy #Agriculture #SupportLocalFarms

🎅✨ Happy Santa's List Day! ✨🎅 As Santa checks his list twice, are fruits and vegetables on yours for your Christmas feast? From fruit salad to potato or green bean casseroles, produce is the heart of holiday meals shared with loved ones. But this holiday season, Michigan fruit and vegetable growers are struggling due to uncompetitive labor costs driven by outdated federal wage policies. Rising labor costs are forcing growers to make tough decisions, threatening their ability to grow the fruits and veggies we count on for our favorite holiday dishes. Let’s keep the spirit of giving alive by supporting local growers who fill our tables with holiday cheer. 🍽️🎅 Learn more at: protectourproduce.com #SantasListDay #ProtectOurProduce #HolidayFeast #LocalProduce #FarmtoTable

🍎 Happy Eat A Red Apple Day! 🍎 Today, as you bite into a crisp, delicious red apple, take a moment to think about the hardworking Michigan apple growers who make it possible. These growers pour their heart and soul into every harvest, but escalating labor costs are making it harder than ever for them to stay in business. Rising labor costs will mean fewer apples grown locally. It will also mean communities across Michigan that depend on these farms will feel the squeeze. Let’s ensure that locally grown apples remain a staple on our tables. Learn more about why everyone’s access to fresh, local produce could be in jeopardy here: ProtectOurProduce.com #EastARedAppleDay #SupportAmericanFarmers #LocalProduce #FarmtoTable

Happy Small Business Saturday! After major shopping holidays like Black Friday, it’s important to reflect on the importance of small businesses to our local and national economy. Due to outdated labor policies in desperate need of reform by the federal government, America is in danger of squeezing out many local growers’ small businesses simply because they can’t afford the outrageously high price of labor imposed by the federal government. Support your local farmers today so they will be here tomorrow. Learn more about the rising cost of guest-worker labor in agriculture here: ProtectOurProduce.com #ProtectOurProduce #LaborPolicy #MichiganFarms #MichiganEconomy #Farming #Agriculture #USEconomy #USFarms

Happy Thanksgiving! Today, and every day, we thank our local growers who make sharing a meal with our loved ones possible. Unfortunately, we may soon face a reality where our favorite traditional Thanksgiving foods aren’t produced here in the U.S. Imagine your holiday feast without cranberry sauce, potatoes or green beans! Join us in giving thanks for the fruit and vegetable growers in Michigan and across the U.S., and visit our website to learn more about why local produce is in danger: ProtectOurProduce.com #ProtectOurProduce #LaborPolicy #MichiganFarms #MichiganEconomy #Farming #Agriculture #USEconomy #USFarms