2023 MAAB Meeting Dates
March 7, 2023
August 2, 2023
December 4, 2023
Board Members
At Large
Kevin Burmeister
Oceana County
Dwight Fuehring
Oceana County
Bill Schwass
Mason County
Kyle Weber
Berrien County
John R. Williams
Oceana County
Northern-Central Michigan Area
Sarah Greiner
Chairman
Oceana County
Nick Oomen
Secretary/Treasurer
Oceana County
Jordon Walsworth
Vice Chairman
Oceana County
Southwest Michigan Area
Scott Hassle
Van Buren County
Executive Director
Jamie Clover Adams
Ex-Officio Members
Tim Boring
MDARD Director
Heather Throne
MDARD Representative
PO Box 30017
Ottawa Building Lansing,
Michigan 48909
December 5, 2022
The Board elected Sarah Greiner as Board Chair, Jordon Walsworth as Vice Chair and Nick Oomen as Secretary/Treasurer. Maner Costerian presented a clean, unmodified MAAB audit opinion and opined that the fund balance shows organizational viability. The Executive Director reported she is working with other commodity groups – cherry, apple, onion, as well as the Michigan Vegetable Council and Michigan Farm Bureau to submit a letter to the President on the new AEWR rate along with a grower call with the Office of Management and Budget. The 2022 Cost of Production Study is underway and will be completed by Oceana Asparagus Day.
August 17, 2022
The Board approved three promotion events for FY23 – (1) participation in 2023 International Fresh Product Association trade show; (2) hosting a domestic buyers’ mission in May 2023 and (3) implementing a processed product social media campaign in late winter 2023. The approved FY23 budget also included a cost of production study which has been done by MAAB every 7 years since 2002. MSU Extension reported on the 15th International Asparagus Symposium held in June and the Board discussed the additional USDA processed product purchase during the 2022 season. FullTilt reported on the outcomes of year 2 of the fresh asparagus promotion campaign funded with Specialty Crop Block Grant dollars.
March 8, 2022
The Board set the 2022 assessment rate at $0.015 per pound and retained existing officers for 2022. The Board authorized the Executive Director to work with MDARD to collect unpaid 2021 assessments. MACMA reported on cooperative efforts with MAAB to increase retail purchases of processed product and a request for a USDA purchase. MAAB will conduct a domestic fresh retail buyer’s mission in Hart in late May.
December 6, 2021
The Board postponed election of officers pending new board appointments. Maner Costerian presented a clean, unmodified MAAB audit opinion and opined that the fund balance shows organizational viability. MACMA reported USDA has agreed to grading standard adjustments and MAAB voted to support a request for a USDA asparagus processed product purchase. The Executive Director reported on grower response to the MAAB grower survey and efforts to increase communication through the Farmer Resource Hub on michiganasparagus.org. The FY22 budget was amended and 2022 tentative meeting dates were established.
July 27, 2021
The Board approved three new promotion events – (1) Early 2022 season buyer tasting event; (2) PMA Fresh Summit participation; and (3) Small processed product promotion in winter of 2022 — as well as the FY22 budget that will dip into MAAB reserves. MSU Extension reported they are moving forward to fill the southwest vegetable position and that research is underway on pigweed control, asparagus beetle overwintering and low-cost, real-time sensor monitoring to assist producers with production decisions. Full Tilt reported on the outcomes of the fresh asparagus promotion campaign funded with Specialty Crop Block Grant dollars.
April 21, 2021
This meeting was devoted to MAAB Executive Director interviews and selection.
March 9, 2021
The Board elected officers – Dwight Fuehring, chairman, Jordan Walsworth, vice chair and Sarah Greiner, Secretary/Treasurer. The Board set the 2021 assessment rate at $0.015 per pound, ¼ cent less than the previous year. The Board discussed two asparagus focused Specialty Crop Block Grants that were submitted for funding, the 2021 USDA asparagus buy and the disappointing outcome of the Blueberry trade investigation. MSU Extension reported on ongoing research including (1) a long-term nitrogen study that’s wrapping up; (2) continuation of asparagus beetle research; (3) seed bed fumigation; and (4) work on predicting emergency and tying it to degree day.