Meet our regional representatives, leaders within their regions, ready to assist you with resources specific to your area. Reach out to them for personalized guidance on finding resources available in your area!
Region 1 - TBD
This position begins in 2026. Applications are open for Regional Representative positions. Apply through the form linked here.
Contact:
Region 2 - James DeDecker
James' specific areas of interest include sustainable agriculture, soil health and fertility, integrated pest management and human dimensions of agricultural systems.
Contact James: James DeDecker (msu.edu)
Region 3 - Kate Bailey
Contact:
Region 4 - Susan Schwager
Susan Schwager
Contact:
Region 5 -TBD
This position begins in 2026. Applications are open for Regional Representative positions. Apply through the form linked here.
Contact:
Region 6 - Paul Gross
Paul recently retired after a 30-plus-year career as an Educator with Michigan State University Extension, where he specialized in Field Crops, Cover Crops, Water Quality, and Soil Health. His dedication to sustainable agriculture and improving farming practices made a significant impact on the communities he served. Following his retirement, Paul continues to share his expertise as an Adjunct Faculty member in Agriculture at Mid-Michigan College. He is passionate about supporting small and beginning farmers, focusing on their success in production, business development, and land access. He is staying busy serving on the Michigan Farmers Union board.
Contact Paul: grossp@msu.edu
Region 7 - Becky Huttenga
Becky Huttenga grew up as a 4‑H kid on a Spring Lake hobby farm, which explains a lot about why she now happily spends her days wrangling farmland protection, agriculture advocacy, and economic development for Ottawa County. A proud Spartan with a degree (and then some) in Animal Science, Becky has tried on more careers than most people try on shoes—from Purina nutrition sales to restaurant management to hosting not one but two radio shows. She’s the founder of Michigan’s first statewide land‑linking platform, MiFarmLink.org, and was named one of MLive’s Women Who Shape the State, which she swears she didn’t nominate herself for. When she’s off the clock, you’ll find her volunteering around Grand Haven, fostering rescue puppies, cheering loudly for MSU basketball, or buried in a book pretending she doesn’t hear her phone.
Contact Becky: Staff - Ottawa County, Michigan (miottawa.org)
Region 8 - Mark Trowbridge
Contact:
Region 9 - Terri Eden
Contact: terrilynneden@gmail.com
Region 10 - Allegra Baird
She is eager to assist new farmers in linking them to farmland, while preserving farms for legacy landowners.
Contact Allegra: allegra.baird@macd.org
Become a Regional Representative! MIFarmLink is looking for volunteer Regional Representatives to help share our mission and connect farmers and landowners across Michigan. Regional Reps represent MIFarmLink in their communities by distributing outreach materials, sharing resources, and engaging with farmers, landowners, and local partners. This volunteer role includes a virtual meeting once a month and offers a great way to support farmland preservation and land access in your region. Apply through the form linked here.
