[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 147 (Thursday, December 4, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING WAYNE H. WOOD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CANDICE S. MILLER

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 4, 2014

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
career of Wayne H. Wood, a longtime constituent and friend of mine, and 
a lifelong friend to the farmers of Michigan. Mr. Wood is retiring 
after fourteen years as president of the Michigan Farm Bureau.
  For most of his adult life, Mr. Wood has been dedicated to the well-
being and advancement of the farmers that help put food on the tables 
of all Americans. Having served as president of the Michigan Farm 
Bureau since 2000, he also represented that same organization as its 
vice president the twelve years before that. He was first elected to 
the board of directors in 1984 as a Director-at-Large. But his roots 
run even deeper than that, as he was the president of the Sanilac 
County Farm Bureau for five years before he moved up to the state 
organization.
  As a director representing the Midwest Region on the American Farm 
Bureau Federation board of directors, he has extended his influence 
beyond the borders of Michigan. His region includes a dozen states: 
Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North 
Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
  Mr. Wood has held a number of important positions of leadership 
related to the farming industry. He serves on and formerly chaired the 
Michigan Agriculture Preservation Fund Board, a nine-member board, 
appointed by the governor, which oversees the state Purchase of 
Development Rights program and grant funding. He also spent four years 
presiding over the Michigan Farmland and Community Alliance, an MFB 
affiliate organization dedicated to farmland preservation.
  In 2003, Mr. Wood became the sole agricultural representative on two 
high-profile councils. First, Gov. Jennifer Granholm appointed Mr. Wood 
to her Michigan Land Use Leadership Council, which was charged with 
studying urban sprawl and making recommendations to the governor on how 
to minimize the impact of current land use trends on the state's 
environment and economy. Second, the director of the Michigan 
Department of Environmental Quality appointed him to a newly formed 
Environmental Advisory Council. The Council is responsible for advising 
the department on major issues that may affect DEQ programs, policies 
and operations.
  In 2004, the general manager of the Michigan State Fair appointed Mr. 
Wood to co-chair a commission charged with studying and making 
recommendations regarding changes and improvements to the annual state 
fair. In 2005, Governor Granholm appointed him to a newly formed 
Michigan Food Policy Council, which is charged with making 
recommendations on ways to increase economic development opportunities 
in Michigan's food sector while improving agricultural production, 
community well-being and public health across the state.
  Nationally, Mr. Wood was appointed by former Agriculture Secretary 
Earl Butz to the Rural Environmental Conservation Program Advisory 
Board.
  I know that Wayne Wood's heart will never be far from dairy farming, 
as he will continue to run his own family farm with his wife, Diane, 
his son, Mark, his brother Randy, and his nephew, Greg.
  On behalf of the people of Michigan's 10th District, and the farmers 
of Michigan and the Midwest, I congratulate Mr. Wayne H. Wood on his 
retirement and thank him for his tireless service.

                          ____________________