By Staff
GRAND RAPIDS – Farmers in Berrien County are safer these days thanks to the volunteerism of one of their own – fruit, vegetable and grain grower Ed Kretchman of St. Joseph.
Kretchman championed a county Farm Bureau initiative that helps members retrofit old farm tractors with modern safety equipment to protect the implement operator in the event of a tractor rollover.
In recognition of his leadership on this progressive safety program, Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) presented Kretchman with the organization's Volunteer of the Year Award during an awards ceremony Dec. 2 at MFB's 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids.
The Volunteer of the Year Award honors a Farm Bureau member who has been recognized as an MFB Volunteer of the Month within the last year and who has demonstrated significant commitment and focused efforts on an MFB program or event.
Kretchman, who serves as president of the Berrien County Farm Bureau, was first recognized for his work as MFB's Volunteer of the Month in May.
He was selected for the Volunteer of the Year Award by a panel of judges.
The problem is tractors manufactured before roll-over protection structures (ROPS) became standardized equipment remain in use today.
State statistics indicate that close to half of all agriculture-related deaths involve machines, primarily tractors, and most often death is due to a tractor rollover.
But where ROPS and seatbelts are used together, there have been no reported fatalities.
While definitely worth the investment, the estimated $500 to $1,500 cost to retrofit an old tractor can be off-putting to some.
That's where Kretchman fits in.
Kretchman spearheaded development of a Berrien County Farm Bureau cost-share program which reimburses members $300 to help offset ROPS expenses.
Kretchman's leadership began with the formation of a committee hand-picked to address the professional hazard.
He then guided the creation and ultimate member adoption of a county Farm Bureau policy to fund and execute the ROPS cost-share program. In addition, Kretchman explored grant opportunities to help support the program, and he was successful in enlisting the help of local Farm Bureau Insurance Agency Manager Loren Korfmacher, who agreed to contribute an additional $30 toward each ROPS purchase and installation.
The cost-share program officially got off the ground on Sept. 1. To date, two farmers have taken advantage of the program and another four will do so in the coming year.
"All of our Volunteers of the Month have directly contributed to Michigan Farm Bureau's success over the past year, and we owe them a great deal of thanks for making Michigan Farm Bureau a strong and growing organization," said Lori Chamberlain, the MFB manager who oversees the Volunteer of the Month program.