Have you ever thought much about where our poultry comes from? We hadn’t really until we started working with Michigan Allied Poultry Industries (MAPI for short) in 2017.
According to Allison Brink, MAPI’s Executive Director, it’s common for most people not to know much about the poultry industry, let alone fully understand it. There are many family-owned farms that produce the poultry that feeds us, and that is a noble and important part of the lives of families here in Michigan.
It's All About Feeding People
Allison says, “Everything [the farmers] do is about feeding people… For these families, their heart and soul are invested in these birds. What they do is produce nutritious meals for families, and that starts with happy and healthy birds.” As a support to poultry farmers in Michigan, MAPI provides advocacy, education, collaboration, and development. For example, they work with policy makers in Lansing to ensure fair and just laws for Michigan farms. MAPI educates the public by providing materials for events and sponsors to teach people more about the poultry industry. They also help share news and information with other livestock and agricultural industries, to ensure that everyone is informed, supported, and working together.
Allison's Journey to Poultry
So how does someone get into a job like the Executive Director of a poultry industry nonprofit organization? For Allison, it started when she was growing up on a small farm in Michigan. She raised animals, participated in 4H and FFA, and she knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in agriculture. She ended up in college studying soil sciences (studying nutrient planning and crop growing). Allison says, “I love understanding the big picture of what is being produced and how it’s being used. The whole cycle involves balance and care.”
After working in sales in the Agriculture industry selling seed corn, fertilizer, chemicals, and scouting (the whole agronomy thing), Allison started an agricultural consulting business. She worked with livestock farmers of all species: beef, swine, poultry (even a goat!), and through that work, she was approached by the poultry farmers on the board of MAPI, and they asked her if she’d be interested in running their association. And that’s what she’s been doing since 2016.
Allison loves being a part of representing the poultry industry across Michigan. “They trust me to speak on their behalf, which is an honor (and it’s fun!) to be their spokesperson,” she said. Allison loves working with and for these farmers and that they have mutual respect for each other. And they find joy in accomplishing everything they do together.
There's Always Room to Grow
Allison told us a few areas that she’d love to see in the next few years of MAPI’s development: the interface between the industry and the next generation so that we’ll have food for the next generation; to continue improving relationships in Lansing so that poultry farmers have a voice in policies; and continuing to promote the stories of the farmers so that consumers understand and care about this industry.
On the personal side, Allison lives in Hamilton with her husband, Brian, and 4 kids: Maddie (17 — who's going to Purdue in the fall to study agriculture!), Jackie (14), Jonathan (12), and Mia (8). Allison and Brian own a trucking business as well as a few other small businesses. They met while both working in agriculture. Allison worked at the elevator with local farmers, and Brian delivered their fertilizer, and her dad set them up. Allison says, “It was a match made in agricultural heaven!” 😂 As a family they love old cars, boating and water sports, and gardening.
We’re grateful for Allison, her vision and motivation, her ability to plan and execute important tasks for poultry farmers, and her warm heart for those she loves. We hope you enjoyed getting to know her and the poultry industry a little better.
