Leads Largest Farm Organization in State
From his earliest childhood memories, all Union Church native Mike McCormick wanted to be was a farmer. “It was something that was built inside of me,” says McCormick. “My first job was working on my father’s farm. I also worked in agriculture supply business for more than five years, selling agricultural equipment to farmers in south and central Mississippi, before being elected as the president of Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) in December 2015.
His Farm Bureau involvement came when he volunteered to serve on the Jefferson County Farm Bureau Board after his uncle stepped down from that role. From that day on, McCormick fell in love with the organization.
“I saw the impact it had on other people who had chosen the same career path that I wanted,” says McCormick. “I got involved and, little by little, I became more involved and this led me to where I am today.”
Founded in 1922, MFBF is the state’s largest general farm organization, with more than 175,000 member-families in all eighty-two counties. McCormick and MFBF staff work to provide a voice for Mississippi agriculture in legislative arenas and to serve as leaders in the state’s agricultural community on local, state, national and international levels. He works to grow Farm Bureau’s membership while implementing innovative programs designed to meet the needs of farmers and all Farm Bureau members in today’s rapidly changing world.
A cow/calf and timber farmer who works the same land in Union Church that has been in his family for more than 200 years, McCormick is well connected with the joys, sorrows and needs of the ag producers the organization represents. One of his highest priorities is ag education. There are two types of agricultural education—educating the public about agriculture and teaching children and empowering young agricultural leaders.
“Children are so far removed from the farm and where their food comes from,” says McCormick. “I pride myself on encouraging educators to teach more about our food and fiber system and the critical role agriculture plays in our economy and society. My goal is for every child to be able to experience, at least once in his or her life, the joy that I experienced growing up on a farm.”
Kirk Satterfield, a Delta ag producer who is a former chairman of USA Rice, admires that McCormick has always shown a great passion for agriculture.
“From day one as president of MFBF, he hit the ground running, never looked back, and has had the best interest of members and agriculture at heart,” says Satterfield. “He also hasn’t lost track of the fact that Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization, and he takes into consideration the views of his constituency when making policy. Farm Bureau is a strong organization that has a lot of pull with legislators.”
McCormick was just re-elected to the American Farm Bureau Board of Directors, which is good recognition from his peers.
“They pick state Farm Bureau presidents to serve on the national board,” says Satterfield. “I think it gives him some insight into what people are thinking about on the national level—he can bring thoughts and ideas back to the state level—and he can let the national board know what is going on here.”
To be president of MFBF, you must be a full-time farmer. While McCormick runs a cow/calf and timber operation, Satterfield appreciates McCormick’s unique ability to recognize the needs and thought patterns of a row crop farmer, as well as many other types of farmers—even down to the beekeepers. “He always seems to do a really good job with being able to listen to their needs in order to shape policy that would benefit all of us in agriculture,” Satterfield said.
McCormick graduated from Franklin County High School where he was a standout trumpet player who received numerous band scholarship offers from Delta State and other universities. He chose farming instead of music as a career, graduating from Copiah Lincoln Jr. College before completing a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Southern Miss.
He considers his parents his most influential role models growing up.
“My parents were both very well respected in the community for their determination and work ethic, which they passed on to me,” says McCormick. “It’s that work ethic that has gotten me to where I am today.”
Favorite parts of his job are the complexity and the diversity of the issues he works on each day.
“My job is never boring,” he says. “I can start my day planning to do one thing, but my priorities and tasks usually evolve as the day progresses, so it rarely ends the way I expect. Anything can pop up, and you never know what type of issue you might be asked to be a part of by the end of the day.”
His least favorite part of the job is having to be away from his farm so much; it is a sacrifice not being able to spend as much time as he would like making his farm successful.
This was a particularly challenging year for farmers with higher input costs paired with lower commodity prices. MFBF helped by playing a key role in securing the disaster assistance money that was in the U.S. Congress Continuing Resolution at the first of the year.
“We are very proud of our role and the influence our grassroots efforts have on leadership to effect positive change for farmers in tough times,” says McCormick. “We are always looking out for the best interest of our farmers and working on their behalf in the U.S. Congress and in the halls of the Capitol in Jackson. We will continue to look for ways to reduce their tax burdens and look for solutions and ways out of this.”
Delays in passing a new, updated Farm Bill have been distressing.
“The Farm Bill is critically important to all Mississippians,” he says. “It helps provide our country with a stable supply chain and source of food. In particular, our farmers rely heavily on an important set of safety net programs, like federal crop insurance and commodity price support programs. These kick in when the market drops below a statutory level and provide the farmer with a predictable safety net. The 2018 Farm Bill was developed well over eight years ago. The farm economy is very, very different now. Costs of production are at an all-time high. We lost numerous farms last year. It’s so important that Congress update the Farm Bill to match the needs of the current farm economy. Otherwise, we will lose more farms this year.”
MFBF’s programs start at the county level.
“We are a true grassroots organization,” says McCormick. “County involvement is critical to our policy process. We offer our members numerous opportunities to network and engage with our efforts, including our Young Farmers & Ranchers program and an increased focus on high school and collegiate-level Farm Bureau activities that better reach and grow more young leaders of the future.”
“Mike really understands the role Farm Bureau plays in Mississippi and that its grassroots policy making on the county level is the strength of Farm Bureau,” says Ted Kendall, IV, a row crop and beef cattle producer from western Hinds County who has served as Central Vice President for MFBF since McCormick became president. “One thing that prepared him for his current role is he was involved with Farm Bureau on the county level for a long time. Mike has a very good understanding of agriculture in Mississippi. He also really understands the relationship between MFBF and its member benefits with the biggest of those benefits being the insurance companies. And I think what makes him an ideal leader for our federation is he always has the members’ interests as his top priority.”
Kendall says McCormick’s strongest attributes are that he is a fast learner and he is smart. When he first became president, lobbying was probably not in his comfort zone.
“He has learned fast,” says Kendall. “He has stuck to his principles and he is one of the more influential individuals in the state as far as the legislature and politics goes. Mike is doing what is in the best interests of our members and he is very comfortable advocating for that.”
MFBF, along with several Farm Bureaus in other southern states, created Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company and Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company in the late 1940s when people could not get insurance for their farming operations. McCormick serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company and on the Board of Directors for Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company, but his primary responsibility is being the voice of farmers in Mississippi. McCormick said the Farm Bureau Federations will always be “The Voice of Agriculture” for all farmers in the state and nation.
When you include MFBF, county Farm Bureaus, and the two insurance companies, the organization has more than 2,000 employees statewide. MFBF has existed for 103 years, which is significant in the legacy it represents and the path it continues to forge for the future of agriculture in the state.
“It highlights the strength of the foundation laid by generations of leaders whose dedication, resilience, and vision continue to shape today’s initiatives, from legislative victories and educational outreach to healthcare access and hunger relief,” he ssays. “This longevity is not just a marker of time but a testament to the enduring influence of an organization that has walked alongside Mississippi’s farmers for over a century. The collective efforts of this organization have paved a path of progress and purpose over the years that continues to guide and inspire the next generation to go even further.”
His family moved to Union Church in Jefferson County in 1820 from North Carolina looking for a place to grow cotton and raise their families.
“Now, two hundred years later, my family still farms the same land,” says McCormick. “As long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a farmer. I grew up helping my father and uncles on their row crop farm. While my cousins still plant thousands of acres of row crops each year, I run a cattle and timber operation. I think God puts it in your heart to be a farmer; it’s in your blood.
“My father encouraged me to go to college and get a degree. He knew how hard farming was for him and he wanted me to take another path in life. But my love has always been farming. It’s not just a job for me. It’s so much more. It’s a lifestyle and a chosen way of life. It is a lifestyle that is often challenging and full of long hours but I wouldn’t trade it for any other. That’s all I’ve ever been. That’s all I ever wanted. George Washington described farmers best when he said, ‘I’d rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.’ I can relate to that.
“My mother kept an assignment I completed in first grade where my teacher asked, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ My answer was ‘a farmer.’ My wife, Suezan, and I still live in Union Church, surrounded by our siblings, nieces and nephews, sharing God’s many blessings with them.”
McCormick serves on many boards and has received numerous awards including an Honorary State FFA Degree, being named one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in Mississippi, MSU/CALS Dean’s Award, the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine President’s Pegasus Award and MSU Extension Director’s Award.