Michigan Blueberry’s Robson to step down; Nancy Nyquist takes over

After four years, Kevin Robson is stepping down asexecutive director of the Michigan Blueberry Commission (MBC) due to career advancement at Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.

Nancy Nyquist, external executive management and policy specialist at Michigan Farm Bureau, will take over as executive director starting July 19.

Michigan Blueberry Commission (MBC) is a state check-off organization.

“I’m excited to see where the MBC goes in the future, and I know the program is in good hands with Nancy Nyquist taking the wheel,” Robson said. “Nancy is no stranger to Michigan agriculture, having served the constituents of Michigan as a legislative liaison, working with MDARD in the ag program/grants division, and most recently at MSU’s CANR.”

Nyquist will serve out the rest of the contract, which ends in November.

Nancy Nyquist

During his tenure as executive director, Robson led the commission through the latest research planting investment of $100,000 into Michigan State University’s Trevor Nichols Research Station. The station installed a state-of-the-art blueberry planting to serve as the home base for industry-driven research.

Robson also penned $600,000 worth of grants to the state’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program, netting money for research on SWD and stem gall wasp, among other items.

He currently manages the crop insurance division of FBI but will also focus on the commercial and business areas in his new role.

“We’ve been able to leverage our grower dollars and make them go up,” he said. “We’re amid blueberry harvest, so we don’t have any blueberry commission meetings until September. The plan is for me to spend some time out in the field with Nancy.”

Nyquist joined Michigan Farm Bureau in June. She is responsible for managing and soliciting contracts with agricultural commodity organizations to provide executive management services and provide policy analysis on labor-related issues.

Nyquist is a graduate of Northwood University with a B.B.A. degree in marketing and management and an alumna of the Great Lakes Leadership Academy at Michigan State University.

“I am privileged to have the opportunity to work with the Michigan Blueberry Commission,” Nyquist said.

“The Michigan Blueberry industry is filled with hard working and dedicated growers and I am eager to work with them on research, promotion and marketing programs to ensure the industry continues to be one of the top producing states.”

– Michigan Farm Bureau