State Representative Neyer named outstanding 4-H alumnus
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EmailIsabella County 4-H alumnus State Representative Jerry Neyer, of Shepherd, was among nine 4-H alumni inducted into the 2026 class of the Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society at a ceremony on Oct. 3.
Isabella County 4-H alumnus State Representative Gerald (Jerry) Neyer, of Shepherd, is among nine 4-H alumni inducted into the 2026 class of the Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society. Rep. Neyer was recognized on Oct. 3 during the Michigan 4-H Legacy Awards Celebration hosted by Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan 4-H Foundation at the MSU University Club in Lansing.
The Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society honors former Michigan 4-H members whose professional leadership and community service reflect the ultimate outcome of 4-H membership – extraordinary use of an individual’s head, heart, hands and health to make communities, the country and the world better places in which to live. This recognition is provided by Michigan 4-H Youth Development with support from the Michigan 4-H Foundation.
Rep. Neyer has dedicated his life to agriculture and public service. For more than 30 years, he has co-owned Neyer Farms Inc., a family dairy farm in Isabella County, with his parents and brother. In 2022, Rep. Neyer was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives to serve Michigan's 92nd House District (Gratiot and Isabella counties), and was re-elected in 2024. Rep. Neyer currently serves as chair of the House Agriculture Committee and as a member of the Insurance, Regulatory Reform and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.
Throughout his career, Rep. Neyer has provided strong leadership on behalf of Michigan agriculture. For 20 years, he served on the Isabella County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, including four years as president, and chaired the Isabella County Farm Bureau Policy Development Committee. Rep. Neyer also spent 10 years as a director on the Michigan Dairy Market Program Committee.
Strongly involved in his community, Rep. Neyer served 14 years as a commissioner on the Isabella County Planning Commission. Today, he remains actively involved in Michigan Farm Bureau’s Project Rural Education Day that provides elementary students with hands-on field trips to learn about farming, livestock and food production. Rep. Neyer also supports county fair activities and regularly assists with Sacred Heart Academy and Knights of Columbus fundraisers. For the past six years, he has also donated milk from his farm each week to a local food pantry, helping to support families in need throughout his community.
“4-H made me aware at a young age that it is important to take care of the people and communities around me,” said Rep. Neyer. “The life lessons that are taught in 4-H have carried over into all aspects of my life and given me opportunities that might not have otherwise been possible.”
Rep. Neyer's connection to Michigan 4-H began as a youth member in Isabella County, where he participated for eight years in the dairy project area. Rep. Neyer and his wife have continued that legacy by supporting the involvement of their two sons through 4-H. He credits 4-H not only with instilling foundational leadership qualities that have shaped his own service in public office, but also with helping his sons to gain critical life skills for success.
Also inducted into the 4-H Emerald Clover Society Class of 2026 were: Dalen W. Agnew, Williamston; Beverly K. Ferris Hain, Jenison; Benjamin J. LaCross, Lake Leelanau; Elizabeth A. Manwell, Canton; Judith K. Paulsen, Hartland; Jackie A. Rider, Durand; Roxanne S. Turner, Fowlerville; and Emma J. Young, Detroit. Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society members are inducted every two years. The inaugural class of 62 members was inducted in 2002. For more information on the 4 H Emerald Clover Society and its members, visit www.mi4hfdtn.org/ecs.
Other honorees recognized at the 2026 Michigan 4-H Legacy Awards Celebration included partners receiving the 2026 Michigan 4-H Citation Award, volunteers awarded the 2025 and 2026 Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards, volunteers awarded the 2025 and 2026 Michigan Farm Bureau Excellence in Agriculture Awards, 50-year 4-H volunteers recognized in 2025 and 2026, winners of the 2025 and 2026 MSU 4-H Scholarship, and 4-H staff retiring since 2024. To make a donation in tribute of Rep. Neyer or another awardee, visit https://mi4hfdtn.org/memorial-tribute-gifts/.
