Robert Knoblauch

o those connected with Lenawee agriculture and local government, the name Robert Knoblauch is familiar. Bob was born and raised on his family’s farm in Riga Township and, in partnership with his brother, continues to farm there. Bob is a 1966 graduate of Blissfield High School where he was active in Future Farmers of America. After graduation Bob joined the Marine Corps and served until 1969 with one tour of duty in Vietnam. In 1968 Bob married his high school sweetheart Carol. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.

After leaving the service Bob worked for two agricultural businesses before joining brother Eugene in a farming partnership in 1978. They presently cash crop about 700 acres. Also in 1978, Bob was appointed Supervisor of Riga Township and has since continued to win re-election to that office. Bob is assessor for Riga and Deerfield Townships.

As supervisor, Bob is a proponent of sound land use planning and is mindful of the soon-to-be completed County Land Use Plan. He is concerned that Riga Township’s current Master Plan process correlates local sentiment with the regional perspective. Bob stays connected to neighboring townships by regular attendance at meetings of the Michigan Townships Association, Lenawee Chapter.

Bob is a past board member of Lenawee Farm Bureau and currently chairs their State Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Lenawee County Solid Waste Coordinating Committee and the County Emergency Planning Committee. He is Riga Township’s delegate to the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments where he was elected to the Board of Directors and represents agriculture on their Growth Strategies Committee.

With a lifetime in agriculture, Bob knows first hand its importance to the economies of Michigan and Lenawee County. As a product of that culture, Bob patiently reinvests in his heritage. He embodies the stabilizing role that agriculture provides in the face of change. If given a soapbox, Bob would use it to highlight our agricultural heritage and strengthen its legacy. He believes that we cannot afford to take our agricultural land base for granted and that we should take steps to protect it while there is still the opportunity. He encourages those with an agricultural background to be involved in local government lest our flighty world forget where its next meal is coming from.

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