First elected: 2020
Current term expires: January, 2026

Shannon Brines grew up in Washtenaw County on a small diversified farm that included woody perennial crops.  He officially established Brines Farm in 2004 and began selling year-round at farmers markets and offered one of Michigan’s first fresh produce winter CSA share programs. Shannon was selected as a member of the US delegation to participate in Terra Madre 2008 in Turin, Italy, a world slow food meeting focused on increasing small-scale, traditional and sustainable food production.   With ever expanding interests in biodiversity, agroecology, agroforestry, and perennials, Brines Farm has planted tens of thousands of trees and perennial plants.  Brines Farm LLC is a State of Michigan licensed and inspected tree and shrub nursery grower, and has been a vendor at the Native Plant Expo & Marketplace.

Shannon is also an applied geographer at the University of Michigan interested in land use, agriculture, agroforestry, food systems, public health and sustainable design. Shannon currently serves as the treasurer of Slow Food Huron Valley.  He was elected to the board of Washtenaw County Conservation District in 2020 and now serves as chair.  He was elected in 2024 to serve as chair of Region 10 of the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts.  Shannon participates in working groups of the national Agroforestry Coalition, including the Ecosystem Services, Demonstration Farms, and Nurseries working groups.

Shannon, his wife - Erin Mittendorf, and their two kids steward over 80 acres of farmland in Webster Township in northern Washtenaw County.