The Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame recently announced their 2025 inductees, including a former Sanilac County farmer, Tom Durand.
Though Durand currently farms in St. Clair County, he is known as a life-long farmer in Sanilac County’s Croswell area, having farmed with his father before buying his own farm in 1981. He currently produces corn, soybeans, wheat, black beans, and sugar beets on his 435-acre farm in St. Clair County.
Durand has dedicated himself to making the corn industry better for all farmers, previously serving both on the Michigan Corn Growers Association and on the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, including as president of the marketing program. Beyond corn, Tom also served on the Michigan Sugar Company board and on the Greenstone Farm Credit board. In 2012, he received Michigan Sugar Company’s Outstanding East District Citizen Award.
He has worn many hats in his community, including township supervisor, school board member, basketball coach, referee, and broadcaster of the high school sports. He is also father to six children that he shared his passion for farming with.
The Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame began in 1982 with a dream of a Barry County farmer, Bill Aukerman. Each year, farmers who have set high standards in production agriculture, helped promote the industry, and have served their community, state, and/or nation are inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Past inductees’ photographs and biographies can be seen at the Barry Expo Center in Hastings, Michigan. The 2025 annual induction ceremony took place Saturday, September 20.
