For more than 50 years, Powell was chief spokesman for Michigan's agricultural community in its continuing efforts to develop and maintain a modern system of farm-to-market roads. He served as legislative counsel and public affairs director for Michigan Farm Bureau (1921-1927 and 1938-1964), member of the Michigan Legislature (1931-1932 and 1964-1978), delegate to the Michigan Constitutional Convention (1961-1962), and leader of the Michigan State Grange (1928-1966). In all those positions, and as a lifelong farmer in Ionia County, he worked unstintingly for good roads and a solid, equitable system of highway user funding to support them. He was a founder of the highway Users Conference and president of the Michigan Good Roads Federation in 1957.