Proposed Policy

Local Resolutions

Farmland Preservation

The Lapeer County Farm Bureau appreciates the work and support the Lapeer County Commissioners have given to farmland preservation.  They recognize the value of agriculture in Lapeer County.

MAEAP

MAEAP is a good education program for farmers, neighbors and local units of government.  Local support of the MAEAP program is needed so that everyone is on the same program.

We, The Lapeer County Farm Bureau, support the MAEAP program and encourage the Lapeer County Commissioners and local units of government to support MAEAP verification and encourage state officials to also support MAEAP.

Agricultural Education

Agricultural education is an important part of our industry today.

We urge the Lapeer County Farm Bureau Board of Directors to support agricultural education in Lapeer County through the FFA, private and public schools and 4-H, as they have done in past years.

State Resolutions

ANTLERLESS LICENSE FEE

The southern counties of Michigan have an overpopulation of deer.  Deer have a huge impact on crops by eating the plants, making paths through crops, bedding down in crops and leaving deer pellets on down grain (wheat) which is picked up by the combine.  This contaminates the grain and causes it to be rejected at the time of sale, which reduces the farmer's income.  Increasing the antlerless license fee would be counterproductive to reducing the Michigan deer herd.  Fewer hunters would be interested purchasing a license that has a higher fee.  Therefore, fewer antlerless deer would be harvested.  A better proposal would be a reduction in the antler less license fee to $5.00; this would encourage more hunters to participate.

Farmers are faced with higher expenses by higher input costs.  When game animals eat or destroy farm crops this reduces crop yield and potential income.  Farmers and landowners bear the cost of feeding Michigan game animals but do not receive any compensation for that feed.

We encourage the DNR to control the Michigan deer herd by not increasing the antlerless license fee or even reducing that license fee.  Also promote hunting by not limiting the number of antlerless permits per hunter

CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE AND THE ENGINEERING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OF THE USDA/NRCS

The Unites States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resource Conservation Service in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, and the Michigan Conservation Districts have entered into a collaborative conservation agreement to provide technical assistance through the Conservation Technical Assistance Initiative and the Engineering Technical Assistance Program to implement conservation practices that are part of approved federal farm bill contracts on farm land in Michigan.

This agreement has been successful in addressing existing resource concerns on farm land and in so doing has reduced the amount of time practices wait after approval of funding before being designed and implemented. This agreement has brought over $3.8 million federal dollars into Michigan through June 30, 2007.

This agreement cannot continue without the continuation of funding by the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

The Conservation Districts implementing the agreement need to provide a stable base for the grants with adequate facilities and staffing and there have been proposals to eliminate funding for Michigan Conservation Districts from the state budget for the coming fiscal year

The Lapeer County Farm Bureau urges the Governor and Legislature to continue the funding for the Michigan Department Agriculture's portion of the agreement and to fully restore the budgeted funding for Michigan's Conservation Districts in order to fulfill their responsibilities under the agreement.

Finally, the Lapeer County Farm Bureau urges the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Michigan to continue their support for this agreement.