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Proposed Policy
Local Resolutions
Reaffirmation: TUSCOLA COUNTY CLEAN SWEEP & RECYCLING
Tuscola County Farm Bureau supports the clean sweep program and the use of the recycling center. We encourage the administration to research grant money to eliminate the fees associated with the truck and tractor tire collection. Tuscola County Farm Bureau would also like to see better publicity for these programs to increase public awareness.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: LAND USE COMMITTEE MISSION STATEMENT
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership supports the land use committee's mission statement which is "to encourage and educate our local citizens about smart growth principles to conserve farmland and open spaces." The intention is not to stop or deter growth, but to encourage and educate citizens, groups, organizations, and businesses within Tuscola County that will benefit everyone, be cost effective, and efficient in creating and maintaining economically viable and sustainable communities.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: LAND USE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership supports the efforts of its land use committee as it strives to encourage and educate local citizens in land use best management practices based on the use of smart growth tenets (principles) as outlined in Michigan's Land, Michigan's Future: Final Report of the Michigan Land Use Leadership Council of August 15, 2003. Smart growth tenets (principles) for best management practices in land use are as follows:
a. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices
b. Create walk able neighborhoods
c. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration
d. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
e. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective
f. Mix land uses
g. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas
h. Provide a variety of transportation choices
i. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities
j. Take advantage of compact development design
Adopted
Reaffirmation: MSU EXTENSION
MSU Extension has been very active in supporting the county of Tuscola through its educational programs for all residents. Tuscola County Farm Bureau understands the importance of funding for the local government. Tuscola County Farm Bureau supports the Tuscola County Extension Office and continued local funding of their programs.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: TUSCOLA COUNTY COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT TEAM REPORT
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership strongly supports the efforts of the Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation, MSU Extension, Board of Commissioners, and partner agencies/organizations with implementation of the recommendations contained in the Community Assessment Team (CAT) report entitled "Tying It Together In Tuscola." We further encourage maximum use of the CAT report by all agencies and organizations in seeking available grant dollars to address improvement of economic conditions within Tuscola County and the greater Thumb area.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: TUSCOLA COUNTY TECHNOLOGY CENTER AGRI- SCIENCE/NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership strongly supports and commends the efforts of the Tuscola Technology Center, Intermediate School District, and Arlon Slagh, Agriscience/Natural Resources Instructor for their leadership in offering an agri-science/natural resources program in horticulture, mechanics, and agribusiness. We further recommend and encourage expansion to the maximum extent possible of the agri-science/natural resources program reflective of the needs and opportunities of Tuscola County's youth and agricultural industry.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: UNIONVILLE - SEBEWAING AREA SCHOOLS AGRI-SCIENCE/NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership strongly supports and commends the efforts of the Unionville-Sebewaing Area School District for their past and future leadership in offering the agri-science/natural resources program. Further, the Tuscola County Farm Bureau wishes to congratulate, welcome, and offer its full support to Josh Kieliszewski, Agri-Science/Natural Resources Instructor as he enters his new career and provides leadership and guidance to the USA FFA Program in meeting the needs of agri-science/natural resource students as they seek to develop their future in agriculture.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: TUSCOLA COUNTY MOSQUITO ABATEMENT PROGRAM
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership strongly supports and commends the vision and foresight of the citizens of Tuscola County, Board of Commissioners, and William Wallace, Director of the Mosquito Abatement Program for their on-going leadership and continued management of the mosquito population and further recommends continued support of the program.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: FARMLAND AND OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION PROGRAM
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau Board of Directors hereby urges the membership to concur with the Farmland and Open space Preservation Program Resolution adopted by the Tuscola County Board of Commissioners to convene a farmland and open space preservation workgroup to research and prepare a draft proposal for a farmland and open space preservation program so that Tuscola County may prepare and position itself to take advantage of state and federal matching funds.
Alternative Energy
Tuscola County Farm Bureau recognizes the need to attract alternative energy industries to our area. Tuscola County Farm Bureau supports the assistance of the Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation, MSU Extension, and Tuscola County Board of Commissioners in pursuing Wind Energy, the use of Methane Digesters, and the Bio-Diesel industry as economic development initiatives.
Road Intersections
Tuscola County Farm Bureau encourages the Tuscola County Road Commission to clear all road intersections and railroad crossings from vision obstructions. We, furthermore, urge the Road Commission to require that the railroad companies properly maintain railroad crossings for the safety of all who travel over them. We encourage Farm Bureau members to bring specific concerns directly to the road commission.
Tuscola Enterprise
Small business creation, development and expansion are key to strengthening the local economy in Tuscola County and the greater thumb area. Agriculture is considered vital to the development and expansion of small business in Tuscola County. Tuscola County Farm Bureau commends the efforts of the Tuscola Enterprise Board of Directors in their quest to support and strengthen small business and furthermore encourages its membership to utilize the services of the Enterprise Facilitator as well as to refer other individuals needing help with small business ventures.
Local Government Cooperation at all levels
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership strongly supports the efforts of the Board of Commissioners, Planning Commission, Farm Bureau Land Use Committee, Economic Development Corporation and MSU Extension, in encouraging local units of government at the township, village, city and county levels in an effort to save time, money and improve delivery of services in making the most of our limited resources as we strive to address common goals and issues facing agriculture and our communities.
Tuscola County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Resolution
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership commends the Tuscola County Board of Commissioners for passage of the Tuscola County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Resolution authorizing the Tuscola County Planning Commission to partner and collaborate with the Farm Bureau Land Use Committee for convening the farmland and open space preservation workgroup consisting of representation from agriculture, conservation, local government, business, citizen stakeholders, real estate and land developers.
Tuscola County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Ordinance
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership commends the Tuscola County Board of Commissioners for passage of the Tuscola County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Ordinance prepared by the Tuscola County Planning Commission with assistance from the farmland and open space preservation workgroup consisting of the membership of the Farm Bureau Land Use Committee and assistance from MSU Extension.
Tuscola County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Element
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership wishes to voice its support for completion of the Tuscola County Farmland and Open Space Preservation Element which is the final step to implementation of the Tuscola County Farmland and Open Space Preservation ordinance.
Tuscola County MAEAP Recognition of Agricultural Producers
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership commends the Tuscola County Board of Commissioners for recognizing our County's agricultural producers that complete the voluntary MAEAP verification requirements with the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
Thumb Ag Research & Education
In today's fast paced world of production agriculture and technology, it has become increasingly difficult for producers to keep up on new and innovative technologies in seed, fertilizer, and crop protection products and furthermore, how to most effectively make use those technologies to keep field crop producers on the cutting edge in order to remain as efficient and effective as possible. Tuscola County Farm Bureau commends and supports the efforts of the Thumb Ag Research & Education organization, MSU Extension and numerous sponsors in the agribusiness industry for their commitment to conducting extensive on-farm research and demonstration of these technologies and furthermore for distributing this information through the TARE Field Trials Report. The TARE Field Trials Report is widely used by field crop producers in the Thumb as well as throughout Michigan.
Tuscola Conservation District
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership commends the Tuscola Conservation District Board of Directors and membership for their efforts of educating residents and property owners in Tuscola County of the importance of teaching conservation best management practices, assisting property owners through it's equipment lease program making no-till equipment readily available to our agricultural producers which this opportunity could not be afforded otherwise and for their quality recommendations in appropriately planning for the conservation of our land as it is our most precious resource.
Growing Tuscola's Economy With Agriculture
Locally Grown & Affordable Foods has been identified as a priority in the 2008 federal farm bill and is considered important at the state, county, township, city, and village governments as well. Expanding vegetable production for farmers' markets has been cited as a priority in the Tuscola County Community Assessment Team Report. Tuscola County Farm Bureau urges the formation of a workgroup consisting of representation from the membership, MSU Extension, and any other interested parties to explore the feasibility of increasing the value, availability, supply and demand for locally grown and affordable foods in Tuscola County.
FUNDING EDUCATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY, INCLUDING WIND ENERGY
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership encourages the exploration of all sources of renewable energy, including wind energy as a method for achieving a renewable energy portfolio standard. Tuscola County Farm Bureau will continue to provide funding for the educational process to take place in order to enable property owners to become more knowledgeable on all sources of renewable energy, including wind energy. Taking this action is not only necessary, but prudent, in order to help Tuscola County's landowners to position themselves to make the best informed, cost effective, efficient, and profitable decisions as possible with regard to all sources of renewable energy, including wind energy.
State Resolutions
Reaffirmation: AGRICULTURE'S IMPACT ON MICHIGAN'S ECONOMY
Tuscola County Farm Bureau supports the continued efforts of Michigan Farm Bureau and cooperating commodity organizations to educate the non-farm community about agriculture's impact on the state of Michigan and its economy.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE CAP
Currently the state has no cap on the limit of dollars spent on injuries, therefore causing increased rates on no-fault insurance coverage. Tuscola County Farm Bureau would like to encourage Michigan Farm Bureau to investigate putting a cap on no-fault automobile insurance.
Adopted
Reaffirmation: JOHNE'S DISEASE
The economic and animal health impacts of Johne's Disease have caused significant financial losses to Michigan's livestock industry annually. Johne's has been difficult to identify and manage due to the slow and progressive nature of the disease. Important advances have been made in the field of Johne's disease detection. Therefore, we recommend the following:
We urge dairy and beef producers of the state of Michigan to:
· Implement Johne's Disease testing programs making use of new testing methodologies to establish individual herd prevalence levels;
· Develop cost effective control and eradication programs to minimize negative impacts of Johne's on the farm;
· Establish sound bio-security measures to prevent introduction and/or spread of Johne's and other transmissible diseases.
We urge MFB, MSU, MDA and USDA to:
· Create incentive and education programs to encourage producer testing and control/eradication program development;
· Provide leadership and assist in identifying prevalence rates and working towards the elimination of the disease from the state in a timely manner;
· Support innovative testing methodologies that provide more convenient and/or cost effective testing opportunities for producers and ultimately enhance producer implementation of Johne's management programs;
· Expand current research on the economic and animal health impacts of the disease on Michigan's livestock industries;
Adopted
Reaffirmation: WIND ENERGY
In recent years, the citizens of the State of Michigan have shown an interest in renewable energies, including wind energy. There is adequate technology available allowing us to convert wind energy into electricity, but there are currently no cost-effective ways of storing this energy for use in times of no wind, therefore elevating the cost of wind energy to the point in which it has been proven cost prohibitive. While the Tuscola County Farm Bureau is in full support of the development and use of wind energy, we are opposed to a Mandated Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard which forces small entities, such as cooperatively owned energy companies, to purchase energy at unaffordable levels until the energy can be provided at a pricing level competitive with conventional forms of energy.
Be it further resolved that the Tuscola County Farm Bureau urges the State of Michigan to offer incentives to energy companies to develop cost-effective means of storing wind energy in order to provide the state with a clean, cost effective means of energy by the year 2010.
Reaffirmation: STATE BUDGET
In July 2006, Governor Jennifer Granholm approved bipartisan legislation to encourage the production and use of bio-diesel and ethanol in the state, increase the viability of the agricutural industry, and reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil. Since this time, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture have fallen victim of the many cuts made due to the shortfall in the Michigan budget. The State of Michigan has reached a point in which the Michigan Department of Agriculuture and MSU Extension is short of the funds needed to function properly. In an effort to reach the goal of making the State of Michigan a leading state in the production and use of renewable fuels, agriculture, being the industry that is the primary supplier of the products used in producing these fuels must have all possible resources available in order to keep and expand it as a viable industry. Tuscola County Farm Bureau urges the Michigan Legislature to re-apportion the state budget to ensure that both the Michigan Department of Agriculture and MSU Extension are provided with the needed resources to function efficiently and to be able to continue to offer support to the agricultural community, therefore reinforcing Michigan's commitment to be a leading state in the production and use of renewable fuels.
Upgrade M-138 in Bay and Tuscola Counties To An All-Season State Highway Standard
Whereas, All-season highways are those that have no seasonal load limitations due to road and weather conditions and can be traversed by residents, tourists, and commercial traffic year-round; and
Whereas, Michigan Highway 138 is one of four main east-west arteries between the Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland tri-city area and the entire thumb region of Michigan; and
Whereas, M-138 is not an All-Season road between M-15 and M-24; However, M-15 is All Season through Merritt Township from the west and M-24 is All Seasonal on its East M-25 connecting to M-24 to the coastal thumb is All-Seasonal; and Whereas, M-138 is not being utilized to its fullest potential, Improving M-138 to an all-season road will promote agribusiness, tourism, growth, and development in Bay and Tuscola counties and Michigan's thumb regions; and
Whereas, Agri-business is growing in Bay and Tuscola Counties, with an increased demand for agricultural by-products for bio-fuels and other needs. An all-season M-138 would provide a necessary, efficient route to serve this growing sector of the local statewide economy: and
Whereas, Commercial growth along M-15 in Bay City, including the potential site of a new retail development, will stimulate the local economy and bring a concomitant increase in the area truck traffic, Eliminating seasonal weight restrictions on M-138 will facilitate commercial truck traffic between the Bay City area and Michigan's thumb region. Allowing commercial and agricultural truck traffic to traverse M-138 year-round through a mostly rural area would potentially reduce commercial truck traffic on the more urban and congested M-25 route through Bay City; and
Whereas, the budget blueprint of Senator Stabenow and the United States Senate calls for $2.7 billion to be invested in bio-fuel production and access, including over $200 million in grants to help build our bio-fuel infrastructure - including buying, hauling, and dispersing those fuels - the development of next generation bio-diesel fuels, like cellulosic ethanol and bio-diesel, that can reduce greenhouse emissions by up to 80% compared to current fuels used today, and create new construction, agriculture, engineering, science, and trucking jobs.
Therefore, be it resolved that Tuscola County Farm Bureau urges the Michigan Department of Transportation to upgrade all of M-138 in Bay and Tuscola Counties to an all-season state highway standard; and be it further
Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Department of Transportation, the House of Representatives, the Michigan Senate, and Governor Granholm.
Re-Direction of State Funding of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to Conservation Districts
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership urges the Michigan Legislature to evaluate the funding of Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) non-regulatory responsibilities and re-direct those responsibilities and accompanying funding stream to the Conservation Districts. The Conservation Districts are uniquely positioned to work with landowners at the local grassroots level to provide a more user friendly service, voluntary and non-regulatory approach with regard to implementation of non-regulatory conservation practices in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible, thereby lessening the tax burden on Michigan citizens.
Conservation District Funding
The Tuscola County Farm Bureau membership urges the Michigan Legislature and U. S. Congress to develop a consistent funding formula for Michigan Conservation Districts where conservation best management practices are directly applied at the local grassroots level with landowners.
