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: 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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Thumb Ag Research & Education/Saginaw Valley Research and Education Center

Research and Education organization, MSU Extension and numerous sponsors in the agribusiness industry for their 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 commitment to conducting extensive on-farm research and demonstration of these technologies and furthermore for distributng 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.

State Resolutions

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.

Reaffirmation: 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.

Taxation

With the current economic situation in Michigan, there have been discussions about increases in fees and/or fines for farmers.  There has also been discussion about the possible loss of exemptions from taxes, fees or fines.  Tuscola County Farm Bureau is opposed to any increases in fees or fines related to agriculture as well as any loss of exemptions that are currently available to producers in the State of Michigan.  If there are changes made to the exemptions received by farmers due to reasons beyond the control of Farm Bureau members, we would encourage Michigan Farm Bureau to work to assure that any of these changes will be captured as designated funds, not general funds, and be used to fund programs that are specifically beneficial to the farmers of Michigan.  Furthermore, Michigan Farm Bureau will need to be alert to prevent the further erosion of general fund dollars from agricultural programs so that these additional funds are not seen as replacements for the general fund money.