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2008 Policy Book
First | Previous | Next | Last | 2008 Index | Policy Book Archive#26 MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) provides regulation and oversight of the plant and animal industry in Michigan. Many of its functions deal directly with issues that can affect human health, as well as animal and plant diseases and weights and measures. The recent and continued budget cuts have left the department that supports agriculture, Michigan's number two industry, without adequate funding or personnel to carry out its mission during a time when more plant and animal diseases are being identified and diagnosed.
We strongly support the restoration of funding to MDA to provide an adequate number of properly trained personnel and laboratory and technological support to respond to program needs and statutory directives for the necessary regulation, oversight and support to Michigan agriculture. We will support additional funding to respond to emergencies such as disease outbreaks.
Regulatory or enforcement program funding should be taken from the General Fund with a limited portion of the cost to be generated from industry fees. We support exploring funding options for improving the MDA Seed Inspection Program in conjunction with continued support from the State General Fund.
We urge the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors to appoint an ad hoc committee to study agricultural funding priorities. This committee shall report back to the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors within 90 days of appointment. The committee shall consider MFB policy, statutory mandates, available resources, additional efficiencies and alternate resources.
We support the continued individual existence of the MDA within State government. We oppose any attempt to dilute the effectiveness of the MDA by merging it with any other government agency or department.
We support:
- Protection of animal health through testing, quarantine and depopulation, if necessary.
- Plant inspection, testing and quarantine to control disease.
- Reviews and specific expirations for quarantines or movement restrictions.
- Indemnification for losses of farm income when agricultural commodities or products are impounded, farms are quarantined, or movement or sales are restricted in the public interest.
- Investigating the feasibility of a livestock insurance fund that might compliment existing state and/or federal indemnification programs. The feasibility study should consider loss of livestock and production due to disease outbreak, predation, funding options, specie participation and producer control of the fund.
- A mechanism for loans or direct compensation for loss of income due to depopulation, quarantine or condemnation of agricultural products.
- Certifying the accuracy of weights and measures.
- Revisions in state and federal tax laws to exempt producers from income and capital gains tax on payments received for indemnity or other compensation as a result of disease control or eradication.
- Review of the point system for Pesticide Applicators Certification to increase efficiency.
- One inclusive definition of agriculture be adopted for use in the regulatory functions by various state departments and this be modeled after the current MDA definition.
We support the formation of an industry committee to advise the MDA director regarding the inclusion of injurious plants on the nuisance plant list. Consideration should be given for a phase-in for any commercial plant species added to the nuisance plant list.
We urge state government to support the coordination of mosquito control at the local level and in conjunction with neighboring states.
We are opposed to multiple inspections by a variety of jurisdictions.
We support the MDA as the facilitating agency for all agricultural issues, including environmental. We also support adequate funding for these programs.
We support efforts of the Michigan Food Policy Council and their goal of improving the State's economy through increasing economic development opportunities in Michigan's food sector.
We support aggressive promotion of Michigan-grown products and commend the efforts of the MDA for its leadership in highlighting the importance of the agricultural industry to the State of Michigan.
We recommend that any block grant funds received under the Federal Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act be distributed to Michigan specialty crop commodity sectors on a pro-rata basis similar to the distribution system utilized by the MDA in distributing block grants in 2002. All specialty crop sectors, including the nursery and greenhouse sector, should have the opportunity to receive an equitable portion of block grant funds.
We encourage further development of meat processing and marketing opportunities through joint cooperation between the industry, MDA, Michigan State University and the Michigan Meat Association.
We support the State returning to a USDA equivalent state meat inspection for local custom processors as soon as possible to support value-added opportunities. We will support adequate funding for this program.
We support funding to create and implement the Michigan Voluntary Johne's Disease Status and Management Program, which should cover the costs of testing and education to control and eradicate the disease.
Milk is required to be pasteurized to protect consumers from a variety of illnesses that could possibly be transmitted through raw, unpasteurized milk. We support the continued pasteurization of milk, provided that on-farm families and their immediate family still be allowed to consume unpasteurized milk produced on their farm. MFB would consider supporting retail raw milk sales after MDA develops standards and regulations that would meet grade A fluid milk standards for both production and processing facilities.
