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2008 Policy Book
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We believe Michigan's Right to Farm Act is the model for our country. The Act has allowed all sectors of Michigan agriculture to move forward utilizing existing and new technologies through generally accepted management practices on a voluntary basis while enhancing the environment.
The Michigan Right to Farm Act should allow for and protect users of existing and new technology (e.g., hail cannons, wind machines, propane cannons), as long as there are no negative environmental impacts.
We will work with the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) and Michigan State University (MSU) to inform farmers, local units of government and other interested individuals of the positive benefits of the Right to Farm Act and Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs). We encourage all farmers to follow the recommendations to demonstrate positive concerns for our neighbors and the environment. We encourage the State of Michigan and local units of government to structure their programs, ordinances and community development plans in a manner consistent with the Right to Farm Act.
The integrity of Michigan's Right to Farm Act and science-based GAAMPs should not be weakened or jeopardized by including practices that are not integral or directly related to farming. We support the development of a set of Value Added GAAMPs to include, but not limited to, agri-tourism, roadside stands, farm markets, animal harvesting, alternative energy, and the spreading and storage of septage waste on farmland.
GAAMPs should be viewed as guidelines rather than statutory law, as they are reviewed and updated annually to reflect current agricultural practices. Consideration should first be given to amending existing GAAMPs to address those areas of concern, followed by investigation into creating new GAAMPs if deemed necessary.
We urge members to become involved in developing realistic progressive plans for land use, which will allow agriculture to change and incorporate technology and produce commodities based on market demands. We encourage producers to utilize "common sense" approaches in their daily management practices and farm business planning.
We recognize the fundamental difference between farm operations in terms of size, soil types and location. We urge all producers to be aware of applicable GAAMPs and encourage all producers to employ the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) and provisions of the Farm Bill as management tools in the production and expansion of their operations.
We urge MDA to notify all complainants of the law which allows the Department to levy a penalty for unverified complaints. We strongly support the Department's ability to recoup the costs of investigating unverified complaints, as provided for in the Right to Farm Act. We request a written explanation be sent to the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors as to why it hasn't been enforced.
All non-farm residences built in traditional agricultural areas after the site selection guidelines were established in June 2000 should not be counted when determining a farm's setback requirements.
Management decisions may alter the scope or nature of an agricultural use; therefore, agricultural operations should not be restricted to only operating under their historical use.
Further, agricultural acreage should not be classified as a non-conforming use if zoning for the area is changed at a time when the land is enrolled in a federal set-aside program, a federal conservation program, a wetland reserve program, or left fallow as part of a cropping rotation. We urge inclusion of these agricultural uses into appropriate GAAMPs.
We support research regarding manure storage, manure processing, building design, and types of livestock feed that could help with odor problems. An odor estimation model needs to be developed for Michigan's climatic conditions.
Small spillage of agricultural products, including feeds and fertilizers, which does not impede traffic or result in pollution, shall not result in legal suits.
We support a cherry industry initiative to develop a GAAMP to cover cherry cooling pad water runoff. We strongly recommend the Cherry Marketing Institute start working on these GAAMPs as soon as possible.
We support amending the Animal Care GAAMPs to:
- Address animal harvesting/euthanization methods.
- Ensure the fish section reflects current production practices.
Crop and pesticide GAAMPs specifically need to recognize the use of biotechnology and biofortification in agricultural operations.
We urge MFB to study and make recommendations for amendment to the Right to Farm Act that would provide additional protection to agricultural producers enrolled in either PA 116 or a permanent farmland preservation program.
We support changes to the Agricultural Disclosure Statement (ADS) that would include:
- Seller notification to the potential buyer.
- A separate document at the time of closing.
- Updating the ADS to include additional agricultural practices.
