Farm Bureau members work year-round to implement grass-roots policy for the benefit of the agriculture industry and likewise, to oppose initiatives that would harm the agriculture industry.
Throughout 2018, Farm Bureau members were successful in advocating on the following issues that were signed into law:
Farm Bureau supported amendments to the state’s wetlands law to improve clarity and provide certainty when landowners need to know whether waters or wetlands are regulated, and how to better work through the permitting process.
Farm Bureau supported legislation that excludes agricultural vehicles from local ordinances prohibiting commercial truck traffic.
Farm Bureau supported changes to the minimum wage and paid sick leave laws that benefit Michigan farmers and employers as well as recognizes the seasonality of some agricultural employment.
Farm Bureau supported amendments to law that protect agriculture’s sales and use tax exemptions to prevent misinterpretation by the Department of Treasury. Saving farm families from a potential $293 million in additional tax burden.
Farm Bureau supported the creation of three new oversight commissions aimed at increasing transparency and accountability within the state Department of Environmental Quality. The package of bills accomplished the following:
Farm Bureau supported legislation making science-based improvements to the state’s large quantity water withdrawal program. The updated law is expected to make withdrawal registrations less expensive and time consuming for farmers by providing an alternative to the traditional site-specific review process.
Farm Bureau supported legislation limiting the state's ability to adopt a rule more stringent than federal regulations.
Farm Bureau worked with Michigan's Congressional delegation to ensure provisions beneficial to agriculture were included in sweeping federal tax reforms.
Farm Bureau supported amendments to expand opportunities for individuals to purchase the agricultural heritage license plate, which supports state agriculture education programs. Under previous law, fundraising plates could only be issued for personal vehicles and nonbusiness purposes. The new law removes the restriction and allows fundraising plates to be issued for any passenger motor vehicle, motor home, pickup truck or van, without regard to the vehicle’s use or purpose.