Farm Bureau delivers results in a divided legislature

The past year proved once again that Michigan Farm Bureau’s influence in Lansing doesn’t start at the Capitol — it starts in county Farm Bureau meetings, public policy committee discussions and conversations happening at kitchen tables and on shop floors across the state.

That tried-and-true grassroots model led to real legislative progress in 2025, which is no small feat working among a divided legislature.

According to MFB State Government Relations Manager Rob Anderson, the results reflect months of coordinated effort that delivered meaningful wins for agriculture and position the organization for continued advocacy into the new year.

“Every year brings different challenges, but the common thread is always member involvement,” Anderson said. “When farmers speak up about what they need and why it matters, it gives us credibility and direction as we work with elected officials.”

Member priorities take shape

Early in the legislative session, county Farm Bureau shared their input on changes to the Earned Sick Time Act, which were signed into law and provided clarity and flexibility for agricultural employers while maintaining worker protections. Nearly 1,220 members and supporters contacted lawmakers on the issue, reinforcing the importance of crafting policies that reflect the realities of farm operations.

Then, as state lawmakers worked for months to reach agreement on the budget, Farm Bureau members leaned in, ramping up their engagement. Members and supporters sent more than 1,720 messages urging legislators to protect key agricultural investments and avoid policies that could increase costs for farm families and consumers.

The final 2025–26 budget reflected those priorities, delivering increased funding for MSU Extension and AgBioResearch, and keeping funds stabilized for the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture, climate resiliency programs, animal disease prevention efforts, Conservation Districts, Double Up Food Bucks, Farm to Family, and the Qualified Forest Program.

Equally important, the budget included language aimed at improving the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s permitting process, including requiring clearer guidance, stakeholder-informed materials and greater transparency around permit timelines — a change supported by MFB and driven by feedback from farmers and businesses navigating the system.

In addition to the budget, lawmakers reauthorized funding for the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program, renewing a proven, nearly 30-year-old voluntary framework for environmental stewardship without increasing fees on farms or agribusinesses.

The MAEAP reauthorization will also stand as a lasting reflection of Sen. Kevin Daley’s work in the Legislature. Daley, a farmer and Lapeer County Farm Bureau member, sponsored the bill and will conclude more than a decade of service in both the House and Senate at the end of 2026.

A flurry of year-end activity

MFB’s grassroots engagement didn’t wane in the latter months of the year as lawmakers tackled a range of policy issues impacting farms of all sizes. Several other member-driven priorities are on their way to the governor’s desk. 

Lawmakers approved a bipartisan package to resolve ambiguities that created confusion for landowners enrolled in both the state’s Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program (commonly known as PA 116) and permanent conservation easements. 

In addition, Farm Bureau-supported legislation brought long-awaited updates for small-scale and value-added producers. 

Bills creating equality for honey and maple syrup producers were finalized, allowing them to operate under limits comparable to the cottage food law without the burden of a licensed kitchen. Updates to the state’s cottage food law were also completed, expanding sales opportunities, increasing the gross sales cap from $20,000 to $50,000, and modernizing how products can be marketed — changes shaped by input from producers and county Farm Bureaus.

Progress made and work still ahead

While several priorities were finalized this year, others remain active as lawmakers prepare for the 2026 session. MFB staff and members will continue advocating for legislation that advanced but has yet to reach the legislative finish line:

• HB 4017: legislation to reduce the financial penalty a family farm could face if the death of a qualifying family member occurs on the farm and isn’t reported to MIOSHA within the required eight-hour window. Read more.
• HB 4257 & 4265: bills to improve the permitting process for anaerobic digesters. Read more.
• HB 4445: legislation to allow deer baiting during the deer hunting season, while maintaining the distinction between baiting and feeding, and preserving the Natural Resources Commission’s authority to regulate baiting. Read more.
• HB 4421: a bill to prohibit an employee or officer of EGLE from entering private property without consent from the property owner.
• HB 4156: legislation to allow Career and Technical Education programs that meet subject area benchmarks to count toward Michigan Merit Curriculum credit requirements.
• SB 276: a bill to update hunting and fishing fee structures and authorizations.
• HB 4027-4028: legislation to restore local control over alternative energy siting decisions.

Anderson encouraged members to stay engaged in these issues and consider taking part in Michigan Farm Bureau’s Lansing Legislative Seminar on Feb. 24, 2026.

“LLS is where members see the full picture of how local advocacy turns into statewide policy,” he said. “It’s also where relationships are formed and strengthened, and that work pays dividends through the entire legislative session.”