With planting wrapping up in many areas of the state, many farmers are getting ready for irrigation season. If you use water to support crops or raise livestock, Michigan Farm Bureau wants you to know that you have free access to a state-run protection and dispute resolution program should you experience a water-related conflict with a neighbor or fellow landowner.
“Our members’ Water Use in the Great Lakes Basin policy has for a long time expressed both that food and fiber production is a reasonable use of water and that it’s a unique resource to be used in a responsible manner and protected for future generations,” said Laura Campbell, MFB senior conservation and regulatory relations specialist. “And part of that responsible use I think is recognizing conflicts are bound to occur. What some farmers may not realize is that the state of Michigan has processes in place to protect and support both well owners and water users.”
MFB recently published a fact sheet outlining an individual’s rights and responsibilities under the state’s Aquifer Protection and Dispute Resolution Program.
“We encourage our members to print the PDF and keep it handy,” Campbell said. “Regardless of your location or well size, these programs are intended to first determine if a complaint is reasonable, and then if investigation is necessary, using science-based tools and information for the program staff to propose a resolution to the problem.”
More information on the Aquifer Protection and Dispute Resolution Program is available through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
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