Page 116 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

#33-B: RIGHT TO FARM
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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 commercial agriculture to move forward utilizing existing and new technologies through generally accepted management practices on a voluntary basis while enhancing the environment.
The integrity of Michigan’s Right to Farm Act and science-based Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs) should not be weakened or jeopardized by including practices that are not integral or directly related to farming. [Relocated in policy] We support the continued use of GAAMPs to define acceptable farm management practices in the state of Michigan. We support a cooperative effort among Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), Michigan Farm Bureau, and other stakeholders to establish a definition for “commercial production of farm products” within the GAAMPs framework.
[Relocated in policy] GAAMPs
[Relocated in policy]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.
[Relocated in policy]The GAAMP for Site Selection and Odor Control for new and expanding livestock facilities has specific setbacks and scientific parameters. We strongly recommend the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development remove the language specific to local zoning from the siting GAAMP .
[Relocated in policy]We urge greater producer participation on all GAAMP Committees.
We recognize the fundamental differences between farming 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.
The Michigan Right to Farm Act should allow for and protect users of existing and new technology, including energy production for on-farm use. However, we
State Policies – Page
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