Page 134 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

State Policies – Page
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program continuing as a “user pays” system and available to all MFB members.
The State Workforce Agency should only refer legally authorized workers to H-2A employers.
We support expanded opportunities for employment of young people in agricultural operations. 
#50 EMPLOYER PROVIDED HOUSING
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State law does not address the relationship existing between an employer and an employee living in housing facilities provided rent-free by the employer. There are no guidelines defining rights, responsibilities or procedures to be observed when the occupant is no longer an employee.
We will seek and support legislation that addresses not more than a seven-day eviction process for employer provided housing. We support the Michigan Supreme Court decision, (DeBruyn vs. Romero #98727) which defines the rights and procedures to be observed when the occupant is no longer an employee.
We encourage agricultural employers to renovate or demolish their abandoned housing.
The Agricultural Labor Housing Inspection Program is vital to agricultural employers and Michigan’s agricultural economy. The program verifies that agricultural employers have Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) acceptable housing for employees and provides licensing for employers whose housing meets that program’s standards/requirements. This licensing provides protection for both employers and employees. We support that once a camp has been inspected and licensed by the appropriate state agency, any violations created by the occupant should not be held against the labor housing licensee.
Michigan Farm Bureau supports MDARD being the sole inspecting licensor of agricultural housing in Michigan. We support the Agricultural Labor Housing Inspection Program being a fully funded state program that includes pre-occupancy, post-occupancy and complaint-driven inspections, and supplemented by reasonable fees based on licensed occupancy only if necessary. We encourage the state of Michigan and MDARD to provide labor housing licensing protection to all growers who show a good faith effort to maintain their labor housing to MDARD standards.
The state Construction Grant Program, administered by MDARD, was created to assist farmers in construction/renovation of farm labor housing. We will continue to seek higher appropriations for this program, as well as other sources of funding and support. All funds