Page 48 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK
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reporting requirements.
Application of permit standards in force at the time of permit application.
An appropriate phase-in period for any change in permit requirements.
Implementation of permit requirements derived with scientifically verifiable standards as provided in administrative rules.
DEQ adoption of EPA aquaculture effluent guidelines and promote feed-based Best Management Practices discharge standards. Development of a General Permit for aquaculture for up to 200,000 pounds of production. Modification of the Bodies of Dead Animals Act with input from farmers and dead stock haulers to allow any type of legal commercial or cooperative mortality management, and further recommend modifying NREPA to clarify that animal mortality disposal is not considered in the definition of production site waste. Consideration should be made for inclement weather impacts on animal mortality management and timeframes for disposal.
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222 programs for all farms, MDARD should have an
223 increased role in providing regulatory certainty to
224 Michigan agriculture.
225 Response to Environmental Scrutiny
226 The agricultural community realizes the need to
227 protect the environment; however, when regulations limit
228 agricultural viability, we believe it is time to take a more
229 aggressive approach to protect our industry. Michigan
230 producers and MFB should aggressively work to counter
231 propaganda that depicts production agriculture in
232 Michigan as abusers of the environment. MFB will work
233 with MAEAP partners to develop educational and
234 promotional materials for farm neighbors and the general
235 public regarding the benefits of MAEAP. We encourage
236 all producers to use MAEAP verification as the base for
237 projecting a positive farm image to the public.
238 The harassment of farmers who are adhering to the
239 State's pollution prevention program for agriculture shall
240 not be tolerated. We support requiring the DEQ to notify
241 local law enforcement and authorities before any
242 actions are taken against farms. Individuals who lodge
243 complaints with the DEQ against farms must be
244 required to provide their name for public record and pay
245 for the complaint investigation if more than three
246 unverified complaints are made against a farm within as
247 many years.
In addition to providing pollution prevention
Page 6 – Thursday Delegate Session
