The future of Michigan’s voluntary agricultural stewardship program awaits legislative approval.
Sitting in the Michigan House Appropriation Committee is Senate Bill 494.
Rebecca Park with Michigan Farm Bureau tells Brownfield the legislation renews current fertilizer and pesticide fees paid by farmers and agribusinesses to fund the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program through 2025.
“It remains voluntary, it has no new fees for farmers, and it also maintains that value of the MAEAP advisory council partnerships that has really been one of the building blocks of the program,” she explains.