LANSING — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MDARD) Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is recognizing 62 farms for implementing appropriate pollution prevention practices. The program assists farmers to comply with state and federal environmental regulations and with Right to Farm practices. Technical assistance was provided by local Conservation Districts.
The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program recognized:
- CBI’s Giving Tree Farm of Lansing, as a verified farm in Cropping and Farmstead System
- MSU – Clarksville Research Center of Clarksville, as a verified farm in Farmstead System
- Gold Coast Hops, LLC of Ludington, as a verified farm in Farmstead System
- LaBar Farms, LLC of Union City, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Leaman’s Green Applebarn of Freeland, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Malkin Farms of Laingsburg, as a verified farm in Farmstead System
- Pauline’s Farm of Ludington, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Hunt Farms of Lawton, as a verified farm in Farmstead System
- Callahan Brampton Property of Brampton, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Sutton Farms of Durand, as a verified farm in Cropping and Farmstead Systems
- Cole Riverview Farms, LLC of Bancroft, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Irving Camp of Cornell, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Michael Glass of Durand, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Camp Streichert of Cornell, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Awesome Valley of Perkins, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Strom Camp of Cornell, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Marenger Family Hunting Club of Cornell, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Makula Farms of Blissfield, as a verified farm in Cropping and Farmstead Systems
- Rochowiak Farms of Milan, as a verified farm in Cropping and Farmstead Systems
- Allen Farms of Corunna, as a verified farm in Cropping, Farmstead, and Forest, Wetlands, Habitat Systems
- Beebe Farm of Whittemore, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Hull Brothers Farms of Bancroft, as a verified farm in Livestock and Farmstead Systems
- Leonard Ash Farm of Owosso, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Russell Farms of Kalamazoo, as a verified farm in Farmstead and Cropping Systems
- Miron Enterprises, LLC of Cornell, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Bac Acre Camp of Gladstone, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Middleton Maple Farm of Cornell, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Duane Rasch Orchards, LLC of Lowell, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Broken Arrow Camp of Gladstone, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Potato Lane Farm of Rock, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat Systems
- Hillcrest Farms of Eaton Rapids, as a verified farm in Cropping and Farmstead Systems
- Beam Farms of Charlotte, as a verified farm in Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems
- Gazo Griffore Camp of Rock, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Dave Perrault Properties and Forest of Maple Ridge, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Deer Track Farm of Rock, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Hammond Camp of Rock, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- State – Erkkila Properties of Rock, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Dionne Farms of Boyne City, as a verified farm in Farmstead, Livestock, and Cropping Systems
- Wooly Acres of Colon, as a verified farm in Cropping and Livestock Systems
- Central Grace Farms, LLC of Quincy, as a verified farm in Livestock and Farmstead Systems
- Seedling Home Farm of South Haven, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- De Saegher Dairy, Inc. of Middleton, as a verified farm in Livestock System
- Ox Heights Farm of Rogers City, as a verified farm in Farmstead, Cropping, Livestock, and Forest, Wetlands, Habitat Systems
- Thorne Farms of Hanover, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Swallow Hill Farms of Jackson, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Faist Farms, Inc. of Pleasant Lake, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Tomac Family Farm of Chesaning, as a verified farm in Farmstead and Cropping Systems
- Wiltzius Camp of Rapid River, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Camp Much Bucks of Perronville, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Springinsguth Properties of Bark River, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- The Forty of Nahma Township, Delta County, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Holmes Game Ranch of Davison, as a verified farm in Farmstead and Livestock Systems
- Meadows Produce, LLC of Clio, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Lindquist Farm of Rapid River, as a verified farm in Forest, Wetlands, Habitat System
- Perrone Vineyards of Levering, as a verified farm in Cropping and Farmstead System
- G & G Farms of Elwell, as a verified farm in Farmstead, Cropping, and Livestock Systems
- Gibson Chi-Angus Farm of Elwell, as a verified farm in Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems
- A & E Ag Research Farm (A division of TimacAgro, USA) of St. Louis, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Alma FFA Land Lab of Alma, as a verified farm in Cropping System
- Ligon Farms of Almont, as a verified farm in Cropping and Farmstead Systems
- Noble Hills Farm – 2 of Metamora, as a verified farm in Farmstead and Livestock Systems
- Lapeer County Education & Technology Center of Attica, as a verified farm in Farmstead and Cropping Systems
“By taking the steps necessary to become an environmentally verified operation, these 62 farms have contributed to the assurance of sustainable farming practices,” said MDARD Director Jamie Clover Adams. “Michigan is leading the national agriculture community in effective stewardship practices with the voluntary, incentive-based MAEAP program. The continued success of the program demonstrates that environmental sustainability and economic development are not mutually exclusive.”
MAEAP is a collaborative effort of farmers, MDARD, Michigan Farm Bureau, commodity organizations, universities, conservation districts, conservation and environmental groups and state and federal agencies. More than 100 local coordinators and technical service providers are available to assist farmers as they move through the MAEAP process toward verification. An average of 5,000 Michigan farmers attend educational programs annually, 10,000 Michigan farms have started the verification process and over 4,000 verifications to date.
To become MAEAP verified, farmers must complete three comprehensive steps which include attending an educational seminar, conducting a thorough on-farm risk assessment, and developing and implementing an action plan addressing potential environmental risks. MDARD conducts an on‑farm inspection to verify program requirements related to applicable state and federal environmental regulations, Michigan Right to Farm guidelines, and adherence to an action plan. When completed, the producer receives a certificate of environmental assurance. To remain a MAEAP verified farm, inspections must be conducted every five years and action steps must be followed.
In March of 2011, Governor Rick Snyder signed Senate Bill 122 and House Bill 4212, now Public Acts 1 and 2 of 2011, to codify the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program into law.
MAEAP is a multi-year program allowing producers to meet personal objectives, while best managing both time and resources. The program encompasses Four systems designed to help producers evaluate the environmental risks of their operation. Each system – Livestock, Farmstead, Cropping, and Forest, Wetlands and Habitat – examines a different aspect of a farm, as each has a different environmental impact. By participating in all four systems, producers can comprehensively evaluate their entire farming operation for potential environmental risks.
For more information, visit the MAEAP website at http://www.maeap.org or contact Joe Kelpinski, MDARD’s MAEAP Program Manager, at (517)284-5608.
— Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program
For more news from Michigan, click here.