LANSING — The Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development (MCARD) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) have announced a public comment period and public input meeting regarding the 2020 drafts of the state’s Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs).
The deadline for submitting public comments is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22.
The public meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 22, in the Gordon Guyer Conference Room at MDARD’s William C. Geagley Laboratory, located at 1615 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823.
Public comments will be accepted on all the GAAMPs: Manure Management and Utilization; Care of Farm Animals; Site Selection and Odor Control for New and Expanding Livestock Facilities; Pesticide Utilization and Pest Control; Nutrient Utilization; Farm Markets; Cranberry Production; and Irrigation Water Use.
Written comments may be submitted to MDARD’s Environmental Stewardship Division, P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909 and must be postmarked no later than October 22. Comments also may be emailed to MDARD-rtf@michigan.gov by no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 22.
The GAAMPs are reviewed annually by committees of various experts, and proposed revisions are voted upon by the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development.
For a copy of the GAAMPs, including proposed revisions, visit www.michigan.gov/righttofarm or call MDARD’s Environmental Stewardship Division at 517-284-5619 or toll-free at 877-632-1783.
— Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
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