Demo Energy Crops Planted in Midland
Dow Corning Corporation will soon have a bio-mass energy facility built at its Midland location which will supply steam and up to 40 MW of electricity. To be owned and operated by Midland Power...
View ArticleView from Washington D.C.
Earlier in the year, I attended the Michigan Farm Bureau National Legislative Seminar in Washington, DC. The hot topics included ratification of free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama, and...
View ArticleLand Contract Guarantee Program - A New Farm Succession Planning Tool?
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is administering a new program that may prove to be a valuable succession planning tool for farmers. Effective as of January 3, 2012, the Land Contract Guarantee Program...
View ArticleEstate Planning and Business Succession Planning for the Family Farm
Many larger family farms may see relief from estate taxes as a result of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010. Although the Tax Relief Act has focused...
View ArticleMSU Releases Impact Study of Michigan’s Food & Ag Sector
The food and agriculture industry contributes about $91.4 billion to Michigan's economy according to an updated Michigan State University (MSU) study. That's an increase of more than 50 percent...
View ArticleSupreme Court Case United States v. Arizona is Critical to Agriculture
Farmers and farm advocacy groups are awaiting the scheduled late June decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Arizona because the decision will significantly impact the national...
View ArticleImpact of Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 on Dairy Farmers
This summer, the U.S. Senate voted to proceed to consideration of the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 (2012 Farm Bill). The proposed bill can be accessed on the Senate Agriculture...
View ArticleDepartment of Labor Withdraws Proposed Child Labor Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor has withdrawn a proposed child labor rule and emphasized that the rule will not be revisited during the Obama administration. The proposed rule garnered vast opposition...
View ArticleNew Safeguards to Protect Consumers from Foodborne Illness
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set new safeguards that will better protect consumers from foodborne illness in meat and poultry products. It will now be easier to trace contaminated food...
View ArticleFruit Growers: Don’t Wait to Make Calls about Crop Insurance
MSU Extension is urging growers with severe crop damage to promptly make two calls - one to their local county USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office and another to their crop insurance agent. If you...
View ArticleStabenow Calls for Finalized Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Rules
Sen. Debbie Stabenow is urging the nation’s chief financial regulators to implement the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Stabenow, chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture...
View ArticleWill Provisions to the Tax Relief Act Be Extended?
The Tax Relief Act provided significant new opportunities for lifetime gifting and passing a greater amount of assets at death without adverse gift or estate taxes. While Congress and the President...
View ArticleDisaster Loans Available To Help Recover From Drought
Federal economic injury disaster loans are now available to those impacted by the drought in Berrien, Branch, Cass, Hillsdale and Saint Joseph counties in Michigan. According to the U.S. Small...
View ArticleCrop Insurance Will Pay On Drought-Damaged Crops
Victims of drought might be eligible for crop insurance indemnity payments if they take the right steps. According to Jan Eliassen – a private risk management education consultant for the crop...
View ArticleObama Calls on Congress to Pass Farm Bill
Earlier this month, President Obama called on Congress to pass the stalled five-year farm bill, calling it the single best way to help rural communities recover from this summer's historic drought....
View ArticleFarmers Pleased with Changes to Trucking Rules
Michigan farmers and others who operate trucks and trailers with load capacities less than 26,001 pounds will no longer need to meet certain regulations in transportation law. According to Matt Smego,...
View ArticleReining In Urban Farming – No More RTFA Protection?
Background on the Right to Farm Act (RTFA) In 2000, the Michigan Legislature amended the Michigan Right to Farm Act (RTFA), making it one of the most protective farm statutes in the country. One of...
View ArticleSmall Scale Food Businesses Consider Whether Nutritional Labeling is Worth...
Most food manufacturers are required to label products with nutritional information, but those who aren’t required must decide whether to do it anyway. Who is required and who isn’t? Nutrition Facts...
View ArticleSBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Now Available in Michigan
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering federal economic injury disaster loans in eight Michigan counties that had excessive rain last August. The loans are available to small...
View ArticleFarm Bill Still Stalled
With members of Congress back in session for a lame duck session, the future of the stalled farm bill remains uncertain. It’s possible the bill, which includes $35 billion in savings over 10 years,...
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