LANSING – Farmers are hailing legislation that would give them further legal protections for complying with the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program, but environmental groups are arguing the legislation provides protections for large animal operations.

Under the bills, SB 122 and SB 123 , reported from the Senate Agriculture Committee this week and HB 4212 and HB 4213 , before the House Agriculture Committee next week, the Department of Agriculture’s current voluntary program would be moved to statute with an advisory council to assist with implementation of the program.

The department would also develop a grant program to assist farmers in developing plans to comply with the program.

Farms that are verified under the program would be exempt from fines for certain water discharges.

“Coming from a farming family, I know how important agriculture is to our state,” said Sen. Joe Hune (R-Hamburg), sponsor of the Senate legislation and chair of the committee. “Agriculture pumps billions of dollars into the state economy every year. My measures make vital changes to the environmental assurance program to ensure that the state provides real benefits for farmers who voluntarily comply with environmental standards.”

The Michigan Farm Bureau is hoping the bills will help expand participation in the program to 5,000 farms from the current 1,000 (there are about 56,000 farms in the state).

“MAEAP is equivalent to a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for environmentally responsible and conscious farms and is a tremendous asset to the state on a variety of fronts, from helping to safeguard the environment and advance conservation to making Michigan farms more sustainable and appealing to consumers. Yet, historically, the program has not received the support it deserves to reach its maximum potential. Farm Bureau is optimistic that’s about to change,” said Matt Smego, Michigan Farm Bureau state legislative counsel.

But environmental groups said the bills would essentially give the largest animal facilities a free pass on pollution. While the program applies to all farms, groups said only the largest operations would have the money to complete the studies and plans required to be verified under MAEAP.

“Unlike in previous years, the bills don’t attempt to remove the obligation for CAFOs to obtain a permit as required by state and federal law. However, by severely weakening pollution standards, the MAEAP program would increase pollution from CAFOs and reduce penalties and fines for polluters,” the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter said in a statement.

Smego said the program has not been limited to animal operations. “Eight hundred and seventy-five have verifications,” he said. “They are all different types from orchards to greenhouses, some livestock. I’m pretty sure those farms aren’t all large CAFOs.”

And he said the reductions in fines and other benefits proposed in the bills are in part recognition of the cost of being verified.

“It would encourage all farms to go above and beyond (any permit requirements),” he said. “There are certain things the permit program does not provide that MAEAP would.”

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