LANSING – Farms verified under the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program would be exempt from civil fines associated with unintentional water discharges under legislation on its way to the desk of Governor Rick Snyder.
The House passed SB 122 , 83-25, on Tuesday without amendment, while the Senate signed off on HB 4212 , 28-8, also without amendment.
MAEAP is currently a voluntary program under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, but the legislation codifies the program into law.
Approximately 1,000 farms participate in MAEAP currently, although the Michigan Farm Bureau hopes 5,000 farms will end up participating in the program, which is designed to teach effective land stewardship practices that comply with state and federal regulations and show producers how to find and prevent agricultural pollution risks on their farms.
During floor debate, some Democrats argued the legislation will be too lenient to farms that have multiple discharges.
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