Michigan Right to Farm Law, what does it mean?

[wingless]

This entire thread is about Michigan's Right to Farm Act, which in 1999 was amended to prohibit the use of zoning to interfere with those farmers who are commercial (for example, by selling some eggs), and which follow applicable GAAMPs.

Since then there have been 4 court cases involving farms in residentially zoned areas that have made it to the Appeals Court level, and in three of those cases the three-judge court panels ruled that the residentially-zoned farms WERE protected by the Right to Farm Act. The fourth case was a split decision, with Bill Schuette, who was then an Appeals Court Judge, writing a dissent arguing that the farm was protected. Schuette is now our Attorney General. More information on these court cases and others can be found here: http://sustainablefarmpolicy.org/the-courts/

There is a lot more to this story, but the point that I want to make is that in Michigan no one should think that their local units of government are the only (or the best) place to look for information on whether their farming activities are protected. The Michigan Right to Farm Act was amended in 1999 in a way that protects every farmer in the state regardless of size or place. Even small, residentially zoned operations have been ruled by our courts to be protected by Right to Farm - regardless of local zoning that prohibits those farm activities.

 

[reneesal5]

I was using the rabbits as an example. They are pets. But when they get older yea they may be killed for freezer.

Anyways the way it is worded now was not how it was before. But even with the city saying no poultry that would still violate the right to farm act correct? So saying such it would be legal seeing I have every intention of selling eggs correct? I want to figure this out before I persue obtaining the hens.

 

[64red]

Have y'all seen this? Is it true?

Michigan Loses ‘Right To Farm’ This Week: A Farewell To Backyard Chickens and Beekeepers
June 20, 2016 Other 5 Comments
Little blond girl with farm chickens in pen.
Michigan residents lost their “right to farm” this week thanks to a new ruling by the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development. Gail Philburn of the Michigan Sierra Club told Michigan Live, the news changes “effectively remove Right to Farm Act protection for many urban and suburban backyard farmers raising small numbers of animals.”

Backyard and urban farming were previously protected by Michigan’s Right to Farm Act. The Commission ruled that the Right to Farm Act protections no longer apply to many homeowners who keep small numbers of livestock.



Kim White, who raises chickens and rabbits, said, “They don’t want us little guys feeding ourselves. They want us to go all to the big farms. They want to do away with small farms and I believe that is what’s motivating it.”

The ruling will allow local governments to arbitrarily ban goats, chickens and beehives on any property where there are 13 homes within one eighth mile or a residence within 250 feet of the property, according to Michigan Public Radio.

The Right to Farm Act was created in 1981 to protect farmers from the complaints of people from the city who moved to the country and then attempted to make it more urban with anti-farming ordinances. The new changes affect residents of rural Michigan too. It is not simply an urban or suburban concern.



Shady Grove Farm in Gwinn, Michigan is the six and a half acre home to 150 egg-laying hens that provide eggs to a local co-op and a local restaurant. The small Michigan farm also homes sheep for wool and a few turkeys and meat chickens to provide fresh healthy, local poultry.

“We produce food with integrity,” Randy Buchler told The Blaze about Shady Grove Farm. “Everything we do here is 100 percent natural — we like to say it’s beyond organic.

We take a lot of pride and care in what we’re doing here.” Shady Grove Farm was doing its part to bring healthy, local, organic food to the tables of Gwinn residents, and it mirrors the attitudes of hundreds of other small farming operations in Michigan and thousands of others popping up around the nation.

The ruling comes within days of a report by The World Health Organization that stated the world is currently in grave danger of entering a post-antibiotic era. The WHO’s director-general Dr. Margaret Chan argued that the antibiotic use in our industrialized food supply is the worst offender adding to the global crisis.

“The Michigan Agriculture Commission passed up an opportunity to support one of the hottest trends in food in Michigan – public demand for access to more local, healthy, sustainable food,” Gail Philbin told MLive.

Meanwhile, neighboring Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 179 a few weeks before which freed up poultry and egg sales from local and state regulation.

Yesterday, the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced massive funding to support research about small and medium-sized family farms, such as small farms ability to build-up local and regional economic systems. “There’s a lot of unnecessary legal action being taken against small farms who are doing good things in their communities,” said Randy Buchler, who is also on the board of directors for the Michigan Small Farm Council.

The Michigan Small Farm Council actively fought to support Michigan farming freedom, but ultimately the Commission voted to approve the new restrictions.

“Farm Bureau has become another special interest beholden to big business and out of touch with small farmers, and constitutional and property rights of the little guy,” Pine Hallow Farms wrote to the Michigan Small Farm Council.

The Michigan Farm Bureau endorsed the new regulatory changes. Matthew Kapp, government relations specialist with Michigan Farm Bureau, told MLive that the members weighed in and felt that people raising livestock need to conform to local zoning ordinances. The Farm Bureau did not feel Michigan’s Right To Farm Act was meant to protect the smaller farms, and ultimately the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development agreed.

 

[64red]

Have y'all seen this? Is it true?

Michigan Loses ‘Right To Farm’ This Week: A Farewell To Backyard Chickens and Beekeepers
June 20, 2016 Other 5 Comments
Little blond girl with farm chickens in pen.
Michigan residents lost their “right to farm” this week thanks to a new ruling by the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development. Gail Philburn of the Michigan Sierra Club told Michigan Live, the news changes “effectively remove Right to Farm Act protection for many urban and suburban backyard farmers raising small numbers of animals.”

Backyard and urban farming were previously protected by Michigan’s Right to Farm Act. The Commission ruled that the Right to Farm Act protections no longer apply to many homeowners who keep small numbers of livestock.



Kim White, who raises chickens and rabbits, said, “They don’t want us little guys feeding ourselves. They want us to go all to the big farms. They want to do away with small farms and I believe that is what’s motivating it.”

The ruling will allow local governments to arbitrarily ban goats, chickens and beehives on any property where there are 13 homes within one eighth mile or a residence within 250 feet of the property, according to Michigan Public Radio.

The Right to Farm Act was created in 1981 to protect farmers from the complaints of people from the city who moved to the country and then attempted to make it more urban with anti-farming ordinances. The new changes affect residents of rural Michigan too. It is not simply an urban or suburban concern.



Shady Grove Farm in Gwinn, Michigan is the six and a half acre home to 150 egg-laying hens that provide eggs to a local co-op and a local restaurant. The small Michigan farm also homes sheep for wool and a few turkeys and meat chickens to provide fresh healthy, local poultry.

“We produce food with integrity,” Randy Buchler told The Blaze about Shady Grove Farm. “Everything we do here is 100 percent natural — we like to say it’s beyond organic.

We take a lot of pride and care in what we’re doing here.” Shady Grove Farm was doing its part to bring healthy, local, organic food to the tables of Gwinn residents, and it mirrors the attitudes of hundreds of other small farming operations in Michigan and thousands of others popping up around the nation.

The ruling comes within days of a report by The World Health Organization that stated the world is currently in grave danger of entering a post-antibiotic era. The WHO’s director-general Dr. Margaret Chan argued that the antibiotic use in our industrialized food supply is the worst offender adding to the global crisis.

“The Michigan Agriculture Commission passed up an opportunity to support one of the hottest trends in food in Michigan – public demand for access to more local, healthy, sustainable food,” Gail Philbin told MLive.

Meanwhile, neighboring Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 179 a few weeks before which freed up poultry and egg sales from local and state regulation.

Yesterday, the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced massive funding to support research about small and medium-sized family farms, such as small farms ability to build-up local and regional economic systems. “There’s a lot of unnecessary legal action being taken against small farms who are doing good things in their communities,” said Randy Buchler, who is also on the board of directors for the Michigan Small Farm Council.

The Michigan Small Farm Council actively fought to support Michigan farming freedom, but ultimately the Commission voted to approve the new restrictions.

“Farm Bureau has become another special interest beholden to big business and out of touch with small farmers, and constitutional and property rights of the little guy,” Pine Hallow Farms wrote to the Michigan Small Farm Council.

The Michigan Farm Bureau endorsed the new regulatory changes. Matthew Kapp, government relations specialist with Michigan Farm Bureau, told MLive that the members weighed in and felt that people raising livestock need to conform to local zoning ordinances. The Farm Bureau did not feel Michigan’s Right To Farm Act was meant to protect the smaller farms, and ultimately the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development agreed.

 

[aart]

Have y'all seen this? Is it true?

Michigan Loses ‘Right To Farm’ This Week: A Farewell To Backyard Chickens and Beekeepers
June 20, 2016 Other 5 Comments.......

Googled it and found the same verbiage posted as far back as May 2014.
Do you have a link to where this was posted?

 

[sumi]

Quote: @aart I just found this posted on FB, here is a link:

http://checkoutthehealthyworld.com/...m-week-farewell-backyard-chickens-beekeepers/

 

[aart]

Quote: @aart I just found this posted on FB, here is a link:

http://checkoutthehealthyworld.com/...m-week-farewell-backyard-chickens-beekeepers/
Yep, looks like it could be the one 'cited' just above our posts here.
That article has been posted and shared and pasted all over the place ever since it's first publication early-mid 2014(I think that's when it first came out).
Although the issue was/is real, I believe that it's often used as a 'breaking news' shock and awe bait....people don't bother to do a little research and keep spreading it.

 

[sumi]

I really hope that is the case, @aart A legislation like this does not make sense to me AT ALL. Though I'm sure it does to some people somewhere, thinking corporate, big farming operations, etc.

 

[RTFchickens]

I really hope that is the case, @aart
 A legislation like this does not make sense to me AT ALL. Though I'm sure it does to some people somewhere, thinking corporate, big farming operations, etc.

I'm not aware of any "new" RTFA changes. I'm a MFB member, as well as a MSFC member. I owned animals against my township ordinance, so I try to stay on top of new changes. I think the article is "old news". I don't believe the GAAMPS changes are legal, and I don't believe they would stand in court.
Wingless is a better person to ask than me.

 

[wingless]

Yes, I spoke to the author of the original, 2014 piece yesterday.

She said there are pages that search for previously viral articles, and then just run them again in the hopes of getting a lot of hits on their site, and making a lot of money.

Nothing has changed with Michigan's Right to Farm Act since 1999, and nothing major has changed with the GAAMPs since 2014.