Michigan Right to Farm Law, what does it mean?

[aart]

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.

Exactly!

 

[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.

It took three years of me fighting my township before I finally had victory. They even told me "there is no such thing as the right to farm act" they tried to tell me I could not have ONE SIGLE HEN on 50+ acres!!!

 

[reneesal5]

Ok so my question is can I begin a very small chicken farming in Jackson city?

 

[KearsargeCoop]

I was hoping to gain more knowledge of how MDARD views the USDA exemptions...can anyone help shed some light or point me in the right direction?

 

[wingless]

I was hoping to gain more knowledge of how MDARD views the USDA exemptions...can anyone help shed some light or point me in the right direction?

Here is a link to an extension website with general information:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/33350/poultry-processing-regulations-and-exemptions

And a link to an extension website with Michigan-specific information (scroll down to Michigan): http://articles.extension.org/sites/default/files/NMPAN_State_Poultry_Regs_October_2015.pdf

And here is a list of resources from Munsell's:
http://www.munsellspoultryprocessing.com/uploads/Selling_Meat_in_the_State_of_Michigan.pdf

However, I don't find any of these to be simple or clear. If you find a better resource I hope you'll post.

 

[Suzanne Aubin]

Help! I live in Eastpointe MI. I think I may have jumped the gun. They recently legalized backyard chicken here in Eastpointe. However, the hoops the city is making you jump through are huge.
1. All adjoining property owners must sign off that it is ok
2. Coop plans must be approved before a license can be paid for.
3. Only 3 chickens are aloud
4. Coop must be inspected by animal control within in 30 days of licensing or license will be revoked.
And there is more.

The law that was on the books up until recently was u could have live chickens if you were an educational institution or a research institution and/or where using the chickens for educational purposes or research purposes and/or the chickens are available for public viewing. The wording is very strange.

I knew the changes where in the works. So I went and bought some chicks with the hope of being grandfathered in under the old rules. The licensing paper work and permit where not available until the first of June. I have had chickens on the property since April.

I really don't want to get rid of my nine chickens. I have a 16 year old daughter. Who has learned a lot about chickens. She is not being home schooled. The neighbor kids love coming and seeing the chickens they have learned a lot. Even my adult neighbors tell me how much they have learned. In addition one of the chickens is blind or nearly blind.

At this point, I don't think the city has discovered my hidden treasure.

Help don't want to re-home my chickens.

 

[Falls farm]

Lots of questions...

Don't build an indoor market, sell outdoors from a portable stand, refrigerator or cooler. That solves the "market" issue. Signs are permitted once you are a farm, keep them on your land, not on the right of way, and buildings used exclusively for ag don't need building permits (coops and sheds...markets are not exempt).

Shelby Township has zero ag zoned property since 1963. Just remember that all nearly all land in SE Michigan was once ag land. We now have 400 chickens on our one acre and are surrounded by upscale homes. RTFA is for real. Just do it by the RTFA/GAAMPS and keep things clean and orderly.

I found this thread and I am in Clinton Township. If you're still farming and are able to help me with any advice on how to make the township understand I would be very grateful thanks Mike

 

[macombcochick]

I found this thread and I am in Clinton Township. If you're still farming and are able to help me with any advice on how to make the township understand I would be very grateful thanks Mike

This coming Monday, July 15th, a new ordinance to allow chickens in Clinton Two. Will be presented. It's a long way from being perfect, but I believe if enough residents show up to show appreciation for the effort, and calmly discuss elements that should be changed, then we have made progress. As currently written, all adjacent neighbors would have to agree in writing before chickens could be kept. I believe this to be overly restrictive given the fact that there is a complaint mechanism in the ordinance to deal with verified issues. There is other twerking that needs to be addressed, but let's show the township board our interest and see where it leads. Come to Monday's board mtg. And bring any others you know that support keeping chickens. The proposed ordinance was printed the The Chronicle paper last week.

 

[aart]

As currently written, all adjacent neighbors would have to agree in writing before chickens could be kept. I believe this to be overly restrictive given the fact that there is a complaint mechanism in the ordinance to deal with verified issues.

Wonders if that signed consent would disallow any complaints down the road?

 

[macombcochick]

Wonders if that signed consent would disallow any complaints down the road?

Ordinance states signed permission in hopes of avoiding complaints