Michigan Right to Farm Act in Jeopardy!! You must act now!

[Bluebonnet]

I find this trend disturbing to say the least.

It reminds me of collectivization in Communist Russia, right before the Holodomor began.

No government should ever be allowed to have control over farmers like this, because there has never been a case in history where it has ever turned out well for those subject to it.

Do we control our food supply or does our government?

That is really what this argument is about, because if they control our food, they control us.

 

[RaZ]

Hi folks,
I just found this thread. There are many of us here in Michigan that have been sounding the alert for some time now. The public hearing on the proposed changes was closed on January 22 after a very short window of opportunity to voice your opinion. Even so, there were over 800 pages of correspondence sent to MDARD. That does not include the letters and calls to the Ag Commissioners, the Ag Director, the governor and others in Lansing.

You can find some more information here: http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c9b2937d5c9adfe92dcf29812&id=73b4bc11c9&e=2f76763848

The next meeting is Wednesday, February 12, 2014 and attendees have an opportunity to speak for a maximum of three (3) minutes.

 

[Fluffnpuff]

Every time i see something like this i weep for our country. 1 of 2 things brought about the proposed changes. Either big agri sees this as a way to wipe out any potential for competition or some of the more wealthy jones town styled home owners association went into full panic mode when one of them had their chauffeur drive them to the outskirts of the city and they saw a few tomato plants off in the distance.

 

[Bluebonnet]

Every time i see something like this i weep for our country. 1 of 2 things brought about the proposed changes. Either big agri sees this as a way to wipe out any potential for competition or some of the more wealthy jones town styled home owners association went into full panic mode when one of them had their chauffeur drive them to the outskirts of the city and they saw a few tomato plants off in the distance.

Wealth is more than money, it is a lifestyle.

Jackie Kennedy lived on a farm as a child and when she was married, her and her entire family spent so much time on the farm that it was referred to as the Summer White House.

If farm life is good enough for the Kennedys, it is good enough for anyone else too!

Wealthy persons even buy estate farms, pricing many would be farmers out of the market for farm land.

With that said, I'm banking on this being more government driven than anything else. No doubt, our politicians have found a way to have their palms crossed with some cash at the expense of the average American.

 

[RaZ]

I've been neck-deep in this fight for over 2 years now. There are a lot of facets as to the "why" that changes are being proposed.
Part of it is politics. MDARD has a director who was appointed by the governor to promote Michigan Ag. Mostly to the Chinese market. That excludes nearly every small and medium farm operation who cannot meet export volumes or prices.

The Michigan Farm Bureau supports excluding small farms because they don't want Urban farming. Their primary business is selling insurance NOT promoting self sustaining agriculture.

The organization of townships want to micromanage local zoning ordinances to make up for lost tax revenue due to the economy tanking.

The CAFOs do not like allowing people the opportunity to shop for locally produced organic food.

This part is conjecture on my part but when the Michigan RTF Act was amended in 1999, the law was bought and paid for by huge corporate interests to protect themselves from any local oversight. The problem was that the language of the law protects ALL Michigan citizens not just the select few who paid for the law. They resent the fact that small farmers are currently covered and protected by this state law. So for the last three (3) years, they have been trying to exclude any farm operation that is not not part of a PAC or CAFO.

The easiest target is the backyard chicken keeper. Most do not have the resources for a legal battle even though the law is crystal clear. ALL people in Michigan have the right to farm on a commercial level regardless of where they live.

The proposed changes have nothing to do with animal welfare or environmental protection. They have nothing to do with sound science. The proposed changes are politically motivated. If approved, the proposed changes will deny food freedom to ~80% of Michigan citizens and deny them their state and constitutional rights.

 

[Bluebonnet]

I know the good people up North like getting fresh food and often times, local is their only option to get the variety and quality they desire.

Nonsense laws are designed to monopolize the market and force buyers to purchase from cheap, poor quality, bulk suppliers, because the little farmer is not able to compete in terms of price, but they can compete in terms of quality. However, with over 47 million Americans on SNAP, they do not have the luxury of being able to afford the higher price for the better quality product. Small farmers struggle or are put out of business altogether and the cycle of poverty and dependence deepens.

Resistance to this is necessary and patriotic.

 

[Rusnakes]

So, what are they going to do to those people who already have livestock (cows, sheep, chickens, goats...)? That's a LOT of backyard animals across the state.

 

[Bluebonnet]

So, what are they going to do to those people who already have livestock (cows, sheep, chickens, goats...)? That's a LOT of backyard animals across the state.

What CAN they do?

Detroit is bankrupt the Michigan is pretty hard up in some other areas. It seems like it would be difficult to enforce.

What would become of the animals? Confiscate them? Kill them? The outrage from animal rights groups and others would be enormous.

Who is going to foot the bill for all of that? The original owners? If someone tried to confiscate and kill my animals and THEN charge me for doing it, they could count on a lawsuit.

Perhaps they will 'grandfather' those with animals, but what about breeders and those who wish to maintain permanent flocks, therefore new animals? Would they grandfather the offspring?

What about our children and grandchildren who want and may by necessity need to keep animals?

They would just wait for the old farmers and backyard enthusiasts to die off and they would get their way in the end.

There can be no compromise!

 

[Rusnakes]

I agree, KatherineM. It would make for a mess for some folks in some places. Here, we are in the township and they don't much care what we do to a certain extent. We have rules, but as long as we ask for permission for something, they can usually find a way to make it work.

Reminds me of the issues down in KY with the size of the land dictating whether it is a farm or not. As if you couldn't farm successfully on 5 acres? Bureaucracy.

 

[Bluebonnet]

I agree, KatherineM. It would make for a mess for some folks in some places. Here, we are in the township and they don't much care what we do to a certain extent. We have rules, but as long as we ask for permission for something, they can usually find a way to make it work.

Reminds me of the issues down in KY with the size of the land dictating whether it is a farm or not. As if you couldn't farm successfully on 5 acres? Bureaucracy.

You know what I would do if I were an owner facing these ridiculous changes? I would go to a therapist and have them sign papers stating that they are my companion animals.

Let's see them try to take your animals then!

When it comes to the way of life for me, my family and others, as well as the very life of my animals, they can count on me playing as dirty as possible. If they want to kill my animals, I would make them work for it and make it a very expensive proposition for them to try and fight me on it.

I hope animal owners in Michigan and elsewhere do not take this lying down. All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for good people to do nothing. It starts small like this and before you know it, we won't even be allowed to plant gardens!