Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[fuzzybutt love]

I'm a fumbling spaz too, btw, - but for them i'm cool and collected;

Just channel your inner sophistication and go with it Everyone that i know of still thinks this is about whether some nutty people can have chickens in the city or not, and so far not much sympathy at all. So last thing we want is to give them the satisfaction, right???! At least if we go down we can give them a good run for it and they'll remember us perhaps as people to be contended with.

 

[RaZ]

Raz, HELP!
I've done and got one of the guys at work all fired up about this whole shebang (he don't believe me). I told him everything i knew based on last year's draft that i went over a ton.
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I don't have access to my last year's links; I've been reading this year's site selection, and i can't find anywhere the part about losing the grandfather right, The bit about runoff making some existing farms non-compliant, The part where horses and rabbits were included, can't find WHAT zone you have to be in, and don't understand where the "generally accepted" cutoff is. The backbone of my arguments!!!! Everything i can see on the link is for "new" (us since we aren't registered) and "expanding" and not for "existing" operations. Now i see why the other guys aren't joining the fight; at this level it don't look like they are involved this time. They are, *right???*

Also i can't find a link to the DNR and hog thing, where they essentially gave DNR the right to go onto an existing farm and shoot the pigs if they "looked feral". I remember at least one large operation that lost everything last year, down to the last piglet over that one; but the guy at work said one must've gotten loose that the DNR would not "waste the man power" to go looking for trouble. Hmmph.

Essentially i have to prove to this guy that at least some existing livestock production facilities can and will lose them if this goes through. If i can show him this than he'll get his family involved; they own a local meat market or something along that line. They don't have sympathy toward city people and chickens, though.
But it would be a start?

You are jumping around quite a bit. I'm not following all of your points. Maybe because I'm tired.
As far as I know there is no "grandfather right". I don't think it holds real legal weight but I'm not an attorney.
A reference to horses is on page 4. You have to look at other documents for other livestock species.
The siting GAMMP uses category rather than zone as to what is acceptable. Except for Category 4 which excludes residential. Category 3 describes what is acceptable relative to proximity to residential zones. Is that what you mean?

Any operation that adds a new animal is considered "expanding".

The DNR is using an Invasive Species Order (ISO) to shut down farms like Baker's and others. The DNR used their police powers to order the farmers themselves to shoot their pigs.

You could mention to this person that the weakest farmers (us) will be targeted first. Then the medium sized operations, until the only meat store is part of the big ag machine. Also that enforcement will be turned over to individual towns to decide if farming is even allowed.


More on this later, I'm exhausted.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

OK, me too. Can't even type straight *yawn.*

I've been over and over this new draft and i can't find one thing that'll hurt the livestock production facilities, or livestock in general unless you are in the zone 4 no-no area. the #3 area allows for livestock, just not the livestock production of the bigger ag. It even starts the chart out at 50+, so 50 units and under are unregulated??? (5000 laying hens, 2,750 turkeys)

"Category 3 sites may be zoned for agriculture but generally not suitable for livestock production facilities. They may be suitable for livestock facilities." (us little guys)
"Total Animal Units For new Operations ......50-249
Non-Farm Residences ............................... 6-13
Within Distance (of)...................................within ¼ mile
Property Line Setback1.............................. 250 ft

MDARD Site Review and Verification Process Upon Producer Request

 

[SillyChicken]

Up till 1:00 last night working on this drawing...I'm.. sleepy....ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz zzzzZZZZZZZZ ZZzzzzzzzzzzz........

 

[Candy442]

​

a FAQ to RTF and GAAMPS in Michigan

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdard/RIGHT_TO_FARM_ACT_Final_3_422144_7.pdf?20140116075811

the GAAMPS that are currently in place are:


http://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1599_1605---,00.html

Good brochure explaining RTF and GAAMPs relating to it

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdard/Right_to_Farm_Brochure_412506_7.pdf?20140116075811


After reading the information and if you wish to make a comment on the proposed changes in the specific GAAMPS listed, here is the link to where the information goes during the "public comment" period:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1572_3628-318925--,00.html

 

[perliczki]

Up till 1:00 last night working on this drawing...I'm.. sleepy....ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz zzzzZZZZZZZZ ZZzzzzzzzzzzz........

hmmm, very nice. U begins the day you and I'll go to sleep

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

A concern I have regarding site selection. As I'm reading proposed changes here, I'm not seeing how Land Topography falls into consideration.

 

[Opa]

My phone just rang and I heard "He takes his tractor another round" so without answering I know my old friend is up and his day is underway. I initially thought he might object to calling me each morning, but he actually likes doing it. I recently heard him telling someone about calling me each day and it was almost as if he was bragging about our friendship.

My day has been underway long enough to drink 3 cups of coffee, eat a handful of pizelles, and work 3 crossword puzzles. So I know that my brain is still working and I just have to convince the rest of me to get moving. Dark and cold aren't conducive to much of anything so maybe if the sun comes out I will find some initiative.

I just saw my dog move and now I just have to wait for Granny to wake to know that both of the old girls in my life are also ready to face the day. Granny rarely has trouble finding the initiative to do things. She recently started crocheting a tablecloth that when finished will contain 1080 very intricately knotted blocks of fine thread. Some might consider that to be a rather ambitious project for an 87 year old woman but she says if she does at least 2 blocks per day it will be done before you know it.

My old farmer's birthday is tomorrow, he will be 89, and for many years we have always taken him out for lunch on his special day. One year we were a couple of days late and the following year he reminded us so we wouldn't make the same mistake as the previous year.

Well I hear Granny stirring so I guess I'd better go get her breakfast. My life seems to revolve around the needs of the elderly and of late most of the geriatric issues I've had to deal with have been my own. Happily I'm able to deal with them so life is good.

 

[LoveMyChicklets]

Up till 1:00 last night working on this drawing...I'm.. sleepy....ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz zzzzZZZZZZZZ ZZzzzzzzzzzzz........

You have an AMAZING talent!!!! Just beautiful!

 

[SillyChicken]

It's the wording in category 3, MAY be... that leaves it up to the whim and discretion of township officials.. This leaves it wide open. Yes, one may be able to go years maintaining a small farm, and then a new neighbor moves in like Raz's and opps, there goes your farm because the township feels the need to kiss her behind vs the farm.