Governor Granholm has signed the MDA budget for FY2010, vetoes to several 
line items that will have a huge negative impact on Michigan producers.   This 
budget is a severe blow to Michigan Department of Agriculture and 
Conservation Districts.

link to the Governor's press release.  http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-
168--224263--,00.html

A 2/3 vote is needed in the house and senate to overturn the governor’s veto. 
Please help by contacting local legislators and asking them to renew funding 
to these valuable programs!!!

Talking Points:  (provided by Michigan Association of Conservation Districts)

The Legislature had reduced MDA's budget by 10 percent in general fund 
dollars when it was presented to the Governor for signature. It included $84.6 
million total funding with $30.6 million general fund. 
  
The Governor signed MDA's budget on Oct. 14; however, it included 16 line-
item vetoes and additional boilerplate vetoes resulting in $73.3 million in total 
FY2010 funding for MDA. The vetoes cut an additional $11.3 million in total 
funding from MDA's already reduced budget, including a $537,900 general fund 
reduction, giving MDA a 13 percent total budget reduction (1.7 percent 
general fund) compared to the legislature's proposal. 
 
The vetoes have direct program impacts including:   

•         $300,000 cut from the Agriculture Development Division eliminating the 
Select Michigan program, curtailing agriculture economic development efforts, 
and hindering MDA's ability to work with the state's commodity groups. 

•         The veto eliminates $236,900 in grant funding for Michigan's 79 local 
conservation districts. 


•         $540,100 in funding to support the Michigan Agricultural Surplus 
System. The MASS program provides a safe, fast, and convenient system for 
the state's food industry to donate products, plus reimburse growers, packers 
and processors for costs incurred in preparing donations for local food banks. 
Since 2001, the state’s local conversation districts have seen steady decline 
in funding support. In nine years, funding levels have gone from $2.8 million in 
funding now to zero. 

•         $485,100 cut for producer security effectively eliminating that 
program.  


•         $6,625,800 veto cuts all equine grant administration, which ends all 
state funding for local county fairs including premium payments and building 
improvements. 



MDA has already issued 15 layoff notices effective November 1, 2009 based 
on the legislature’s proposal. The vetoes within the approved budget will result 
in potentially 25 additional layoffs. This is in addition to six staff that were 
eliminated with the Executive Order in July. 

MDA has already eliminated programs based upon funding reductions including 
pet shop and horse riding stable inspections, seed testing, fertilizer testing, 
agrichemical bulk storage, dry bean grading, and Upper Peninsula State Fair 
A supplemental to restore equine development funding, producer security and 
other critical funding areas within the budget is being prepared by MDA in 
coordination with the State Budget Office. 

Authorization for dairy inspection fee increases and the creation of a migrant 
labor housing inspection fee are included in MDA’s budget and those bills are 
currently being developed. 


 Please contact your local legislators and encourage them to supports these 
valuable programs.

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