Tomorrow the House Agriculture Committee (at 2:00 pm or after House session, in Room 426 of the Anderson House Office Building) will be taking up a package of bills intended to establish in statute the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), and to provide incentives for producers to become MAEAP certified as a means of facilitating land and water resource stewardship.

 

This package, House Bills 5711  5716, have attracted interest because they include CAFOs or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and the issue of agricultural storm water discharges, as well as provisions regarding nuisance or anonymous complaints to the department. 

 

For a link to the most up-to-date legislative analysis of the package, go to:

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2005-2006/billanalysis/House/htm/2005-HLA-5711-1.htm

 

The diverse interest groups involved were  at one time  thought to have arrived at some agreement on parts of the package. 

 

At this point we dont know if amendments or substitute bills reflecting these or other discussions will be offered tomorrow.

 

Stay Tuned!

 

 

[log in to unmask]" align=bottom>