Michigan Farm Bureau declares that wind farms are NOT farms –

MICHIGAN –

From “Farmer’s Exchange” – Published: Friday, December 12, 2014

After this year’s hubbub over Right-to-Farm Act relevance to urban farming, Michigan Farm Bureau members fine-tuned their Right-to-Farm policies during their 95th annual meeting in Grand Rapids.

Tasked with writing guidance for the organization in 2015 as it continues to promote and defend agriculture, delegates at MFB’s annual meeting tackled two policies to give direction about Right-to-Farm for the coming year.

“We support a cooperative effort among Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Farm Bureau and other stakeholders to establish a definition for commercial production of farm products within the GAAMPs framework,” new language approved by delegates reads.

GAAMPs—Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices—are voluntary guidelines farmers must follow to receive Right-to-Farm protection against nuisance lawsuits over common farming activities.

Earlier this year, some urban farmers attempted to invoke Right-to-Farm Act protections in defense of their practices when local ordinances stifled them. But, as originally composed, the law was designed specifically to protect farms from encroaching suburbia. Since it was enacted…continue reading…