Uphold Michigan's RFTA

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Protect Michigan's Right to Farm Act - FAX Senate Ag Committee Members

Michigan currently has the best Right to Farm Act (RTFA) in the country; under Michigan's RTFA, all Michigan citizens have the right to farm as long as they are a commercial operation of any size and the farm follows applicable generally accepted agricultural and management practices (GAAMPs) determined by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

MDARD claims that "raising chickens or other food for your own family's consumption has never been within the scope of the Right to Farm Act" but fails to admit that many who do also sell what they produce and thereby qualify as a commercial operation. The changes invite local government to enforce zoning requirements which the RTFA clearly prohibits. Owning a single chicken or rabbit (such as for 4-H) can now be prohibited even if it is part of a commercial venture.

The Michigan Senate Agriculture Committee has asked MDARD to testify on the changes on Thursday, May 15th, 2014.

Sign this FAX petition to the Senate Agriculture Committee:
I urge you to rein in MDARD and reassert legislative control over the Michigan Right to Farm Act (RTFA). The changes for the 2014 Site Selection GAAMPs essentially revoke statutory Right to Farm protection to Michigan citizens. Many of the changes are in violation of 'separation of powers' between legislative authority and state agency action. It is illegal rulemaking to use policy to circumvent the law.

Your message will be faxed to each member of the Michigan Senate Agriculture Committee and an email to Committee Clerk Tony Mosesso. Please personalize with your own comments; you can copy/paste a longer statement in the comment field below. When you're done, please follow up with phone calls.

Revised 5/14/2014

Type your own personal message on the subject: All comments should be appropriately respectful and in acceptable taste. If one of your recipients is also a newspaper there is a minimum of 10 and a maximum of about 250 words. Your signature will be added automatically. Submission of this form constitutes authorization to publish your letter in your local newspaper if that option is selected.

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The one click form below will send your personal message to all your government representatives selected to the left below, with the subject "Uphold Michigan's RFTA." At the same time you can send your personal comments only as a letter to the editor of your nearest local daily newspaper if you like.

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