State ag funding recommendations pass subcommittees

The House and Senate agriculture appropriations subcommittees recently approved their funding recommendations for the 2022-23 Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) budget.

According to MFB Legislative Counsel Rebecca Park, the proposals could be considered by the House and Senate full appropriations committees yet this week.

“Looking at the House and Senate proposals through the lens of our policy book, our members’ funding priorities are met,” Park said. “We’re especially pleased to see both chambers recommending full, continued funding of the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture at $3 million.”

While the House and Senate subcommittees are proposing a budget below 2021-22 funding levels, the decrease is mostly attributed to removal of certain one-time expenditures, Park added.

She emphasized that the Legislature is still in the early stages of the overall budget process.

“Keep in mind, these deliberations will likely continue throughout the spring, and Senate Bill 855 remains a part of the conversation,” Park said. “The bill is a separate agriculture funding proposal, supported by Michigan Farm Bureau, that looks to put federal COVID-19 stimulus relief dollars to work.”

Senate Bill 885 would allocate $1.4 billion in one-time funds for programs involving food security, education workforce and talent development, and rural development and agriculture infrastructure. It has yet to be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee following a subcommittee hearing held in March.

Senate Subcommittee Budget Highlights

The Senate subcommittee’s MDARD budget includes $77.5 million in general fund and according to Bruce Baker with the Senate Fiscal agency, “the general fund amount in the bill meets the leadership target and is $29.9 million under the Governor’s recommendations.”

Additionally, the budget includes funding for:

• The Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture,
• Agriculture innovation grants targeted toward new and expanding protein processors,
• Local conservation district operations,
• A Select Michigan campaign to promote Michigan grown and produced ag products,
• Eastern Market facility upgrades,
• Reforestation efforts on 16,000 acres of public and private land in the northern lower peninsula, and
• A biological study on Chronic Wasting Disease, including reimbursement to cervid owners for the required testing.

Language was also added to the bill outlining guidelines and goals for MDARD’s Office of Rural Development, created by Gov. Whitmer in 2021.

Sens. Roger Victory (R-Hudsonville) and Kevin Daley (R-Lum) voted yes on the subcommittee proposal while Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) was the lone no vote.

House Subcommittee Budget Highlights

The House subcommittee’s MDARD budget includes $62.9 million in general fund and is $44.5 million below the Governor’s recommendations.

In comparison to the Senate subcommittee’s proposal, the House version does not include funding for a Select Michigan campaign, Eastern Market facility upgrades, agriculture innovation grants or the Chronic Wasting Disease study. The House version does include funding for the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture and local conservation districts.

Reps. Sue Allor (R-Wolverine), Timothy Beson (R-Bay City), Ken Borton (R-Gaylord), Matt Maddock (R-Milford), Jeff Yaroch (R-Richmond) voted in favor of the House subcommittee proposal while Reps. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) and Cynthia Johnson (D-Detroit) voted against the proposal.