Plant pests and diseases create quarantine situations that restrict intra and interstate marketing opportunities.
We support research to do the following:
- Determine the impacts of the Spotted Lanternfly.
- Determine the impacts of Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) by supporting and coordinating with the SWD initiative through Michigan State University and the Michigan Cherry Committee.
- Develop new chemical and biological controls for disease detection, control, and eradication.
- Enhance the use of natural plant pest predator species or bio-controls after reviewing potential environmental consequences.
- Address viable control methods for Spotted lanternfly, Phytophthora capsici, downy mildew, overall spruce decline, Armillaria root fungus, and other plant pests or diseases.
- Address replant issues in the asparagus industry.
Additionally, we support:
- Industry-led efforts to control and prevent crop losses due to plant pests and diseases.
- Aggressively advocating for pesticide manufacturers to develop new chemistries for existing and emerging pest threats.
- Development of regulatory protocol, inspection procedures and pest control methods to allow shipment of quarantined commodities.
- Indemnification for losses of farm income when agricultural commodities or products are impounded, farms are quarantined, or sales are restricted in the public interest.
- Holding suppliers responsible for compensation of all losses due to imported plants with diseases.
- Zero interest/fixed loan or direct and/or indirect compensation to producers for sudden market loss due to invasive species, including SWD, hemlock woolly adelgid and others.
- Vomitoxin testing in corn field trials. We encourage ethanol plant operators to spot-check for vomitoxin in corn entering the plant and dried distillers grains leaving the plant.
- Development of more consistent Vomitoxin testing equipment.
- The creation of a grain inspectors license program administered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).
- Requiring a grain inspectors license for any person administering a grain quality test, on behalf of a licensed grain dealer, with the intent of applying a discount/rejection based on the test result.
- An industry-driven, comprehensive rewrite of Michigan’s Plant Pest Protection Act.
- Educational efforts to help producers and consumers understand their importance in preventing the spread of plant pests and diseases.
- A review and update of the invasive species quarantine rules in Michigan. We urge MDARD to develop a permitting system allowing agricultural products to be shipped directly for in-state processing throughout the year during a quarantine period.
- Quicker review and approval of species by the councils maintaining the lists for noxious terrestrial weeds and invasive species as defined by PA 451 of 1994.
- Encouraging conservation districts to take measures to keep noxious weeds controlled.
We oppose banning neonicotinoid-based pest control products when there is a lack of research or conclusive scientific evidence linking them to declining bee and other pollinator populations.