July 8, 2021 — The following media release was issued by the Office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. It includes comments from the Michigan Agri-Business Association.
Governor Whitmer Requests USDA Disaster Designation for Michigan Counties Impacted by Severe Weather
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting a disaster designation for Michigan counties impacted by severe weather. The governor is also requesting the USDA make available any other possible assistance under the Federal Crop Insurance Program or other USDA programs to help Michigan’s hard-working farmers recover.
“Our hardworking Michigan farmers are once again facing challenges due to weather following some of the toughest years in recent memory,” said Governor Whitmer. “From freezing temperatures to flooding, many of our producers are finding themselves in the midst of yet another difficult growing season. A disaster designation for impacted counties would provide some much-needed support to Michigan farmers.”
“The 2021 growing season has been marked by a wide range of extreme weather events, creating substantial disruption across our state’s agriculture sector,” said Chuck Lippstreu, president of the Michigan Agri-Business Association. “We appreciate Governor Whitmer for prioritizing Michigan agriculture and requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation from USDA. This is an important step toward unlocking emergency federal assistance for those affected by natural disaster.”
“Michigan faced an unusually warm spring, several weeks of overnight frost, drought and then excessive rain that has caused severe damage throughout the state to both the sweet and tart cherry crops. This is the first time in history that Michigan cherry growers have had back-to-back crop loss due to the abnormal weather patterns,” said Julie Gordon, president of the Cherry Marketing Institute. “This has been devastating to cherry growers and they are in dire need of assistance to be able to survive through these challenging times.”
This spring, Michigan experienced a significant period of freezing temperatures after many warm days, which negatively impacted several crops at a key time in their development. Damage assessments are still coming in, but early reports show varying degrees of damage to cherries, asparagus, and other fruit and vegetable crops.
In addition, parts of Michigan’s croplands have experienced both drought and flooding, in some cases within days of each other. The storms from late last month brought high winds and large amounts of rain in multiple areas of the state, causing damage to barns and agriculture infrastructure, as well as to standing crops.
To view the governor’s letter, click the link below:
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July 7, 2021 — The Michigan Agri-Business Association (MABA) Educational Trust recently awarded scholarships to 8 Michigan students planning to enter the agriculture industry. Fall scholarships offered through the Educational Trust totaled nearly $10,000.
“The Michigan Agri-Business Association is proud to support the next generation of industry leaders through the Educational Trust,” said MABA president Chuck Lippstreu. “Our members recognize the critical need to support young people who are entering agriculture. We congratulate these scholarship recipients and wish them the best of luck headed into the fall semester.”
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Container recycling is a simple, easy, important way to protect Michigan’s environment
Michigan’s Pesticide Container Recycling Program provides cost-free recycling opportunities for pesticide users to properly, and safely, dispose of containers. The program is a partnership between the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program, the Michigan Agri-Business Association, the Ag Container Recycling Council and agri-chemical dealers and pesticide users across Michigan. The program not only ensures plastics are recycled or converted to other beneficial uses instead of taking up landfill space, but also decreases the likeliness that unclean or improperly stored contained will leach pesticide residue into the environment.
Since 1993, more than 2.52 million pounds of plastic has been recycled as part of the program. We did see some impact from COVID-19 in 2020. While 52 agribusiness and end-user locations participated as collection sites, the accumulated 169,800 pounds of empty, properly cleaned pesticide containers was a 40% reduction following a record year in 2019. It is expected that pounds collected will rebound in 2021.
The program accepts all rigid HDPE pesticide containers up to 55 gallon (plastic) drums that held products from the following markets:
Three simple steps must be completed before recycling containers:
Many of Michigan’s agri-businesses collect empty pesticide containers for recycling, though producers can also schedule a pick-up directly on the farm, depending on the volume generated. The licensed program vendor, G. Phillips and Sons, can be reached at either (678) 232-6047 – tharding@gphillipsandsons.com; or (563) 942-0391 – pickup@gpsagrecycle.com. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/pesticidecontainerrecycling.
June 28, 2021 — MABA reminds our members that the extended deadline for RUP certification is approaching on June 30, 2021, which is this Wednesday!
MDARD had previously extended RUP certifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have been operating with an expired credential (i.e. a credential with an expiration date of December 31, 2019 or December 31, 2020), the license will need to be renewed by the end of June. While your credential may take some time to process, once your application (including passing exam scores or sufficient RUP class credits) and check are received by the Department, and the check is processed, your renewal will be treated as valid.
In addition to ensuring you are up to speed with your own credentials, it will be important to avoid selling restricted products to those with an expired applicator license. Because there is an ongoing delay on processing applications and issuing physical license cards, MDARD provided this guidance for RUP dealers on this issue:
Restricted use pesticide dealers should verify the certification status of the person purchasing RUPs by checking the expiration date on the certification card. Dealers needing assistance with verifying the certification status of a person purchasing RUPs may contact MDARD at 800-292-3939.
Applicators who have renewed their certification by exam or seminar credits but do not receive their certification card by June 30 may purchase a RUP by providing exam result sheets with a passing score (70 percent or better) or seminar completion record (16 credits for private core / eight credits for commercial core and each category / two credits for fumigation), a copy of the completed certification renewal application, and a copy of the check or money order sent in as the application fee.
Contact MDARD or MABA with questions.
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