Nov. 3, 2023 – Michigan Agri-Business Association (MABA) President Chuck Lippstreu issued the following statement on House approval of HB 5120, 5121, 5122 and 5123:
“This legislation will effectively silence small town voices on an issue with major implications for the future of rural Michigan, and the last-minute amendments added to these bills do not change that impact. Renewable energy siting needs to be deliberate, thoughtful and inclusive of input from local leaders and community members, and we oppose these bills because they disregard the perspectives of rural, agricultural communities in our state.”
MABA previously transmitted this letter to the House on these bills.
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The MABA Sustaining Sponsor Program has been a tremendous success for several years, both in terms of participation, and helping you better plan your expenditures and contributions. It’s an easy, straightforward way to support our activities, while supporting your Association and helping keep registration fees affordable.
With your generous support, we continue to expand MABA communication and program offerings. This year, we fully returned to in-person activities while maintaining some additional virtual and hybrid opportunities, thanks to your support. We also remain a highly effective voice for agriculture in Lansing. Your support is critical to make these activities possible.
We continue to highlight our Sustaining Sponsors wherever we go, from Lansing, to events around the state, and even in Washington, DC.
Go here to support MABA with a 2024 Sustaining Sponsorship
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With harvest beginning for key crops in Michigan, planning nutrient needs for next year’s crop can begin in earnest. Soil sampling to analyze nutrient levels delivers baseline data to plan nutrient management decisions, and today’s technology allows for many other data layers to be incorporated into those plans.
Intensive soil sampling programs such as grid or zone approaches allow for a detailed evaluation of nutrient levels across the field. Increased nutrient use efficiency through increased grain yields and reduced fertilizer applications typically offset the costs of intensive soil testing and variable rate applications.
This is also a good time to review schedules of soil nutrient level tests to ensure adequate testing over time. Fields should maintain steady sample schedules, ideally at the same time of the year and following the same crop each sample timing.
Incorporating data layers such as yield maps, in-season imagery, or simply field elevation can allow for the delineation of management zones in fields. Proper calibration of equipment is important when generating this data to provide an accurate view into field conditions.
In addition to managing soil nutrient levels, fall soil testing allows for the timely management of soil pH levels. Soil pH has a strong influence on nutrient availability for crops and is a fundamental component of effective nutrient management. Lime applications can take more than six months to fully react in the soil, making fall applications preferable to get the maximum impact on spring crops.
Crop advisers and agronomy retailers are great resources to help collect and analyze the data that can go into nutrient management decisions. Contacting these experts in advance to create a plan for how to best manage nutrients in the following growing season can help them begin collecting necessary data in order to make accurate, informed plans.
Few management options have the demonstrated pay-back that nutrient management offers, with the environmental benefits to match.
This newsletter is brought to you by the Michigan Agri-Business Association and the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program. For more information, visit miagbiz.org.
MABA September Activities and Legislative Update
Welcome to FY24! We’re very much in our “full swing” season for events and activities, with the Outlook Conference last month kicking off our fall and winter meeting season. MABA also remains highly engaged at the Capitol, and we were able to make progress last month on important issues facing our members in the Legislature.
Here are some updates from September:
Outlook Conference brings industry leaders to Mackinac Island Once again this year, MABA welcomed agricultural professionals from across Michigan and the region to Mackinac Island, from September 14-16. This special event focuses on big-picture shifts and trends in agriculture, equipping leaders with insights and information to help advance the industry. Mark your calendar for the return of this conference next year, September 6-8, 2024. We appreciate all those who attended and helped make this one of the most-attended Outlook Conference events in several years. Go here for photos and a list of speakers!
West Michigan Works! and MABA host briefing on Going PRO Talent FundThe Going PRO Talent Fund (Talent Fund) makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. A 10-minute briefing from Karrie Brown can be found here. We encourage you to become familiar with this program!
Harvest Solar discusses solar applications for agribusinesses, benefits of REAP program at Ag Club Breakfast This month’s Lansing Ag Club breakfast was sponsored by Harvest Solar; Ken Zebarah with Harvest discussed how agribusinesses and farms have used on-site solar to generate energy – and outlined the opportunities provided by the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Thank you to Harvest Solar for sponsoring breakfast!
MABA joins national industry in honoring truck driversIn mid-September, MABA joined other Michigan agricultural organizations in honoring trucking companies and truck drivers crucial to the success of Michigan, and American agriculture. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is an annual, nationwide effort led by the American Trucking Associations to recognize and honor the vital contributions of 3.6 million U.S. truck drivers.
Michigan farmers and rural businesses depend on truck drivers before, during and after the growing season. Truck drivers’ hard work keeps rural communities supplied, keeps ag supply chains moving, and helps fuel the success of Michigan’s $100+ billion agricultural industry.
You can read our news release here.
MABA Ed Trust hosts Memorial Golf OutingThe fall Memorial Golf Outing brought more than 100 MABA members and friends together to raise funds for the Educational Trust. We appreciate all those who played golf as well as those who sponsored the event. This caps off another excellent fundraising year for the Ed Trust.
CCA Spotlights continue – MABA speaks with Andrew Greenhoe We recently visited with Andrew Greenhoe, an agronomist with Michigan Agricultural Commodities who became a Certified Crop Adviser early in his career, and continues to put this important certification to great use! Read more about Andrew: https://tinyurl.com/GreenhoeCCA
Stewardship Newsletters: MABA distributed briefings this month on the role of CCAs in protecting the state’s soil and water resources, as well an update on drain water management, which you can see here.
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