[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6595885,"mediaKeyId","3021643-92ad48ede85c721c771b96f550a286f8","parentId",3021643,"title","Subcommittee approves March 19 minutes, excuses absent members","audioSeconds",1998,"startMs",106000,"endMs",2104000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3021643-92ad48ede85c721c771b96f550a286f8&start=106&end=2104","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3021643-92ad48ede85c721c771b96f550a286f8/thumbnail_106000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6595885/Michigan/Subcommittee-approves-March-19-minutes-excuses-absent-members","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595885-5a0e6692ffacfe021a180ba4a8f71e88/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167791&Signature=lxppvTxccpLGMrSrNzU-~zSqut8Ss0hLXXDUfvL3B3wsg7iHPfA2zcjtNHRZnCqTmtaCKAJD~4FYefkfs35pyvSItLLW8kHdEssblljhMbfKUNb0VgCrd~Hf85AJ3FGlI3TxRS7MiH9xKhVZLtHhgqu3AxuGHqCMGb467L15FpcKSNENpXLk~uSW1ZQH-epeDr8mIy2IHPgw0vexQKwPVtBHEZ9mdIskgscXcMWtR~PDeawoqOntzQ7hoYV1fM0vn5EIzCzkhBW3fYUfuiR43K2wpnmQ7bI1ObNCq4ODg0bE1jLKLh8c0Q7TuHs7xAuQoATRZS4923IZ2VZABw1I5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan Legislature","date","2025-04-16T15:06:18.02Z","article","LANSING — The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and the Department of Natural Resources took two procedural actions at the start and end of its meeting on Tuesday.

Representative Roth moved to approve the minutes from March 19; the chair announced, \"Without objection, the minutes are approved.\" The motion was recorded as approved without objection.

Near adjournment, Representative Mueller moved to excuse absent members, and the chair again called the motion approved by unanimous consent: \"Seeing no objections, so ordered.\" The committee then adjourned.

Those procedural actions were the only formal votes recorded in the transcript; no roll-call tallies were offered and the approvals were handled by unanimous consent or without objection.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural Resources - 4/16/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture approved previous minutes and excused absent members by unanimous voice or without objection during the meeting.","taxTitle","2025 House Legislature MI, Michigan","taxId",77683,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6595892,"MDARD bureau emphasizes invasive-species work, Right to Farm support and export certification role",263,1307000,1570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3021643-92ad48ede85c721c771b96f550a286f8&start=1307&end=1570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3021643-92ad48ede85c721c771b96f550a286f8/thumbnail_1307000.jpg","/articles/6595892/Michigan/MDARD-bureau-emphasizes-invasive-species-work-Right-to-Farm-support-and-export-certification-role","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595892-b6bd9d9d10ac5143732e8c4f7787105c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167791&Signature=kWapvnZsBHt6tJqWaKV8IKkAZ6fLEuVFOcCs2F~vMc3xk~cXO6yn296rCeg4bFXYYasZc0pc~gPoAMnROlc75IWzujUN0zYSy~ksoRHXK4qgtno7PqiUm9Y9AZwZBwAj~0vKsGaQvCCAs~7BetdRdylXo2~iK1lq~Axrcualq8uUX~RX05YgUeb4Wiy3w8QeFWv8QixvJjs2xUUsI1~OpGhRTqdCEjmROQUJHCfv--ex7IbzopvyRzExZoWDJBZJ7MxIzEWdx7kC2fSBBZWHI5LHtyswWPrYPCGvj56m6nh8JtkABRZjhyD703y1P-9xynNrTE7wL7yTd0RxdV36hA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LANSING — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Bureau of Environment and Sustainability told a House appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday that its programs focus on soil health, water quality, invasive-species control, and helping producers meet export requirements.

Mike Phillip, director of MDARD’s Bureau of Environment and Sustainability, said the bureau conducts large-scale surveys for invasive pests, implements the state Right to Farm program and related generally accepted agricultural management practices (GAAMPs), and issues plant-health export certifications required by importing countries.

\"We do a lot of work with invasive species prevention, detection, and response,\" Phillip said, recounting an early detection case in which routine sampling found plum pox virus on a single noncommercial tree; USDA confirmation allowed MDARD to remove the tree and surrounding plants and prevent broader establishment, he said.

Phillip highlighted partnerships and several program metrics during his presentation: MDARD disperses five emergency-response trailers across the state for livestock incidents; the department provides roughly 2,500 consultations a year for new and expanding food businesses; and the bureau issues about 7,000 export certificates annually to support trade to nearly 100 countries.

On Right to Farm complaints, Phillip described a 2018 case where outreach involving MSU Extension and a county conservation district helped a grazing operation come into compliance with GAAMPs, secure cost-share funding, pursue meat-verification systems and expand employment.

He also described a regenerative-agriculture demonstration farm established through a federal grant with the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home in Eaton Rapids, which officials said provides hands-on agricultural training to residents transitioning to civilian life.

Representative Tom O'Neil asked about international market disruptions and tariffs. Phillip said MDARD maintains contacts with Canadian counterparts and stakeholders and is monitoring potential impacts to Michigan’s large cross-border trade relationship, but that the agency’s role is focused on providing regulatory services and supporting stakeholders while policy and tariff discussions continue.

The subcommittee received the presentation and thanked MDARD staff for their service; no new rules or budget decisions were adopted at the hearing.

Less critical details: Phillip noted MDARD’s overall budget is a small fraction of the state budget (0.18 percent) and said the bureau works through partnerships with conservation districts, MSU Extension and federal agencies.","Officials described invasive-species detection and eradication, Right to Farm complaint response, a regenerative-agriculture demonstration with a Veterans of Foreign Wars home, and the bureau’s role issuing phytosanitary export certificates.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6595897,"MDARD outlines food-safety work, describes avian influenza response and public-data limits",172,115000,287000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3021643-92ad48ede85c721c771b96f550a286f8&start=115&end=287","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3021643-92ad48ede85c721c771b96f550a286f8/thumbnail_115000.jpg","/articles/6595897/Michigan/MDARD-outlines-food-safety-work-describes-avian-influenza-response-and-public-data-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595897-9923e83fbc1093f895860da29f97f1bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167791&Signature=jix5Omd8qKL3m~6kNozfbRkoJm-1xGTLQX02GR~Yn6FsVxeDcQthCP7luThm~mO9e-SGLW73MfwpczdgGtjcxcPT9xH5k~XVtWTV6teVvmvvlAqMWpK3-dVnsfbwUBS--BLiXY6K0pmUYCRDA6xJ~k3GVRWggqgWEJMMBoQyoOvjN0CTlZ2eMN0qcqwbkxVABumtpdjckBixI4BmDaNwemXpbpnckAknT4qRXSbYdi4Ui6vaVUpsEGLQYG7CSAuakk4ZgE-NgUgwgOMPgy-BzsAmlbJQkd806hDvhLNIOW2s7T08y0tbMLgjDEcwSSiddEtHmu~GhJyYQ6-On4qRAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LANSING — Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officials told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and the Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday that the agency’s Bureau of Food Safety and Animal Health focuses on preventing foodborne illness, responding to animal-disease outbreaks and preserving market access for Michigan producers.

The agency described recent work on two large highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in the past 12 months, retail sampling that removed suspect products from shelves, and routine inspections and training for local health departments, officials said.

Tim Slowinski, director of MDARD’s Bureau of Food Safety and Animal Health, said the bureau responds to outbreaks to contain virus spread and help affected operations recover. \"We’ve had, not 2 years, the last 12 months, we’ve had 2 very large outbreaks,\" Slowinski said. He added that the bureau works with affected facilities \"to get them on a track to recovery.\"

Slowinski and legislative liaison Mikaela Heffernan described several recent interventions: MDARD quickly removed an applesauce product targeted at young children from more than 325 retail locations after discovering elevated lead levels; diverted routine retail sampling to test cucumbers during a suspected outbreak and helped trace contaminated product to an out-of-state operator; and conducts routine visits to convenience stores, grocery stores and manufacturing facilities to check safety practices.

The bureau also oversees animal-disease responses beyond avian influenza. Slowinski said MDARD tested all dairy and beef operations within a 10-mile radius after a wild deer tested positive for bovine tuberculosis; the cattle tests returned negative and helped preserve the state’s split accreditation status for tuberculosis, which limits movement restrictions for most of the state while a four-county area remains a modified accredited zone.

Representative Kara DeSena asked for counts of birds that died from disease versus birds euthanized during depopulation. Slowinski said he did not have exact statewide numbers in the hearing and explained that some federal rules and Michigan law limit disclosure of location-identifying information. He told the committee he would follow up with the office to provide what can be released. \"Due to the confidentiality nature ... we can’t say, ‘oh, well, it was 2,000,000 birds’ because then we’re going to know that it’s that specific flock,\" Slowinski said.

Heffernan pointed committee members to MDARD’s public bird-flu webpage for available totals and materials (michigan.gov/birdflu) and said the agency works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release as much data as lawfully possible.

Committee members also asked about baby-formula and other products for young children. Slowinski said MDARD inspects facilities and partners with federal regulators on formula testing and noted federal inspection resources typically go deeper than state inspections.

The presentation emphasized market-access work: MDARD’s dairy program supports participation in the Interstate Milk Shippers program, which states must meet to allow Grade A milk shipments across state lines, and food-safety inspections and phytosanitary work that support exports.

The subcommittee did not take formal action related to the bureau’s programs during the hearing; it received the presentations and asked for follow-up on data access and the department’s organizational chart.

A related subcommittee request: Slowinski and Heffernan agreed to follow up with members who requested more detailed data and to provide the committee the department’s reorganized chart, per a chair request.

Less critical details: Slowinski described routine sampling and accreditation work the bureau performs for local public-health partners. Heffernan and Slowinski both said MDARD aims to protect consumers and support industry through timely response and partnerships with federal and state agencies.","Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officials told a House appropriations subcommittee they prioritize preventing contamination and animal disease spread, described recent avian influenza activity and cited legal limits on location-level public disclosure of detections.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Subcommittee approves March 19 minutes, excuses absent members

MDARD bureau emphasizes invasive-species work, Right to Farm support and export certification role

MDARD outlines food-safety work, describes avian influenza response and public-data limits