MDA receives upwards of several hundred questions a week via our online web address. We've chosen to highlight some of those and their answers here on our website. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send them of us at mda-info@michigan.gov. This week's question comes to us from one of many of Michigan's youths who have questions related to school, or just out of plain curiosity:

17. Hi, I'm doing a project at school about agriculture. I was wondering if you can give me a brief history about the department. Like why and when it was established. Things like that.

1. The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) was created in 1921 with the primary responsibility of implementing laws related to the production, handling and distribution of agricultural products. The promotion of agricultural interests and trade/marketing between producers and consumers was later added to the list of responsibilities. So today, we play the dual role of regulator and marketer, working cooperatively with state, federal and local agencies and other organizations including universities, colleges and associations.

   If you have to sum up our mission, you can say that the Michigan Department of Agriculture protects the food supply, promotes agricultural products and preserves farmland and resources.

   Hope this helps.

   (Question answered by MDA's Public Information Officer, Bridget Beckman)