Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Announces Specialty Crop Grant Opportunity: Proposals due to MDARD by March 9, 2012 – Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Keith Creagh today announced new opportunities for Michigan businesses thanks to the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ag Marketing Services. The program is designed to enhance the competitiveness of Michigan’s specialty crops. Grant proposals must be received by MDARD no later than March 9, 2012. Read the full press release here. Download the forms here.
Phosphorus Fertilizer Restrictions - Beginning January 1, 2012, phosphorus fertilizer applications are restricted on residential and commercial lawns in Michigan, including athletic fields and golf courses statewide. This includes applications by both homeowners and commercial applicators. The general rule in the Michigan Fertilizer Law is no phosphorus fertilizer may be applied on residential or commercial lawns, unless it meets an exemption. The sale of phosphorus fertilizers in the marketplace is not impacted. Phosphorus applications for agriculture, gardens, trees, and shrubs are exempted.
A homeowner brochure is now available on the new restrictions, and can be found along with additional phosphorus information at http://www.michigan.gov/mda-fertilizer and http://www.BePhosphorusSmart.msu.edu .
Agriculturally Speaking: Investing in Infrastructure Helps Grow Michigan's Food and Agriculture Business - It's no secret that Michigan's food and agriculture businesses have continued to be a force for economic stability over the years. It's also no secret that our state's infrastructure system has not kept pace with our needs as we look to further expand the industry. Our crumbling roads and bridges, coupled with a lack of high-speed internet in areas of the state and the increasing need for rail capacity, is hindering Michigan's ability to compete in the national and international marketplace.
Michigan's New Scanner Law is Now in Effect: New Video Below - In March 2011, the Michigan Legislature passed the Shopping Reform and Modernization Act ("Scanner Law"), with an effective date of September 1, 2011. While the new Scanner Law retains many provisions of the former Pricing and Advertising of Consumer Items Act ("Item Pricing Act"), the most fundamental change is that retailers are required to display the price of items offered for sale in the store at the place where the item is located, but are no longer required to individually mark the price on the item itself. The new Scanner Law permits the price to be displayed by signage, electronic reader, or any other method that clearly conveys the price. Find a summary of Act 15 here - http://michigan.gov/documents/mdard/Act_15_Bullet_Points_368929_7.pdf Visit the Office of Attorney General's website for additional details.
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