MDARD’s Office of Legal Affairs and Emergency Management is here to help bring order to the chaos and confusion that often comes in times of emergency. From how to keep your family safe, to taking care of your pets, to protecting your food and agriculture-related businesses, we're a resource for you.
Emergency Response Training Opportunities
Establishments that sell or offer food directly to consumers.
Livestock owners, dairy producers, and farmers
Anyone who interacts with Michigan pets and agriculture
Medical professionals who diagnose and treat animal health
Events to showcase agricultural products and achievements
First to arrive and provide assistance in an emergency
Find out if your county falls within a declared disaster area. Updated March 2026.
The MDARD sampling team conducts inspections and collects samples to ensure agricultural safety compliance. This helps maintain food safety and quality standards in the marketplace.
Learn about the Spring 2026 Incident Command System training from the Multistate Partnership for Security in Agriculture
Our Emergency Management Program works to prepare MDARD staff, a variety of key stakeholders within the state’s food and ag sector, and Michigan’s consumers for emergencies and crisis response including food recalls, animal diseases, spills and more. The foundation for the Office of Legal Affairs and Emergency Management is to ensure Michigan's agricultural stakeholders have the support and guidance to respond to emergencies and that our food supply is safe and secure.
Under Michigan's Emergency Management Act, each state agency is required to have an emergency management coordinator to help facilitate statewide responses to disasters. The MDARD Emergency Management Coordinator works with every program, local and federal partners and external stakeholders to help develop plans and programs to prevent food, agriculture and animal emergencies, prepare for and respond to those that may occur, and recover from actual events. Michigan’s agriculture producers, food and feed manufacturers or retailers experiencing damage or loss of crops and products through drought, flood, fire, etc. may be eligible for federal assistance through USDA’s Disaster Programs.
For more information or help with emergency preparedness for your farm or agribusiness or other business/entity licensed by MDARD, please contact us at 800-292-3939.
