Learn about MDARD's four bureaus, including contact information, by clicking the above link, or view specific information below.
Boards, Councils, and Commissions
Want to know how to contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development? On this page you will find phone numbers, email addresses, snail mail addresses, and online contact forms for everything we do here at MDARD. We even have a complaint form for those of you with complaints.
Laws and Regulations pertaining to and governing the actions and policies of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
This area contains information for press and media agencies. Press Releases, Pics, Podcasts & Videos
Animal ID and movement requirements in the State of Michigan
Animal health resources for veterinary professionals.
Diseases affecting, or potentially affecting, animals in Michigan
Information on how to acquire a feed license to manufacture or distribute commercial feed in Michigan.
Rules governing the disposal of Bodies of Dead Animals (BODA).
Materials developed to provide information on how an individual may become a qualified Animal Control Officer.
Information about how MDARD's Agriculture Development Division can help you grow your business in Michigan.
Programs under the Private Forestlands Initiative, including the Forestry Assistance Program, Qualified Forester Registration, and Qualified Forest Program.
Good migrant labor housing is an essential element in securing an adequate supply of seasonal agricultural workers.
The Cottage Food law, enacted in 2010, allows individuals to manufacture and store certain types of foods in an unlicensed home kitchen.
Find a licensed firm in Michigan, from pesticide businesses to retail establishments, and more.
For the registration of horses, breeders and owners so as to render them eligible for racing and breeder/owner awards.
Retail Motor Fuel Outlet licensing information, applications and forms.
Information on Weights & Measures service person and agency registration, as well as weights and measures advisories.
Each new, existing, and proposed commercial pesticide or fertilizer bulk storage facility is required to register annually with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Fertilizer License and Registration Requirements, as well as Liming License Requirements
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The western part of Lake Erie, also known as the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), is experiencing seasonal harmful algal blooms (HABs). These blooms can contain toxins that are harmful for humans, pets, and aquatic organisms.
The HABs are made up of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and need sunlight, warm water temperatures, and nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, to grow and produce toxins. A number of factors cause the HABs to grow, including nutrient-rich water from wastewater treatment plants and farm fields, the effects of invasive species that increase water clarity, water temperatures over 70 F, and others that aren’t quite understood yet.
Though the causes are complex, the State of Michigan is committed to improving the water quality of Lake Erie, ensuring safe water, and supporting healthy ecosystems. Michigan’s portion of the WLEB covers watersheds in five Michigan counties (Hillsdale, Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, and Jackson). Michigan is focusing on the planning and implementation of conservation practices to improve soil health and water quality.
A picture of an algal bloom. 
A map showing the WLEB watersheds in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. The watersheds are named after the major bodies of water that flow into Lake Erie. Michigan’s watersheds cover the River Raisin, and the upper portions of the Ottawa-Stony, Tiffin (called Bean Creek in Michigan), and the St. Joseph River. In May 2025, the State of Michigan released an update to its Domestic Action Plan (DAP) for combatting harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie.
The DAP contains measures to reduce the phosphorus loading into the Western Lake Erie Basin that drives algal blooms. Our goal is to achieve a sustained 40 percent over a baseline measurement taken in 2008. The Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD); Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE); and Natural Resources (DNR) review and revise the DAP every five years based on progress and changing needs in the region. The DAP was originally created in 2018.
The departments also created the Adaptative Management Plan (AMP), which is a companion document to the DAP. The AMP is a management tool used to evaluate the projects outlined in the DAP and update those projects as needed to meet water quality goals.
On June 26, join the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development; Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; Natural Resources and our partners for Michigan’s second State of the Western Lake Erie Basin Conference in Adrian, Michigan. This year, we’re highlighting the innovative work underway to meet nutrient reduction goals and measure real progress across the region. The conference will feature a mix of plenary and concurrent sessions.
This is your chance to connect, learn, and be inspired by what’s happening across the watershed!
More Information and Registration
Interested in the latest information on what is happening in Michigan’s portion of the Western Lake Erie Basin?
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