Learn about MDARD's four bureaus, including contact information, by clicking the above link, or view specific information below.
Find a schedule of MDARD's public meetings online, or locate regularly published reports below.
This area contains information for press and media agencies: press releases, pics, alerts & videos
The Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development recommends and determines policy on food, agricultural, and rural development issues. MDARD oversees several additional boards 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.
Live, work and play in Michigan's robust and diverse food and agriculture industry.
Laws and Regulations pertaining to and governing the actions and policies of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
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.
Regenerative agricultural practices improve soil health and water quality
MDARD works with local providers of natural resource management services that help citizens implement conservation on their land and protect the environment for a cleaner, healthier, and economically stronger 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
For help with the sale, use, and disposal of pesticides, including labels and integrated pest management.
The plant health program protects agricultural and environmental resources through the early detection and management of invasive species and the inspection of plants and plant products for pests and diseases, while facilitating international and domestic commerce.
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The primary responsibility of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) is to assure the safety and wholesomeness of Michigan's food supply.
MDARD regularly monitors Michigan's food supply for pesticide residues, micro-organisms, and other substances that would compromise the quality and wholesomeness of the food we eat. That long-standing commitment to a safe food supply has earned Michigan a national reputation for strictly enforcing the state's food and dairy laws.
MDARD inspectors monitor Michigan's food supply at each step in the food chain and helps assure that food stays safe from the farm the farm gate to your dinner plate.
MDARD regulates the state's pesticide industry and promotes the judicious use of pesticides on or near areas where food is grown.
People who apply pesticides must be trained, tested, and then approved by the department before they are allowed to apply the chemicals.
New rules further protect human, animal and environmental health by requiring posting and notification of pesticide spraying, safeguards, around schools and sharing more information with consumers.
Every pesticide used in Michigan must be registered and approved by MDARD. The department has denied the use of specific pesticides as being dangerous to human health.
Every complaint of pesticide misuse is investigated within 24 hours.
MDARD works with Michigan's 82 Soil and Water Conservation Districts to encourage the development of "sustainable" farming programs designed to reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
MDARD works to protect groundwater from pesticide contamination through the Michigan Water Stewardship Program, a unique statewide partnership to provide information and assessment tools for pesticide and nitrogen fertilizer users to help them identify risks to groundwater.
Through programs like Michigan Clean Sweep, MDARD works to remove outdated pesticides and other agricultural chemicals from Michigan farms and dispose of them in licensed hazardous waste facilities. MDARD also sponsors a program to recycle used pesticide containers.
Certain animal diseases, particularly those that can be passed on to humans through the food chain, such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, listerosis, and salmonellosis, by law, must be reported to MDARD's Animal Industry Division. That division operates programs that control and eliminate those diseases.
MDARD works cooperatively with USDA to eliminate Salmonella enteritidis in eggs, when it is discovered through a human outbreak confirmed by the health department or when the disease is diagnosed in a poultry flock.
MDARD works to keep Michigan free of cattle tuberculosis as well as cattle and swine brucellosis through testing samples from slaughter plants and routine testing of bulk milk samples.
Licensing and inspection programs are conducted on all dairy farms in the state. Fluid milk plants, frozen dessert plants, milk haulers, and all others affiliated with the dairy industry are similarly regulated.
All reports of alleged toxicoses in livestock are investigated. Appropriate samples are taken for testing and, if warranted, quarantines and other measures are put in place to assure that the animals do not enter the food chain.
MDARD's Food Safety and Inspection Program protects consumers and Michigan’s thriving food industry by ensuring that foods are safe and honestly presented through clear, consistent, and effective regulatory oversight. The team enforces the Michigan Food Law, FDA Food Code, and other federal regulations through routine inspections, complaint investigations, sample collection, and response to food emergencies.
MDARD’s Wholesale Food Section licenses and inspects 2,900 food manufacturing plants and warehouses where food is processed, stored, or distributed. This includes manufacturers of baked goods, snack foods, candy, cereal, flour, ice, beverages, fruits and vegetables, and more. On average, the inspection team conducts about 1,300 routine inspections and more than 1,000 new business inspections, follow-ups, investigations, consultations, and reviews annually.
MDARD’s Retail Food Section licenses and inspects over 17,800 food businesses including grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, fish and meat markets, state and county fairs, farmers markets, and other retail operations. During an average year, the retail team conducts about 7,700 routine inspections and 7,200 follow-ups, new business inspections, investigations, consultations, and reviews.
A special sampling and inspection program assures all frozen desserts and soft cheese products are free of pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Listeria, Yersinia, etc.) which can cause illness, especially in the elderly, young, and immuno-suppressed.
Dairy inspectors inspect and test all dairy products including infant formulas for detection of pesticide residues and heavy metal compounds.
You and MDARD are partners in ensuring that your food is protected once it's at your home.
Call 800-292-3939 or e-mail us at MDA-Info@Michigan.gov if you have a question or problem with your food when you get it home from the grocery store. MDARD will connect you with the expert you need to help you with your problem.
MDARD releases information to the media and on our website on issues that affect the food you bring home. To find out which foods have been recalled, go to Food Recalls.
The MDARD laboratory is one of the top pesticide and safety labs in the country and is part of a comprehensive pesticide residue testing program with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Laboratory equipment is regularly updated to permit technicians to analyze residues to minute trace amounts, including the ability to detect parts per million.
MDARD's laboratory tests fresh commodities and processed foods, including baby food, for pesticide residues.
In addition to the pesticide residue testing, MDARD's laboratory conducts microbiological and pathogen testing of food and dairy products; tests for antibiotic and other drug residues in milk; and mercury and other toxic elements in fish, dairy, and other food products.
Every year the department selects a number of fresh commodities to be tested for the presence of pesticide residues. Since the initiation of this program in 1990, results have shown that either no residues are present or if present, residues were at levels well below approved tolerance levels.
A general dairy sampling program monthly examines all dairy products for microbiological and chemical contaminants. Over 7,000 samples are processed every year.
Dairy inspectors stop drug residue-contaminated raw milk from being processed by sampling the product from each milk tanker. Dairy producers whose milk tests positive for drug residues are aggressively prosecuted.
If you have a question or concern about food you or your family has purchased or eaten, please call the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development toll-free at 800-292-3939 or send an e-mail to MDA-Info@Michigan.gov. You will be connected with someone who can answer your question or help address your concern.
If you have become ill and suspect foodborne illness, please seek medical attention. If possible, save any leftover suspect food and its packaging in a sealed plastic bag or container and store it in the freezer.
If foodborne illness is confirmed, this food sample may be helpful in determining the source of contamination. You may also file a food safety complaint online through the MDARD online complaint form.