The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the state's newest on-farm methane digester took place Jan. 24 at the denDulk dairy near Ravenna. Built with a state grant and plenty of help from Grand Valley State University's (GVSU) Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC), the $2.7 million digester's ribbon was cut by, from left, Scott Henry, manager of denDulk Farms, Thomas J. Hass, president of GVSU, Imad Mahawili, executive director of MAREC, Sarah Lineberry, business developer with Entec Biogas USA, and Bob Tuttle, of the Michigan Public Service Commission. On-farm methane digesters were mentioned in Gov. Jennifer Granholm's only reference to agriculture in her recent State of the State address.
Ag and the state of the state
Lame duck Governor Jennifer Granholm's vision for the future of Michigan swims and flies pretty well, if judged by her State of the State address. Click here for full story.A tale of two farm bill proposals
As 2008 begins, the debate over the 2007 farm bill remains unsettled. Both the House and the Senate have passed a first version of the bill, but a conference committee has not been appointed to resolve the differences between them. Click here for full story.Michigan farmland values continue to rise
Michigan farmland values continued their steady upward march in 2007, marking the 20th year in a row that land values have increased. Click here for full story.Michigan farm size drops
The estimated number of farms in Michigan in 2007 was 52,800, according to the USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS), Michigan field office. Click here for full story.USDA measures economic well-being of farmers
Farmers will soon have the opportunity to set the record straight about the issues that affect them - and help ensure that policies and programs are based on accurate, real-world data. Click here for full story.2008 dairy outlook: Controlling costs crucial
2007 marked the highest milk prices on record with U.S. all-milk price averaging $19.15/cwt. Michigan averaged $19.71/cwt in the all-milk price. Click here for full story.Input costs up, supplies tight; lenders more cautious
While the commodity price outlook appears favorable for 2008, the cost of some inputs could have a major effect on the farm income outlook in the coming year. Inputs related to the cost of oil, inputs that are in high demand, and the cost of credit could have an impact on net farm income. Click here for full story.Declining dollar may affect farm income
As uncertainty about the general economy continues to grow, the impact of that uncertainty on the agricultural sector could be an important factor in 2008. Click here for full story.