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Engler unveils campaign platform and priorities
Sen. Dick Posthumus, left, talks with Bob Craig, Michigan Department of Agriculture, and Cliff Meeuwsen, Zeeland Farm Services.
Gov. John Engler unveiled his campaign platform Sept. 15, and issues important to agriculture make the list.
Engler said preserving Michigan farmland is one platform priority, which may be achieved through a state Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. He pointed to Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs as a solution.
Exactly how PDR programs would be funded is yet to be determined, the governor explained. "We haven't laid that out yet," he said. "I guess we will look at all the different options."
Engler said before funding is determined, another answer is needed first. "This is proving to be a very tricky question and that's, how do we decide what farmland should be addressed."
Engler said before funding is determined, another answer is needed first. "This is proving to be a very tricky question and that's, how do we decide what farmland should be addressed."
Solving the state's bovine tuberculosis problem is another part of the platform. "Fortunately, the testing continues to be very positive," Engler said.
Only one cattle herd has been quarantined due to the disease.
But as testing of livestock in northeast Michigan continues, Engler conceded that farmers may need to be better compensated should animals need to be sacrificed. "The indemnity issue clearly needs to be addressed," he said. "Those limits were set a long time ago."
The Michigan Commission on Agriculture has proposed a plan to change the caps farmers may be paid for indemnity of sacrificed livestock.
Sen. Dick Posthumus, Engler's running mate and nominee for lieutenant governor, ranked the platform's agriculture priorities during a visit to Zeeland Farm Services (ZFS), Sept. 21.
"Number one is going to be preserving and expanding our processing capacities in this state," Posthumus said, pointing to ZFS as a prime example of how processors can boost state agriculture.
Preserving farmland and funding Michigan State University animal and plant agriculture research also topped the senator's list.
The Engler-Posthumus platform also includes plans to cut taxes, improve schools, fight crime, fix roads and strengthen families.
Gov. John Engler unveiled his campaign platform Sept. 15, and issues important to agriculture make the list.
Engler said preserving Michigan farmland is one platform priority, which may be achieved through a state Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. He pointed to Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs as a solution.
Exactly how PDR programs would be funded is yet to be determined, the governor explained. "We haven't laid that out yet," he said. "I guess we will look at all the different options."
Engler said before funding is determined, another answer is needed first. "This is proving to be a very tricky question and that's, how do we decide what farmland should be addressed."
Engler said before funding is determined, another answer is needed first. "This is proving to be a very tricky question and that's, how do we decide what farmland should be addressed."
Solving the state's bovine tuberculosis problem is another part of the platform. "Fortunately, the testing continues to be very positive," Engler said.
Only one cattle herd has been quarantined due to the disease.
But as testing of livestock in northeast Michigan continues, Engler conceded that farmers may need to be better compensated should animals need to be sacrificed. "The indemnity issue clearly needs to be addressed," he said. "Those limits were set a long time ago."
The Michigan Commission on Agriculture has proposed a plan to change the caps farmers may be paid for indemnity of sacrificed livestock.
Sen. Dick Posthumus, Engler's running mate and nominee for lieutenant governor, ranked the platform's agriculture priorities during a visit to Zeeland Farm Services (ZFS), Sept. 21.
"Number one is going to be preserving and expanding our processing capacities in this state," Posthumus said, pointing to ZFS as a prime example of how processors can boost state agriculture.
Preserving farmland and funding Michigan State University animal and plant agriculture research also topped the senator's list.
The Engler-Posthumus platform also includes plans to cut taxes, improve schools, fight crime, fix roads and strengthen families.
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