Daley, Hune earn MFB’s Silver Plow Award

LAPEER COUNTY — A pair of Michigan lawmakers whose combined foresight and insight led them to champion legislation beneficial to both the state’s economy and its environment have earned Michigan Farm Bureau’s (MFB) Silver Plow Award, representing the esteem and gratitude of Michigan’s farmers. District. 82 Rep. Kevin Daley, R-Lum, and District 22 Sen. Joe Hune, R-Hamburg, are among three Silver Plow recipients this year, in recognition of their common-sense approach to legislation that allows Michigan’s prodigious agriculture industry to prosper. The awards were presented Feb. 15 at MFB’s Lansing Legislative Seminar.

Daley and Hune, chairs of their respective chambers’ agriculture committees, sponsored Public Acts 1 and 2 of 2011, codifying the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) into state statute. The new law provides meaningful incentives for farms to become MAEAP verified and reformed the way the state addresses environmental issues on farms.

MAEAP is a voluntary program that benefits all Michigan farms, regardless of their size or commodity, by helping farmers identify and minimize potential pollution risks on their farms. In the 10 years since its origin, more than 1,000 farms have become MAEAP verified in one or more of the program’s three systems — farmstead, cropping and livestock.

The legislation acknowledges that MAEAP-verified farms are presumed to not be polluting or impairing Michigan's natural resources, and that verified farms practice good conservation and will not be fined or penalized if the farmer is following an approved conservation plan.

Gov. Snyder recently announced a goal to expand the program to 5,000 verifications by 2015, a figure that would represent more than 80 percent of the state’s agricultural production.

“Kevin Daley was a farmer before he was a representative,” said Rob Howland, an executive committee member of the Lapeer County Farm Bureau. “He knows first-hand what happens on farms, and he knows what we need.”

Daley and Hune each have earned AgriPac’s “Friend of Agriculture” endorsement, and used their combined agricultural and business experience to help their fellow legislators understand the importance of the legislation. Both were key in defending MFB’s position when points of difference surfaced during discussions on the bill.

“You very rarely get someone who’s involved in agriculture and who is supportive of agriculture the way that Joe Hune is,” said Duane Leach, president of the Shiawassee County Farm Bureau.

“Both Chairman Hune and Rep. Daley were instrumental in championing this legislation and working it through the process,” said Matt Smego, MFB legislative counsel. “Both were also very helpful in defending agriculture's position when points of difference were brought up during discussions on the bill. Together they moved this legislation in a timely manner, allowing it to be the first legislation signed into law by Gov. Snyder.”

This year’s other Silver Plow recipient is Rep. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac, for sponsoring a pair of tax-reform bills that streamlined Michigan’s business tax structure.