The County Press

Conservation District helps verify environmental protection steps by farmers




LAPEER COUNTY — The Lapeer Conservation District is working to keep Lapeer County the haven for natural beauty it’s known for by residents and visitors alike, and according to a new report recently released, they’re contributing to a good system.

The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program announced a good year in fiscal year 2018 (Oct. 1, 2017-Sept. 30, 2018). This program verifies, and gives official recognition, that farms have met environmental protection standards, and provides legal protections in the event of a complaint. Farmers who complete the process can be proud of going the extra mile to protect surface water and groundwater from potential contamination from agricultural activity.

MAEAP Technician, Rob Malcomnson, a Conservation District employee, assists numerous farms with getting ready to be verified, in both Lapeer and Macomb counties. After five years of verified status, farms can be re-verified. Total numbers of initial verifications and re-verifications for FY18 are 33 for Lapeer County and seven for Macomb County. “Over the last four very busy years, the combined total for the two-county area is 162,” said Malcomnson.

Corn and bean farms, orchards, vegetable farms, greenhouses, and livestock farms have been verified, and as a result, MAEAP signs are popping up in farm yards or on barns, and interest is growing. “Consumers are beginning to learn what the sign stands for, that best management practices to protect water resources are being used at that farm,” said Malcomnson.

Verifications can be earned in the Cropping System, Farmstead System, Livestock System, and Forest/Wetland/ Habitat System. So far, no farm has earned all three systems, although three are currently in process,” said Malcomnson. “We’ll see who gets there first,” he said.

The program is free, confidential, and size-neutral. The Conservation District costshares many items commonly needed to complete verification preparation, such as spill kit components, soil/manure tests, well water tests, concrete pads for fueling, and others. “Michigan’s MAEAP program is the envy of other states and has been noticed federally,” said Malcomnson. “We believe that the more that farmers do voluntarily to reduce risk, the less likely legislation will be aimed at us.”

For more information, contact Malcomnson at 810-664- 0895, Ext. 9145.