Lansing, Mich.-Agriculture interests are cheering final legislative passage and signing by the governor of measures preempting local governments from regulating the use of fertilizer. The bills HB 5034 and 5035 were signed Feb. 29 by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, amending a section in Michigan’s law on natural resources and environmental protection to exempt agricultural fertilizer use and application from being subject to local ordinances. “We’ve been working on this for sometime and finally got it done,” Tania Ritter, Michigan Farm Bureau manager of state government affairs, told Green Markets. She said current preemption laws apply only to the sale and distribution of agriculture fertilizer. Local control over residential and commercial usage isn’t affected for now, Ritter added, but she expects these issues to be dealt with in future sessions. Michigan Agri-Business Association President Jim Byrum commented in the press that this legislation gives Michigan agriculture clear, standardized guidelines at a time when the industry operates across multiple municipal lines. “Thanks to this legislation, Michigan agriculture can continue to make full use of new technology that minimizes fertilizer application and maximizes crop yield, while following best-management practices to protect our land and water,” Byrum declared. “We should let science, new technology and best practices drive Michigan agriculture, not a zip code or township boundary.”
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain