Yesterday, farmers from all over Michigan gathered in Lansing with their tractors to protest what they see as too much government control over farming. Organized by State Representatives Luke Meerman and Jennifer Wortz, both Republicans with farming connections, the rally aligned with a House Oversight Committee hearing. They brought with them concerns over rules deemed burdensome by the farming industry. WWMT reported on the event that the regulations in question extended across different sectors and included "water withdrawal restrictions, hazardous waste permit requirements, wetland regulations, fees, fines and permit approval time."
As seen driving their tractors around the Capitol, some farmers felt the regulations could threaten the future of their generational livelihoods. Jesse Meerman, a farmer from outside Grand Rapids, explained, as per CBS Detroit News, how current rules, particularly those concerning handling manure as an industrial waste product, could financially incapacitate farming operations. Participating with his five daughters and a host of tractors from their Green Pastures Dairy Farm, Jesse highlighted the historical aspect of farming practices, saying, "For thousands of years, it's been used as fertilizer and now they're wanting to treat it like an industrial waste product."
In the testimony heard inside the Capitol, as reported by WWMT, Aaron Bennett of Bennett Farms emphasized the familial nature of the agri-business, saying "it's generational" and suggested that the government's heavy-handedness may obscure the environmental stewardship ingrained in farmers who aim to preserve the land for subsequent generations.
The Michigan Environmental Councils and groups like the Sierra Club have supported measures to protect the ecosystem. "Eagle, through great effort, established fair and protective contaminant levels while collaborating with our local partners," David Lossing of the Huron River Watershed Council argued, according to WLNS. He added, "We know that strengthening the agency’s capacity is essential to protecting our watershed for future generations."
