The impact of the Michigan Department of Agriculture goes beyond the concept of "agriculture" many are familiar with. You may be surprised at all the ways the MDA affects your daily life. For example, the department quietly carries out a variety of programs to ensure a clean, safe environment for Michigan residents .

When you link agriculture and environment, the most likely programs that come to mind are those administered by MDA's Environmental Stewardship Division. Environmental stewardship activities ensure that farming operations protect land, water resources and public health.

Grants to the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program have enabled Conservation Districts to enroll more than 60,000 acres into this program designed to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat.

The Forest and Wildlife Management Assistance Program partners the MDA and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to assist landowners in the environmentally sound management of the state's natural resources.

The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program and the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program  provide educational resources and technical assistance for producers to assess and reduce the risk of contaminating ground and surface water, and help them implement practices that comply with environmental regulations.

The Environmental Stewardship Division also protects Michigan's groundwater supply through programs that collect and properly dispose of outdated agricultural chemicals, and work with landowners to properly seal abandoned wells.

Michigan's Right-to-Farm law recognizes the importance of a farmer's right to farm while at the same time ensuring sound environmentalstewardship. Michigan farmers receive protection from odor- and noise-relatedlawsuits by following a series of scientifically based Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices.

The MDA currently operates two main programs that work to preserve farmland and open spaces: the Farmland and Open Space Program , and the Purchase of Development Rights Program.

Protecting the environment extends beyond one division, however.

The Agriculture Development Division helped attract Michigan's first commercial ethanol plant, which came online in October 2002. Ethanol is a cleaner-burning fuel than conventional gasoline. And because ethanol fuels are made from renewable home-grown resources such as corn, they have proven beneficial to both the economy and the environment.

Fairs, Exhibitions and Racing works with the Food and Dairy Division and other agencies to evaluate the safety of water supplies at fairs throughout Michigan.

The Heffron Metrology Laboratory performs testing on motor fuels for quality standards. This includes monitoring gasoline-dispensing facilities to ensure that highly volatile fuels are not being sold, which reduces air pollution in the summer months.

The Geagley Laboratory analyzes groundwater samples for pesticide and herbicide residue contamination.

The Marketing and Communications Division serves all the divisions within the department to communicate with and educate the residents of Michigan on issues related to environmental stewardship. This division also houses the department's Emergency Management staff, which responds to incidents involving disasters or threats to the state's food supply and agricultural resources, such as chemical and pesticide spills.

The Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service compiles the state's official agricultural database. A significant component of the service involves collection of pesticide use data, which is used to evaluate chemical use levels for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division regulates programs to protect human health and the environment from potential risks related to the improper use of pesticides. PPPM also ensures consumer protection through proper storage and labeling of agricultural products such as feed, seed and fertilizer.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture oversees or administers a wide array of programs that impact all of us, every day. "MDA Key Priorities and Programs 2003" is a booklet that provides a brief overview of some of these programs and highlights the department's top priorities. This report is available online at www.michigan.gov/mda or by calling the Department toll-free at 800/292-3939.

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Mission Statement of the Michigan Department of Agriculture:
"To serve, promote and protect the food, agricultural, environmental and economic interests of the people of Michigan."