Michigan Department of Agriculture
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
November 10, 1997

In Response to the:

Pollution Prevention Strategy for Michigan Agriculture

Introduction

Michigan agriculture has a long history of protecting natural resources. Farmers and their families are directly affected by the quality of the water, soil, air and other natural resources on their farms. To sustain a growing and vibrant agricultural economy in Michigan while continuing to effectively protect the environment and human health, future agricultural/environmental programs must embrace the philosophy that pollutants should be reduced through a multi-media systems approach that emphasizes pollution prevention.

For the purposes of this document, agricultural pollution prevention is defined as: source reduction, reuse or environmentally sound recycling and other prevention activities including nonpoint source approaches. Pollution prevention aims to eliminate and/or reduce the generation of pollutants at their source when practicable, environmentally acceptable, and economically feasible. This Agricultural Pollution Prevention Implementation Plan has been developed to provide a clear overall approach to eliminate or minimize the release of agricultural pollutants in Michigan. Emphasis is also placed on strengthening existing activities and programs that are effective and direct remaining and additional resources to promising new activities and program areas.

In implementing the Pollution Prevention (P2) Strategy for Michigan Agriculture, as amended October 29, 1997, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will base P2 programs on the following principles and directives:

• recognize that achieving environmental goals must be accomplished in an economically sustainable manner.
• enhance public perception and recognition of existing agricultural pollution prevention efforts.
• endorse approaches that emphasize partnerships and voluntary educational efforts.
• create incentives to encourage the adoption of voluntary agricultural pollution prevention principles including the identification and removal of regulatory barriers.
• allow flexibility, recognizing that Michigan agriculture is diverse and conducted under enormously varying conditions across the state, with vastly different potentials for pollution and pollution prevention.
• recognize and enhance producers’ innovative abilities to solve/prevent pollution problems.
• strive to enhance the cooperative relationship between regulators and producers in accomplishing environmental protection.
• producers following Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs) will be considered as making a good faith effort to comply with state environmental regulations.