LANSING, Mich. — Another year, another round of Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs). That’s right – the deadline is nearing for the public to provide input on proposed changes to the GAAMPs, a statewide set of regulations designed to protect farmers from nuisance lawsuits. A public input meeting is scheduled for Oct. 13 in Lansing.

The Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development, a state-level board made up of farmers and others in ag-related businesses, has the power to approve or reject changes made to the GAAMPs body of regulations. The 2016 drafts of the different GAAMPs are already in place.

The public will be able to comment on the following GAAMPs, which have proposed changes: Manure Management and Utilization, Nutrient Utilization and Site Selection and Odor Control for New and Expanding Livestock Facilities.

There are no proposed changes to the following GAAMPs for 2016: Care of Farm Animals, Cranberry Production, Farm Markets, Irrigation Water Use and Pesticide Utilization and Pest Control.

Michigan Small Farm Council President Wendy Banka said since 2011 the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has worked to restrict the agricultural rights of Michigan citizens by designing changes to the GAAMPs that "undermine" Right to Farm protections.

A proposed change in the Site Selection GAAMPs includes replacement of the term "farm animals" with "livestock," defining that as beef and dairy cattle, swine, sheep and goats, horses and poultry.

Banka said the meaning of this change is unclear – does it mean farm animals such as bees, rabbits, minks and foxes are no longer considered by MDARD to be protected by the Right to Farm Act? She pointed out another change would exclude "transgenic" and "non-native organisms" from Right to Farm protections.

"On its face this sounds reasonable, until you recall that in recent years the (Michigan) DNR (Department of Natural Resources) defined certain heritage pigs as invasive species. Is this proposed change intended to mean that heritage pigs will no longer be protected by the Michigan Right to Farm Act?" Banka asked.

MDARD spokeswoman Jennifer Holton said the proposed changes this year are routine and basically a matter of "cleaning up" the language in the rules in a few places, and nothing more.

The GAAMPs public meeting will be at 1 p.m. Oct. 13, in the Lake Superior Conference Room at the State of Michigan Library and Historical Center, at 702 West Kalamazoo Street in Lansing.

Written comments may also be submitted to MDARD’s Environmental Stewardship Division at: P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909. Letters must be postmarked no later than Oct. 13. Emailed comments may be submitted to TurrubiatesO@michigan.gov by 5 p.m. Oct. 13.

Public comments are given to GAAMPs Task Force Committee chairs for consid-eration and review. Committees of various experts review the GAAMPs each year before they are approved and adopted.

A Freedom of Information Act request to see public comments already submitted to MDARD went unacknowledged and unfulfilled as of press time.