NW Michigan Food and Farming Network Report to the Community 2015 Report to the Community

Food and Farming network MAEAP: A Sign of Integrity 163 regional farms verified since 2002 By Jessica Rasch & Laura Spencer Lakes To Land Regional Initiative Grand Traverse Conservation District Along the rolling hills of northern Michigan, signs along farm fields proudly proclaim: “This Farm is Environmentally Verified.” What does that sign mean and what does it take to get one? The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is a voluntary, confidential, nonregulatory program offered to growers to help assess and mitigate any environmental pollution risks that can be found on a farm operation. Growers displaying the MAEAP logo are actively sustaining the landscapes that surround us–the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the lakes and streams we recreate in–while producing top quality Michigan grown agricultural products. MAEAP Verification assures growers they are truly doing the right thing for the land they love by preserving its integrity for future generations. Growers of all sizes and com- Growers displaying the MAEAP logo are actively sustaining the landscapes that surround us. (Photo: Grand Traverse Conservation District) modities are eligible for MAEAP Verification and meet with a local technician in order to have a second set of eyes look over all records and operations on the farm to ensure the grower is doing his/ her part to reduce agriculture pollution risks. MAEAP is a holistic approach to environmental protection; it helps farmers evaluate their entire operation and make sustainable management decisions based 57 upon society’s needs, farm economics, and the environment. Across Michigan, MAEAP farms have prevented 77,707 dump truck loads (10 yards each) of sediment from reaching our rivers and lakes. In addition, the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen reduced on MAEAP farms could have grown enough algae to cover nearly ¾ of Houghton Lake at approximately a quarter-inch in depth. In northern Michigan, 163 farm operations have become verified since the state’s first verification in 2002. Every three years, technicians revisit verified farms to renew MAEAP Verification. www.natureiscalling.org

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