New Fee Structure Could Expand MAEAP Funding

The Michigan House Agriculture Committee recently passed a bill that would provide an additional $1 million for the Michigan Agriculture and Environmental Assurance Program. The bill, HB-4391, regulates pesticide and fertilizer fees, which provide revenue for MAEAP.

Representative Dan Lauwers (R), Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, says minor changes were made to the fee structure, including increasing mandatory registration fees from 10 cents a ton on fertilizer to $1 per ton, potentially raising funding for MAEAP by $1 million dollars annually. Lauwers told Brownfield Ag News that the change is actually a decrease on the total fee; the increase results because the tweak in the fee structure assesses fertilizer moving out of state.

“Today we assess on a percentage of nitrogen. This (new structure) would eliminate the assessing on percent of nitrogen and go to just a flat tonnage fee,” Lauwers said.

The additional funds are intended to provide farmers more resources to improve environmental practices. Lawmakers will decide on the bill during the state budget process. S