LANSING – State Representative Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City) has thrown his support behind a resolution to overturn the Governor's Executive Order impacting the Department of Agriculture, calling it a threat to one of Michigan's most important industries.
"This Executive Order threatens the open-door policy of transparency and accountability in the Michigan Agricultural Commission," said Mayes, former Chair of the House Agriculture Committee. "Agriculture is one of the few industries in Michigan that's actually growing, and we should not jeopardize that by doing away with public oversight. Businesses – from restaurants to grocery stores – rely on the partnerships fostered by a strong Michigan Agricultural Commission to move this industry forward. Overturning this executive order will protect Michigan farmers and producers, and the billions of dollars this industry generates."
On Thursday, the Governor signed an executive order that guts the role of the Michigan Agriculture Commission, stripping the publicly-accountable, bipartisan body of its ability to provide oversight and executive direction of the Department of Agriculture. It also removed the Commission's ability to appoint the director of agriculture. Under the new executive order, the Commission would have a purely advisory role.
Michigan agriculture generates more than $73 billion a year and employs more than a million Michigan residents, according to the Michigan Agri-Business Association. It is the second largest industry in Michigan.
"The public deserves accountability and transparency in the decisions that impact our food supply," Mayes said. "The Michigan Agriculture Commission has brought together business leaders, farmers, Democrats and Republicans to create a path for Michigan agriculture that's led to years of growth and job creation. We must not threaten the jobs of the more than a million Michigan residents who rely on a strong agricultural industry for their livelihoods."