Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development Annual Reports

Fruit and Vegetable Controlled Atmosphere Storage Licensing Details, FAQ's, & Forms

Want to know how to contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development? On this page you will find phone numbers, email addresses, snail mail addresses, and online contact forms for everything we do here at MDARD. We even have a complaint form for those of you with complaints.

Laws and Regulations pertaining to and governing the actions and policies of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.

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List of services offered on Michigan.gov by MDARD

All public meetings, that fall under the Open Meetings Act, scheduled by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development will be posted here. Questions about any of these meetings should be directed to contact person in the division listed on the notice.

Animal ID and movement requirements in the State of Michigan

Animal health resources for veterinary professionals.

Diseases affecting, or potentially affecting, animals in Michigan

Requirements to exhibit livestock in Michigan and more.

Rules governing the disposal of Bodies of Dead Animals (BODA).

Information about how MDARD's Agriculture Development Division can help you grow your business in Michigan.

Michigan's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) was created to help protect our environment and wildlife. Michigan is partnering with the federal government to implement conservation practices of great significance to the state, and valuable to the nation, in matters of soil erosion, water quality, and wildlife habitat.

Programs under the Private Forestlands Initiative, including the Forestry Assistance Program, Qualified Forester Registration, and Qualified Forest Program.

Good migrant labor housing is an essential element in securing an adequate supply of seasonal agricultural workers.

The Cottage Food law, enacted in 2010, allows individuals to manufacture and store certain types of foods in an unlicensed home kitchen.

Find a licensed firm in Michigan, from pesticide businesses to retail establishments, and more.

For the registration of horses, breeders and owners so as to render them eligible for racing and breeder/owner awards.

Retail Motor Fuel Outlet licensing information, applications and forms.

Information on Weights & Measures service person and agency registration, as well as weights and measures advisories.

Each new, existing, and proposed commercial pesticide or fertilizer bulk storage facility is required to register annually with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Information on how to acquire a feed license to manufacture or distribute commercial feed in Michigan.

Fertilizer License and Registration Requirements, as well as Liming License Requirements

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is charged with certifying sites where industrial hemp is to be grown under the authority of the federal Agriculture Act of 2014 and the state Industrial Hemp Research Act of 2014.

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LANSING, MI — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reminding Michiganders to play it safe regarding food during the July 4th weekend. Following a few safe food-handling tips can keep everyone safe from foodborne illness.

“Celebrating Independence Day outdoors is a rite of summer in Michigan, as are the picnic foods we all love to eat,” said MDARD Director Gary McDowell. “Make sure your celebration is remembered for the people you spend it with, the delicious foods you share, and the fun you have. Don’t spoil that fun by sharing foodborne illness with your guests.”

Here are the top ten food safety tips to help make outdoor eating fun and safe:

1. Safe food begins with proper hand washing. Everyone involved in the cooking or eating should wash their hands with soap and water. If water is not available, use disposable handwipes or hand sanitizer. 2. It is especially important to keep cold foods cold when it’s hot outside. When transporting food to a picnic site, keep it cold so bacteria can’t grow and spoil it. Cold foods should be kept cold and at 40° F or below to prevent bacteria growth. Pack them in coolers with ice or frozen gel packs. The Danger Zone for food is between 40° F and 140° F. This is when bacteria can grow quickly, leading to foodborne illness. 3. Pack meat and other perishables in coolers containing ice or cold packs. Keep coolers in the shade and avoid opening the lid too often. 4. Pack beverages in a separate cooler from perishable foods. The beverage cooler will be opened more often, while the food cooler will keep contents cooler longer. 5. Pack clean, soapy sponges, cloths and wet towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands. Use a table cover for picnic tables whenever possible. Picnic tables are usually exposed to weather and wildlife and may not be clean even if they look clean. 6. Take only the amount of food that you will cook and eat. Serve the food immediately and remember not to keep food out of the refrigerator or cooler for more than two hours. If the air temperature is 85° F or hotter, keep food out less than one hour. Food left out after these times should be discarded. 7. Be sure to take plenty of clean serving spoons and forks so each dish has its own. If one dish spoils, the bacteria won’t be moved to another dish through a contaminated utensil. 8. All meats should be cooked to the proper temperature. Bring a meat thermometer and test your meats for doneness to assure they are properly cooked. 9. Keep raw foods and cooked foods separate. Use only clean plates for cooked foods. 10. Clean the picnic site before you go home as common courtesy for the next picnickers. You wouldn’t want to sit down at a dirty picnic table or cook on a dirty grill; no one else does either.

For more food safety tips, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

About The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) works to assure food safety, protect animal and plant health, sustain environmental stewardship, provide consumer protection, enable rural development and foster efficient administration operations through service, partnership and collaboration.

Contact Us Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Constitution Hall, 6th Floor 525 W. Allegan Street P.O. Box 30017 Lansing, MI 48909 800-292-3939

At MDARD, we encourage and embrace innovation, creativity, and growth, so we can provide the best possible service to our food and agriculture businesses, communities, and colleagues. As a department, we are committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment that builds upon our values and invests in our employees and provides an inclusive culture through involvement and empowerment.