State Rep. Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) issued a statement in support of farmers after Tuesday’s House Oversight Committee. The panel received testimony from Michigan farmers on burdensome regulation imposed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Ahead of the hearing, dozens of farmers held a tractor rally in Lansing to bring awareness to EGLE’s punitive regulatory environment.

“More than 95% of Michigan farms are family-run operations, and when you run a business as a family, your number one priority is preserving the heritage and way of life that was passed on to you. More and more, families are facing a tough decision: is there a future in this industry for my children? It’s difficult to reconcile, and the administrative state is raising the cost to do business year after year. When your farm needs to contract out with consultants anytime you need to work with the state, you are taking food off your family’s table and resources from your children’s futures.

“This Oversight hearing gave farmers a voice to speak up on behalf of their industry and livelihood. Bureaucrats and lawmakers don’t always hear from farmers, and you often cannot expect someone to carve time away from their job when the planting and harvesting season takes up much of the calendar year. Farmers operate on restricted schedules, but that does not mean they don’t have strong opinions on the regulatory environment they face.

“The rules and regulations impacting farmers are driving people out of business and pushing industry to other states. When I talk with farmers, they tell me they’re concerned, but at the same time, they feel their concerns fall on deaf ears within EGLE. They worry that if they speak too loudly, they will bring the ire of the department down on their shoulders. As a state, we have committed an unspeakable injustice if farmers are afraid to advocate for themselves and their family.”