Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
2021 Virtual Exhibitor
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is comprised of six divisions that use a customer-driven, solution-oriented approach to cultivate and expand new economic opportunities for the food and agricultural sector; safeguard the public’s food supply; inspect and enforce sound animal health practices; control and eradicate plant pests and diseases threatening the $101.2 billion food and agriculture system; preserve the environment by which the farming community makes their living and feeds consumers; and protect consumers by enforcing laws relating to weights and measures.
Producers rely on licensed grain dealers to hold and protect grain deposits similar to when we deposit our savings in a bank. The Farm Produce Insurance Act was enacted to protect farmers in the event of a farm produce dealer’s financial failure. In 2019, there were over $2 billion in cash receipts for corn, dry beans, oats, soybeans, and wheat handled by Michigan’s 202 licensed grain dealers (186 in-state). Since 2003, 308 producers have recovered $5,639,557 in claims under the Farm Produce Insurance Act. Insolvencies among grain dealers, wholesale potato dealers, livestock auctions, and dairy plants impact communities, businesses, and farmers through loss of jobs, income, and market.
Links of Interest
Follow up with this Exhibitor:
MDARD Producer Security Program
Dominic Perrone, Compliance Officer
perroned9@michigan.gov
Denise Studders, Auditor
studdersd@michigan.gov
Dave Hall, Auditor
halld20@michigan.gov
Johnathon Schweda, Admin/Tech
schwedaj@michigan.gov
Jeff Haarer, Manager
haarerj@michigan.gov
MDARD-GrainDealers@michigan.gov