LANSING, Mich. — The Urban Livestock Workgroup (ULW) was formed in response to an increased interest among the public in raising livestock in urban and suburban areas, and may have been triggered by fears that urban and suburban farming in Michigan were being undermined.

But that doesn’t mean urban/suburban livestock farmers will benefit from the workgroup’s recommendations.

Last year the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) asked 21 individuals to get together to discuss and recommend policy related to the raising of livestock in urban and suburban areas. The group issued a recommendations report in March, which it presented to MDARD Director Jamie Clover Adams and state Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Joe Hune (R-Hamburg).

It also presented the report to the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development (MCARD). According to the report, people interested in raising livestock felt changes made to the Right to Farm Act (RTFA) site selection guidelines in 2014 threatened RTFA protection and undermined food production in urban and suburban areas – which led Hune to ask MDARD to "continue the discussion."

"It was a result of the 2014 GAAMPs (Generally Accepted Agriculture and Management Practices) issue," said Wendy Banka, president of the Michigan Small Farms Council and an urban farmer. She was a member of the ULW. "It was clear that the goal of the group wasn’t to advance urban livestock."

The group met five times, starting in September 2014 at Constitution Hall in Lansing. It held its final meeting in February.

Other members of the group included leaders from local governments, small-scale livestock farmers and state legislators.

The ULW came up with the following recommendations: develop a law or legal framework to address, stimulate and support local efforts and interest in raising livestock in urban and suburban areas. Banka said her members believe MDARD has been trying to restrict RTFA protections "all along" because it doesn’t have time to do all the inspections it’s required to do under the law.

The group recommended guidelines be developed as part of the legal framework and that authority should be given to MCARD to accomplish as much. It recommended a diverse subgroup be chosen under MCARD’s authority to do this. There were also disagreements over how much authority local governments would have regarding the raising of livestock in urban areas and how much authority should be in the hands of state government.

"The main result of the workgroup is that there will be legislation that will put urban and suburban livestock farming under local control," Banka said. She added such a law would be in conflict with RTFA and that it would lead to more court battles.

"I feel there is good work that was done, but it just didn’t show up in the final vote. People like me will keep on fighting this thing," she said.

A request for comment from Hune went unanswered as of press time; however, last month he told The Associated Press he would introduce a bill that’s in line with the ULW’s recommendations, saying it is doubtful the state legislature would extend RTFA protections to urban and suburban livestock farmers.

The report, called Urban Livestock Workgroup Recommendations Report To Director Jamie Clover Adams and State Senator Joe Hune, can be accessed online at the Michigan.gov website by entering in the report name on Google or other search engine.