STATEMENT: Director Boring on Michigan House of Representatives’ Budget Proposal

LANSING, Mich. - Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring released the following statement Tuesday morning on the state House's budget plan:

"MDARD is here to protect Michigan residents, support farmers and producers who put food on the table and create economic opportunities within the industry.

"The House budget plan slashes more than a third of MDARD's budget, including nearly half of our general fund. This includes significant cuts to food safety work, emergency response and preparedness, and customer service operations. At a time when our federal partners are pushing for state governments to pick up the load, the House budget plan defunds our basic functions that help Michigan farmers continue operations, keep Michiganders safe from illness, and more.

"I'm also concerned about what these proposed cuts mean for inspections that are required for Michigan products to reach international markets. Moreover, proposed budget and staff reductions would hurt our ability to process business-related applications efficiently and help Michigan products get to market quickly. House budget cuts will make government work worse for small business owners and threaten the rural economy.

"We're also looking at significant impacts to our grant programs, which strengthen our food systems, provide growth opportunities for businesses and create jobs in underserved areas. Some of our programs have been labeled as 'waste' in recent weeks. Let's be clear: assisting Michigan farmers and agribusinesses isn't wasteful-it's how local, healthy food can reach our dinner plates. It's an economic lifeline for Michigan's small, rural businesses.

"Food, agriculture and forestry products account for nearly $126 billion in economic impact annually, making the industry Michigan's second largest behind the automotive industry. Our work touches all of Michigan's 83 counties. Michigan needs a budget that recognizes the vital piece MDARD-and our dedicated workforce-plays in our state's success."

MDARD's budget accounts for less than two tenths of a percent of the overall state budget. The House version of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposes cutting more than 34 percent of MDARD's budget, putting Michigan's food, farms and families at risk.

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