~For the Land, For the Water, For the Future~
Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program
About MAEAP
The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is an innovative, proactive program that helps farms of all sizes and all commodities voluntarily prevent or minimize agricultural pollution risks. When you see signs along the road that read “This Farm is Environmentally Verified” it means that the landowner has voluntarily taken every step required to meet state and federal environmental regulations and Michigan Right to Farm guidelines. MAEAP teaches farmers how to identify and prevent environmental risks and comply with state and federal environmental regulations. Farmers who successfully complete the phases of a MAEAP system are rewarded by becoming verified in that system, gaining regulatory protections, and earning preferred consideration for technical assistance and cost sharing.
Depending on land usage and what resources are available on their property, farmers can become verified in the following systems:​
In 2020 alone, MAEAP Verified Farms in Allegan County had remarkable participation. Farmers were able to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff, increase levels of dissolved oxygen in water bodies, improve crop yields, protect soil health, and receive countless other benefits for their land and surrounding areas. Together, farms in Allegan County were able to reach the following environmental outcomes:
10,528
279
878
2,850
2,945
51
5,494
2
8,011
Acres included in a nutrient plan or CNMP
Acres of buffer/filter strips
Acres of cover crops
Acres of conservation tillage
Acres of no-till, zone till, or grass cover
Number of gullies stabilized
Feet of livestock exclusion
Size of silage pad (acres)
Acres of Pest Management Plans
Each star represents a MAEAP verified farm in Allegan County.
To get enrolled in the MAEAP program, or to learn more about the conservation practices you can implement on your land, contact your local MAEAP Technician.
MAEAP was developed by a coalition of agriculture producers, commodity groups, state and federal agencies, and conservation and environmental groups. While MDARD is the verifying agency, MAEAP is not a government or regulatory program but rather a partnership effort.