A recent op-ed in the NYT was criticized for omitting information on a study that concluded there were higher incidences of disease in free-range pork. The author responds.
Jim Byrum is serving as the President of the Michigan Agri-business Association (MABA) as well as serving as the chair of the Michigan Commission of Agriculture. He discusses his career, goals, and policy views.
Migrant labor housing in Michigan is regulated under part 124, of Act 368 of 1978 as a part of the public heath code. The administration of part 124 of the act falls under the purview of the Department of Environmental Health (DEH).
Tom Vilsack, the new agriculture secretary has suggested that one agency should be responsible for food safety, rather than the myriad of agencies under the current system.
A brief summary of the ramifications of the 2007 USDA Agricultural Census for Michigan.
Agriculture
Michigan Ag and Don Koivisto
Written by Peter Goralski
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 23:54
Dome Magazine has a piece on Don Koivisto the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture. It briefly touches on the state of the Michigan agricultural industry but is mainly a profile of Mr. Koivisto.
Peanut Butter Recall
Written by Peter Goralski
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 05:44
As anyone who is signed up for the MDA food recall list is well aware, the recent peanut butter recall due to salmonella is quite extensive. The list of Michigan products affected can be accessed at this MDA website at the bottom of the story. Under normal conditions subscribers to the recall list will receive several emails a week. During this particular event it has not been uncommon to receive between two and six a day. Several days ago takes the cake in terms of the total number of recalls at thirty one. The page where you can sign up for the list seems to be down. I will post a link when it's back online.
Alcohol Policy
Written by Peter Goralski
Monday, 19 January 2009 00:35
At the risk of this becoming the alcohol policy blog, here are a few links that may be of interest to those who recently read the interview with John Russo.
The Politics of Wine: Trade Barriers, Interest Groups, and the Commerce Clause, is a paper on the effect of direct shipment on the prices of wine for consumers. The authors conclude what one would expect, namely that direct shipment can drastically lower the price of wine for consumers, they also offer a couple of caveats, all in all, an interesting read.
Mich Wine provides a nice timeline of events leading up to the signing of PA 474 of 2008 which banned the direct shipment of wine in Michigan. The site did not favor the bill, but even for those who think the bill is a good thing, the site is interesting and provides insight into another point of view.
Finally, this video is of an event hosted by the CATO Institute, a libertarian think tank on December 5, 2008. The discussion ranges over a whole host of alcohol related issues from the origins of prohibition to modern day alcohol laws. The relevant sections begin with chapter 18 and continue to chapter 28, with 23-28 dealing directly with direct shipping. Obviously the participants of this event do not favor laws restricting alcohol purchases by adults. Point of view aside however, it is perhaps the most informative source for those who wish to learn about the alcohol distribution system and current alcohol regulations in the United States.
Wine Interview
Written by Peter Goralski
Wednesday, 14 January 2009 01:29
I recently conducted an interview with John Russo, a wine specialist out of Grand Rapids. The intent of the interview was to cover the pending legislation that would ban direct shipment of wine within Michigan. Since the interview, the legislation has been approved by the governer and it will become a public act. The majority of the interview is more broad in scope and covers alcohol regulation both nationally, and in Michigan. It is a fascinating look at both the system, and the effects of policies implimented by the Michigan government. I plan on providing additonal background on the subject of wine in the near future. For now, the interview can be read here.
Interview with Wine Specialist John Russo
Written by Peter Goralski
Wednesday, 14 January 2009 01:13
The intent of this interview was to discuss the new piece of legislation which would ban the direct shipment of wine to consumers within Michigan and its relationship to the wine industry, hence the agricultural aspect. Since the interview was conducted, Governor Granholm has signed the bill and it was assigned PA 474 of 2008, although it is not up on the legislature's site as of this writing. The bill can be viewed here however.
The interview does cover the wine industry angle, but additionally much space is spent giving a rather fascinating look at the inter-workings of the state's alcohol regulation system, and the alcohol industry as a whole from the perspective of someone who has been involved in most aspects. This interview provides insight into both what Michigan's policy is towards alcohol, and the effects of some of those policies, as well as some ancillary policies.
John Russo is a wine specialist who currently runs a retail store in Grand Rapids. He also served as a consultant to Michigan wineries and has worked in importation and wholesaling. His website is http://www.gbrusso.com
The Michigan Policy Network is a student-led public education and research program to report and organize news and information about the political process surrounding Michigan state policy issues. It is run out of the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University, with participation by students from the College of Social Science, the College of Communication, and James Madison College.
The thoughts, opinions, and positions represented herein are solely those of the participating students and in no way represent an official position or policy recommendation of Michigan State University.
