Unmanned Aircraft Systems have been one of the newest technologies adapted by farmers, and Michigan Farm Bureau delegates have established a new policy to protect farmer rights.
Jason McCormack of Ionia County represents Young Farmers on the Michigan Policy Development Committee. He said each year the committee reviews 800 to 1,000 resolutions put forth by county Farm Bureau members. Unmanned Aircraft Systems is a new addition to Farm Bureau policy this year.
“There’s a large opportunity there for farmers to search their fields and potentially for other applications down the road," McCormack said. “It’s important for us, we feel, at the state level to create policy to protect our views and protect our opportunities.”
Delegates also crafted a national drone policy that will be brought to the American Farm Bureau Federation meeting in January.
McCormack said Farm Bureau policies are as diverse as Michigan agriculture.
“It’s interesting to see how many interesting and diverse issues affect agriculture in our state," he said. “We see issues related to forestry, beekeeping, and fruits and vegetables, and then obviously on cash crop and row crop as well.”
Other major policy issues at this year’s Annual Meeting have included animal agriculture and Waters of the United States.
Source: www.brownfieldagnews.com