Farm Dominance Act

A bill to establish Michigan Farm Dominance; to provide regulatory relief and strengthen Right-to-Farm protections; to expand production, innovation, and value-added processing; to protect generational family farms and prohibit foreign adversarial ownership of agricultural land; to prioritize Michigan-grown food in state institutions; to enforce labor and fair-trade standards; to promote voluntary environmental stewardship; to create the Michigan Farm Dominance Authority; and to make Michigan a top agricultural powerhouse that feeds America, enriches families, and secures rural prosperity for generations.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

Section 1. Short Title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Michigan Farm Dominance and Family Farm Protection Act.”

Section 2. Legislative Findings.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Michigan’s family farms are the backbone of the state and a critical component of American food security.

(b) Over-regulation, foreign ownership of farmland, unfair trade practices, and excessive consolidation threaten the survival of generational family farms and rural communities.

(c) Deliberate policy can make Michigan the most productive, resilient, and prosperous agricultural state in the nation, expanding output, creating jobs, lowering food costs, generating export revenue, and strengthening rural Michigan for generations.

(d) Food sovereignty, family-farm preservation, and American worker priority are strategic interests of the State.

(e) All provisions of this act shall be implemented consistent with the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Michigan.

Section 3. Definitions.

As used in this act:

(a) “Family farm” means a farm owned or operated by one or more individuals or a family entity in which the majority ownership and operational control remain with Michigan residents who are actively engaged in the farming operation.

(b) “Foreign adversarial entity” means any entity owned, controlled, or directed by a designated foreign adversary, including the People’s Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party, or any proxy thereof.

(c) “Authority” means the Michigan Farm Dominance Authority created in this act.

Section 4. Regulatory Relief and Farm Freedom.

(1) A one-for-two regulatory reduction rule is established for agriculture: for every new agricultural regulation of general applicability, two existing agricultural regulations of comparable scope shall be identified for repeal or substantial streamlining, subject to legislative oversight.

(2) The Right-to-Farm Act is strengthened to expand protections for family farms against nuisance lawsuits, overly restrictive local zoning that effectively prohibits ordinary farming practices, and targeted activist harassment.

(3) Permitting for farm expansions, on-farm and local processing facilities, and related agricultural infrastructure shall be fast-tracked under fixed timelines while maintaining responsible environmental stewardship.

Section 5. Production Expansion and Innovation.

(1) The State adopts an all-of-the-above agricultural policy supporting traditional row crops, livestock, dairy, specialty crops (including cherries, apples, and blueberries), hemp, aquaculture, vertical farming, and other emerging sectors.

(2) Tax credits, grants, and research partnerships shall prioritize Michigan-based innovation in precision agriculture, soil health, drought-resistant and high-yield varieties, and advanced genetics, with results made readily available to Michigan family farms.

(3) Enhanced tax credits and grants shall be available for on-farm and local value-added processing facilities that keep economic activity and jobs in Michigan rather than exporting raw commodities.

Section 6. Protection of Generational Family Farms.

(1) Foreign adversarial entities are prohibited from purchasing, acquiring, or controlling Michigan agricultural land or land used for food production. Existing prohibited holdings are subject to orderly divestiture under timelines and procedures established by law.

(2) Tax incentives, preferential property-tax treatment, and preservation programs shall prioritize multi-generational family farms that keep land in active agricultural production.

(3) Grants, tax relief, and technical assistance shall be provided for succession planning and transfer of farms to the next generation of Michigan families.

(4) Measures to limit excessive consolidation by non-family corporate or out-of-state megafarm operations that demonstrably squeeze out family farms shall be enacted within constitutional bounds.

Section 7. Market Access and Economic Strength.

(1) State institutions, including schools, prisons, and other public facilities, shall prioritize the purchase of Michigan-grown and Michigan-processed food whenever feasible and cost-competitive.

(2) The State shall aggressively promote Michigan agricultural exports while supporting enforcement against unfair foreign dumping and subsidized competition.

(3) Rural economic hubs focused on processing, distribution, and agritourism shall be encouraged in small towns to create high-wage jobs and retain young people in rural Michigan.

Section 8. Labor and Trade Protections.

(1) Immigration law shall be strictly enforced on agricultural operations. E-Verify shall be mandatory for agricultural employers. Legal guest-worker programs may be supported only to the extent they do not displace available American workers.

(2) Michigan shall oppose trade arrangements that demonstrably harm Michigan farmers and shall advocate reciprocity and strong enforcement against foreign subsidies and dumping.

Section 9. Environmental Stewardship Done Right.

(1) Conservation, soil-health, and water-quality efforts shall emphasize voluntary, incentive-based programs rather than top-down mandates that disproportionately burden family farms.

(2) Farms that demonstrate measurable best practices shall be eligible for tax credits and grants.

Section 10. Michigan Farm Dominance Authority.

(1) There is created the Michigan Farm Dominance Authority as a lean, farmer-informed coordinating body charged with cutting red tape, aligning research and incentives, protecting family farms, and measuring results.

(2) The Authority shall maintain a public dashboard tracking:

(a) Total agricultural output and exports;

(b) Number of family farms preserved and expanded;

(c) Jobs created in farming and food processing;

(d) Michigan food self-sufficiency indicators; and

(e) Rural population trends and young-farmer retention.

(3) The Authority shall operate under performance metrics, public reporting, and reauthorization requirements.

Section 11. Goals and Accountability.

The strategic goals of this act include elevating Michigan to top-tier national agricultural status in production and profitability, ensuring generational family farms thrive, lowering food costs through expanded local supply, strengthening rural economies, and enhancing national food security. Progress shall be measured annually and reported to the Governor and Legislature.

Section 12. Severability.

If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act and the application of its provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

Section 13. Effective Date.

This act takes effect 90 days after enactment. Regulatory-reduction procedures, foreign-ownership restrictions, and the Michigan Farm Dominance Authority shall be operational within 180 days.

Enacting Section.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Family Farms First. Food Sovereignty First.

Farm Dominance Now.

Farmers First. Patriots First. Michigan First.