Greenhouse Growers Warm Up to New Environmental Assessment
Greenhouse Growers Warm Up to New Environmental Assessment
3/20/08
Contact: Natalie Ebig Scott
517-432-1555, ext. 157
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- With increasing pressure from major retailers to operate in a sustainable manner, Michigan greenhouse growers are responding with enthusiasm to the new Greenhouse*A*Syst risk assessment, a component of the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP).
“Some nationwide buyers of agricultural products are demanding that their growers participate in a sustainability program,” said Allen Krizek, Michigan State University (MSU) Extension coordinator. “A team of experts from various organizations developed the Greenhouse*A*Syst tool to meet the industry’s diverse demands for environmental responsibility.”
To help publicize the introduction of the new tool to greenhouse growers, Project GREEEN funded the production of a promotional brochure and three informational open house events. Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs) is Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU.
The MAEAP was developed by a coalition of farmers, commodity groups, state and federal agencies, and conservation and environmental groups to provide a venue for farmers to become better educated about management options to help protect and enhance the quality of the state’s natural resources. With confidentiality guaranteed by law, MAEAP provides a structure under which Michigan farmers can be assured they are effectively following all current Right-to-Farm Act generally accepted agricultural management practices (GAAMPs) and are complying with state and federal environmental laws.
Nearly 500 Michigan farms have participated in the voluntary verification process in its 10-year history.
Traditionally, the MAEAP is structured into three systems -- livestock, farmstead and cropping. Krizek said the greenhouse industry is unique because operational headquarters are so closely tied to production areas. Therefore, Greenhouse*A*Syst integrates the guidelines for both cropping and farmstead systems into one comprehensive tool with 14 sections and more than 200 questions.
“This assessment is the longest tool in the MAEAP, so we have been encouraging technicians to take more than one day to complete the tool with a grower,” Krizek said.
The MAEAP is facilitated locally by conservation districts, MSU Extension and the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program. Greenhouse*A*Syst is conducted by a local groundwater technician. Linda Zabik, Kalamazoo Conservation District groundwater technician, has conducted six assessments with growers in cooperation with Jeanne Himmelein, MSU Extension commercial horticulture educator.
“The feedback we are receiving most from our growers is that they are thankful for a tool that helps them get a clear picture of management practices that could be easily corrected and those that will take more time and money to implement,” Zabik said.
Zabik said she emphasizes the educational benefits of the program to growers and points out that the tool and the expertise of MAEAP partners are free and non-regulatory.
“It’s refreshing to offer such a valuable tool for free and have growers that want to be involved for the benefit of their operations, their neighbors and the environment,” she said.
Himmelein said that, though the Greenhouse*A*Syst assessment is free, it may lead to some costly recommendations. She encourages growers to utilize the tool to assess their operations and then build large-scale repairs into the operations’ long-term growth plans.
“I believe that over time, when greenhouse operators are planning for growth and upgrades, they can take the regulations into consideration,” Himmelein said. “They want to do what is best, but finances are key.”
Krizek said the response to Greenhouse*A*Syst has been very positive.
“Growers at first have privacy concerns, but once they hear that the program is voluntary and confidential, and that all materials are left on the farm, their confidence and buy-in increase,” Krizek said. “We are building trust with this group of growers just as we did with livestock farmers when MAEAP was introduced in 1998.”
Though there is no concrete timeline to become MAEAP-verified, Krizek said a unique opportunity exists for an operation to be the first verified greenhouse.
“One Michigan greenhouse grower will be the first to have the MAEAP sign out front,” Krizek said.
Founded in 1997, Project GREEEN is a cooperative effort between plant-based commodities and businesses together with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture to advance Michigan’s economy through its plant-based agriculture. Its mission is to develop research and educational programs in response to industry needs, ensure and improve food safety, and protect and preserve the quality of the environment.
To learn more about Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, visit www.greeen.msu.edu.
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