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 pllution risks. MAEAP’s mission is to develop and implement a proactive environmental assurance program ensuring that Michigan farmers are engaging in cost-effective pollution prevention practices and working to comply with state and federal environemntal regulations.

This comprehensive, voluntary, proactive program  is designed to reduce farmer’s legal and environmental risks through a three-phase process:
1) education; 2) farm-specific risk assessment; and 3) on-farm verification that ensures the farmer has implemented environmentally sound practices. The program’s three systems – Farmstead, Cropping and Livestock – each examine different aspects of the farm. Cropping system assessments can include a specialized focus on greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, and others. After becoming MAEAP verified, a farm can display a MAEAP sign signifying that MAEAP partners recognize the farm is environmentally assured.

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 Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs) and are working to comply with state and federal environmental laws specific to each system of the program.

Luke Simpson & family with new MAEAP sign after being verified in three systems.

Meet your MAEAP Technician!

Elissa Mutschler is the conservation district’s MAEAP technician serving Barry and Ionia Counties.

Elissa graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness Management. Elissa was very active in the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in her time at MSU. She grew up in Ionia County where she attended and graduated from Saranac High School. Elissa was active in the Saranac FFA Chapter and in the county 4-H program where she showed and sold hogs at the Ionia Free Fair.  If you are interested in becoming MAEAP verified or would just like to gather more information about the program, feel free to contact Elissa!

Elissa can be reached at 616.527.2098 ext. 3088 or by email at elissa.mutschler@macd.org  or visit the MAEAP Website at:  http://www.maeap.org/

Local MAEAP Farms

For a map of all the MAEAP verified farms in Ionia and Barry Counties, and to learn more about the products offered by local MAEAP verified farms, click on the map icon to the right.