GARY MCDOWELL

House Bill 4842 aims to lower marked-up costs of Michigan grain for Michigan distillers as a way to encourage to use of Michigan ingredients.

Michigan officials have temporarily banned all poultry and waterfowl exhibitions amid the avian flu outbreak that’s spreading quickly across the U.S. and has prompted farms to euthanize millions of birds.

LANSING, Mich. – Officials are reminding Michigan residents that they shouldn’t panic buy products like toilet paper, paper towel and other items. “Michigan has an ample supply of food products and other items. But, when shoppers panic buy products like toilet paper, paper towel and other items, it creates a ripple effect within the supply chain,” said McDowell. Consumers should plan for essentials in weekly increments to ensure that supply levels remain steady over the next few weeks. READ: Metro Detroit grocery stores face second wave of supply demand amid COVID-19 pandemic

LANSING, Mich. – Steps are being taken to protect Michigan’s pine trees from the mountain pine beetle. The mountain pine beetle is a destructive forest pest in North America. READ: More invasive species coverageWhat is a mountain pine beetle? Mountain pine beetles is an insect native to the forests of western North America and is also known as the Black Hills beetle or the Rocky Mountain pine beetle. Michigan’s pine resources are at risk of attack by MPB, including white pine, jack pine, red pine, Austrian pine, and Scots pine.

LANSING, Mich. Michigans Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is making data on programs related to weather conditions available to farmers. The Geographic Information System viewer allows the agency to take different types of data sets and turn them into easy-to-understand visuals like maps. The data is from resources like the Michigan State University Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The viewer will be updated as new information is identified. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell said financial assistance programs can be critical for farmers as extreme weather conditions such as drought, deep freezes or flooding impacts their ability to plant, harvest or tend to their crops.

"I didn't realize how far along our work is," said Gary McDowell, a director. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.