Planning & Performance Improvement

Farm Resources

  • Succession Planning Assistance
    Succession planning is critical to farm operations and farm families, and the process should be started early. Several resources and training opportunities exist to assist landowners with succession planning. Two great places to begin are Michigan Farm Bureau and Michigan State University Extension (MSUE).
  • New Farmer Resources
    Many resources exist to draw new farmers into the industry and help them be successful. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently granted Ottawa County funding to enhance our efforts to assist beginning farmers. As new tools and resources are developed, you will find links under this tab. Until then, you can visit the New Farmers website that provides many tools and resources. MSUE also offers a Beginning Farmer webinar series. The USDA also provides Beginning Farmer Loans to help with the large capital intense, startup costs of farming.
  • Ag Economic Development Resources
    The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has a variety of grants, staff members, and programs that can assist with business expansions, market development, product development, and more.
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  • Internet Access and Connectivity
    According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, only 75% of farms have any access to the internet or adequate internet speeds. High-speed internet access is critical to virtually every type of farm operation. Ottawa County is taking strides to address this on the local level.
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  • Qualified Agricultural Property Tax Exemption
    To help balance the tax burden on those who produce our food, Michigan law provides for an exemption from certain local school operating taxes, typically up to 18 mill, for parcels that meet the qualified agricultural property definition.
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  • Michigan Farmland Preservation Program (Formerly PA 116)
    This program offers Farmland Development Rights Agreements, a temporary restriction on the land between the State and a landowner, voluntarily entered into by a landowner, preserving their land for agriculture in exchange for certain tax benefits and exemptions for various special assessments (commonly known as PA 116).
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