North Michigan News

Mike Rogers, a candidate for the U.S. Senate representing Michigan, has expressed concerns about the impact of certain policies on the state's farming industry. He emphasized that farming is a significant contributor to Michigan's economy in a statement shared with North Michigan News.

"Farmers are the backbone of Michigan," said Rogers. "They deserve our support—not more of the Democrats' excessive red tape that threatens their business. As Michigan's next Senator, I will proudly back our hardworking farmers and protect the freedom to farm."

According to Rogers, during his recent visit to Evans Brothers Farms in Frankfort, which specializes in growing fruits such as apples and cherries, he discussed with the farm owners how excessive regulations under Democratic leadership have negatively affected the industry.

Michigan's agriculture sector contributes over $104.7 billion annually to the state's economy, as reported by Michigan.gov. The state leads in producing several crops, including asparagus and squash, and harvested 1.36 billion pounds of apples in 2022.

The Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies reports that farms in the state face high tax costs, with agricultural properties taxed at 50% more than the national average. The organization advocates for solutions like reducing agricultural taxes and fairer distribution of municipal services costs while opposing the "dark store" assessing theory.

A press release from Congressman John Moolenaar indicates that former Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor Julie Su supported policies detrimental to Michigan farms. Last year, Su mandated what were described as "unsustainable" wages for farm workers through the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), which increased to $18.50 per hour in Michigan—the fourth highest rate nationally—posing economic challenges for some family-run farms.

Rogers is originally from Livingston County and is a U.S. Army veteran who has served as both a state senator for Michigan and a U.S. Representative.