The recent ruling from the MDARD Commission changed the GAAMPS for farms located in residential and urban areas. MDARD says that this is to stop people from raising livestock where people live close together. I see it as townships restricting people, even in Rural Residential areas where agriculture is allowed, but put restrictions on livestock that already go against Michigan Right To Farm Act. Act 93 of 1981. Example: Mt.Morris Charter Township says to have livestock a person must get a NON-COMMERCIAL land use permit in Rural Residential zoned areas. Having a noncommercial land use permit to keep livestock would make a farmer exempt from the protection of the RTFA. But, tilling the land, spreading fertilizer and planting corn is allowed and protected. I personally have 9.77 acres, my son is a active Genesee Co. 4-H member. He is the 2013-14, 4-H Prince. His 4-H projects are chickens, rabbits and horses, along with non-animal projects. I am a 4-H leader and single mom, as well. We are small little farm that wants to raise our own food. I am commercial, as I sell firewood and manure from the farm. My son receives monies from premiums at the fair and the sale of his chickens at fair auction. I know many 4-H children that live in the same township and zoned the same as we are. With this new ruling they would not even be able to own a rabbit. People with chickens that sell "farm fresh eggs" and have 3-5 acres or more as myself will be stopped from trying to make ends meet, in a state that is already hurting. The auto industry has let the people of Michigan and Genesee County down and hurting. Please let us not let the Agricultural industry do the same! Don't think that 4-H or FFA(Future Farmers of America) members have these huge farms located in strictly Agricultural zoned areas. People from urban areas have been moving into the county and rural areas for years. They keep pushing and pushing. Please reverse these new rules the commission has set for the GAAMPS and help us little people out!!! Thank You!! Jackie Kerr

It would change the whole system and make it more representative of the people.

Bee populations are plummeting! Yet the Environmental Protection Agency recently sided with Dow AgroSciences to approve a new, highly toxic bee-killing pesticide called sulfoxaflor. And now the EPA is considering expanding the number of crops this pesticide can be sprayed on to include corn, alfalfa, oats, and several other significant and widely grown crops. Will you help us fight back? Tell the EPA to deny Dow AgroScience’s application to expand the registration of the bee-killing pesticide sulfoxaflor now. Nearly one-third of our crops—including many vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds—depend on bees for pollination. But bees in our country are dying at unprecedented rates, and scientists are pointing to pesticides like sulfoxaflor as a cause. A world without bees is unimaginable. Earthjustice is doing everything we can to fight back, using the law and the power of the courts. But we need your help to stop this latest proposal. Help us ensure that sulfoxaflor does not become the final straw for bees. Take action now to save bees!

We must rebuild the American Dream instead of burying our best and brightest young minds in debt slavery. About 40 million Americans whose student loan debt exceeds the total amount of credit card debt for the first time in our nation's history. Senator Elizabeth Warren's student loan refinancing plan makes sense for our future.

Antibiotics are great at killing bacteria that make us sick, but in the process of fighting germs they also kill off good bacteria. Too few Doctors are prescribing probiotics alongside antibiotics. After years of taking antibiotics for chronic sinus infections, I fell very ill and found out my intestinal flora of good bacteria had been completely wiped out and also had a massive overgrowth of yeast in my body; it's been a long ongoing process to re-balance and regain my health. Millions of Americans are suffering from this oversight and it's time to put a stop to these avoidable illnesses!

We are tired of getting inferior care and having to travel long distances to get our medical care. The Federal government should provide all veterans universal health care--the right to go to the doctor(s) and hospital(s) of their choice and be fully covered by medical insurance.

Public institutions, health-environmental NGOs, and Sir Paul McCartney enthusiastically support Meatless Monday's as an accessible step schools and institutions can take to make a difference. Given the drought in CA and rush to inject fracking waste fluid, this is a time to consider the importance of water conservation and make an effort to protect aquatic life from Factory Farm manure pollution and runoff from fertilizers/agri-chemicals used on feed crops. President Obama is clear that climate change is serious, Meatless Monday menus are a tasty way to diversify our diets and can give USA credibility Internationally that we care about emissions reductions (while reducing foodborne illnesses, chronic disease linked to too much meat consumption, and so much more!). Personally, I was not exposed to vegetarian meals growing up. When i started trying plant protein sources in 2000, I realized I liked them all and welcomed the dietary diversity in my life! I feel great enjoying vegan food now. It's an easier step than it would be for me to go car-free to save energy.

Massachusetts should lead on education, but when it comes to early education we're falling behind. With 30,000 kids stuck on waiting lists, Massachusetts lags behind states like Oklahoma that offer preschool for all kids. The good news is that we have a chance right now to make real progress toward the goal of early education for all. As the Senate works on the budget -- which they will vote on before the end of May -- Sen. Daniel Wolf (Harwich) is proposing $25 million to send more kids to preschool, more than double the investment the House passes. if passed, we could take more than 2,700 kids off the wait list and put them into classrooms. We're really gaining steam. On Sunday, May 4, the Boston Globe ran a column "Fund early education, as Oklahoma does," which shows that our message is really sinking in. [1] Then, on Tuesday, May 6, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced he wants to double preschool enrollment in Boston. [2] It's clear we are moving in the right direction. But we can't stop now. The reason we've come this far is that people like you took action and got involved. And to push us over the top we need more people to take action. 1. Yvonne Abraham, "Fund early education, as Oklahoma does," Boston Globe, May 4, 2014. 2. "Mayor Walsh Seeks to Double Pre-K Enrollment," Associated Press, May 6, 2014.

In this fast paced world, it is hard for even the healthiest of consumers to completely avoid fast food. It would be fantastic if there were some genuinely healthy options available at fast food restaurants. I believe it would also expand the market of customers for McDonalds, so it would be a win-win!

It is a need in Chicago.

I'M TIRED OF SEEING THE SAME DEATHS, TORTURE, AND MISTREATMENT OF ANIMALS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I'M TIRED OF SEEING THE SAME-OLD NOT MAKING IT TOUGH AND ROUGH ON KILLERS AND ABUSERS AND STOPPING -- NOT ADDRESSING OVER AND OVER AGAIN -- THE SAME ISSUES, BUT STOPPING THEM. WHEN ALL OF OUR STATES HERE IN THE USA SEE AND ADDRESS AND JOIN TOGETHER IN MAKING IT A BETTER WORLD FOR THE ABUSE AND DEATHS OF ANIMALS, THAT IS WHEN WE KNOW WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING. YEARS AND YEARS PASS. SLOW-- VERY SLOW ARE PEOPLE TO SEE, ADDRESS AND JUST STOP THIS MADNESS. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE WAY TO LIVE. BUT NO ONE IS STOPPING THIS OR FINDING THIS ISSUE VERY IMPORTANT, OR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED LONG AGO, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE LONG AGO STOPPED THIS ACCEPTANCE OF WHAT IS GOING ON. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE AND WAY, WAY TOO SLOWLY ARE STRIDES MADE FOR THE VOICELESS ANIMALS. THERE ARE PROGRAMS TO PLAN AND METHODS TO USE WITH ISSUES OF ANIMALS IN THE USA. I'M SICK OF BLM GETTING AWAY WITH UNLAWFUL TREATMENT AND KILLING OF HORSES. I'M SICK OF PEOPLE FINDING ANIMALS IN THE WAY. I'M SICK OF GAS CHAMBERS -- PUTTING THE DEAR LITTLE PUPPIES AND KITTIES INTO THEM AND SUFFOCATING THE DEAR GENTLE ANIMALS, WHICH IS A PAINFUL DEATH -- KILLING THEM IN SUCH A MEAN AND CRUEL MANNER. WHY IS THIS NOT DONE WITH? WHY IS THIS A WAY TO KILL AN ANIMAL WHO HAS NO HOME AND PUT IT TO DEATH? WHY IS THIS STILL ALLOWED? IT IS BARBARIC, A NO-BRAINER. JUST STOP IT! PUT THE PAPERWORK AND LAWS INTO EFFECT AND END IT -- END IT. BUT THIS IS NOT BEING DONE. ABUSERS, WHY IS THIS DONE OVER AND OVER AGAIN? BECAUSE IN MOST STATES THEY GET AWAY WITH IT. THEY GET AWAY WITH IT WITH LITTLE REPERCUSSION. THEY GET A SLAP ON THE WRIST OR A SMALL FINE. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WHY IS WASHINGTON NOT DOING THEIR JOB, TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT ANIMALS? WHY ARE THE STATES NOT HERE -- ALL OF US -- WITH THE SAME THINKING AND PROTECTING OF THE ANIMALS? I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEG TO DO THE RIGHT THING. ANYONE CAN SEE WHEN AWFUL THINGS ARE HAPPENING. IT IS TIME TO STOP ACCEPTING THIS -- ALL OF THE USA. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS. GET OFF YOUR BUTTS, PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT. JOIN TOGETHER AND, ALL OF THE STATES IN THE USA, THINK ALIKE AND RESPECT LIFE AND THE PROPER TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.

We do not want our community clinic to close.