Small business owners across Michigan are united in citing health care costs as their top concern, according to the latest membership survey from the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM).
Survey participants say the immense growth in the cost of health care has them rebalancing their books and cutting back on hiring new employees.
Seventy-six percent of SBAM members said the cost of providing health care is affecting their ability to hire more employees, while 51 percent say they’ve had to reduce or eliminate benefits due to costs.
“Small business owners consider providing health care benefits for their employees a source of pride and an important resource for employee attraction and satisfaction,” SBAM chief executive officer Brian Calley said. “But their ability to provide health care is in jeopardy, due to the excessive growth in costs, and our data now shows it is restricting their ability to hire new employees as well.
“Michigan’s unemployment rate is already nearing its highest point in recent years. If hiring severely contracts, this is a major flag for policymakers and business leadership that the cost of health care is now seriously affecting Michigan’s economy.”
Sue Tellier, of JetCo Federal in Grand Rapids and past SBAM Board Chair, said: “We desperately need everyone responsible for providing health care to come together and identify actionable strategies to reduce the cost of care across the board. Every day, small business owners find ways to do more with less, and we need health care administrators to use that same logic.”
Other survey findings:
• 91 percent state that providing health insurance is valuable for employee retention and satisfaction
• 84 percent said health insurance and employee benefits costs are significant to their overall expenses
• 83 percent said the cost of health care impacts their ability to invest in other areas of the business
• 67 percent said the cost of health insurance has increased by more than 10 percent this year
• 70 percent said the cost of health care is a significant barrier in their ability to offer coverage as an employee benefit
The survey was conducted from May 15-22, 2025, and had roughly 300 member responses. 84 percent of respondents have less than 50 employees.
Survey participants say the immense growth in the cost of health care has them rebalancing their books and cutting back on hiring new employees.
Seventy-six percent of SBAM members said the cost of providing health care is affecting their ability to hire more employees, while 51 percent say they’ve had to reduce or eliminate benefits due to costs.
“Small business owners consider providing health care benefits for their employees a source of pride and an important resource for employee attraction and satisfaction,” SBAM chief executive officer Brian Calley said. “But their ability to provide health care is in jeopardy, due to the excessive growth in costs, and our data now shows it is restricting their ability to hire new employees as well.
“Michigan’s unemployment rate is already nearing its highest point in recent years. If hiring severely contracts, this is a major flag for policymakers and business leadership that the cost of health care is now seriously affecting Michigan’s economy.”
Sue Tellier, of JetCo Federal in Grand Rapids and past SBAM Board Chair, said: “We desperately need everyone responsible for providing health care to come together and identify actionable strategies to reduce the cost of care across the board. Every day, small business owners find ways to do more with less, and we need health care administrators to use that same logic.”
Other survey findings:
• 91 percent state that providing health insurance is valuable for employee retention and satisfaction
• 84 percent said health insurance and employee benefits costs are significant to their overall expenses
• 83 percent said the cost of health care impacts their ability to invest in other areas of the business
• 67 percent said the cost of health insurance has increased by more than 10 percent this year
• 70 percent said the cost of health care is a significant barrier in their ability to offer coverage as an employee benefit
The survey was conducted from May 15-22, 2025, and had roughly 300 member responses. 84 percent of respondents have less than 50 employees.
MSU Researcher Working to Improve Water Quality
By Cameron Rudolph
Michigan State University
Michigan’s proximity to the Great Lakes provides access to roughly 20 percent of the world’s surface fresh water. From agriculture to tourism, water is a key driver of the state’s economy and the well-being of its residents.
Protecting this resource from threats is of utmost importance. It has prompted Michigan State University, alongside statewide partners, to invest in bringing some of the leading water researchers to Michigan.
For Subhasis Giri, an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, working for the university is the culmination of a lifelong goal.
“My long-term career goal is to be a professor in the area of water quality, while establishing a research group that can solve current and emerging issues,” Giri said. “MSU’s land-grant model of teaching, research and outreach provides the platform to achieve those objectives. Extension is very practical and helps our industries, and teaching allows me to translate my knowledge for other people who will help solve real-world problems.”
Giri’s position is one of six new faculty roles and two MSU Extension educators that will be hired through the Agricultural Resiliency Program, a partnership among MSU, the Michigan Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The program, which began last year, is geared toward addressing enduring plant agriculture challenges related to water and the effects of extreme weather. Research and outreach focus on a variety of topics, including soil health, water quality and availability, and developing innovative long-term strategies in the face of severe events such as droughts and floods.
Giri, who obtained his doctorate from MSU, returned to the university after serving as an assistant research professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
He specializes in hydrology and water quality, working to advance understanding of hydrological processes and the flow of water in natural and human systems. Using field studies and modeling, his research team seeks to protect soil, water and other natural resources for generations to come.
Giri believes the Agricultural Resiliency Program offers the foundation to expand these efforts in Michigan.
“We’re seeing increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns in Michigan, which result in longer growing seasons that lead to more crop water requirement,” he said.
“Increasing temperatures also increase pests, diseases and weeds in various agricultural commodities. Furthermore, extreme precipitation events are leading to greater soil erosion and nutrient transport from agricultural fields into waterbodies, resulting into harmful algal blooms.”
In March, the program announced new funding for four projects that begin in 2025. Giri received a three-year, $1.275 million award to explore answers to harmful algal growth in Michigan waterbodies.
Giri will partner with corn and soybean growers to generate tools that prevent nutrient loss and lessen the environmental consequences of harmful algal blooms. The project will include water quality monitoring, demonstration of nutrient-capturing technology, evaluating conservation practices for water quality and soil carbon sequestration, quantifying socioeconomic benefits of conservation practices, and development of a decision-support tool for farmers.
The direct collaboration with growers, Giri said, is what will lead to practical solutions.
“The success of the Agricultural Resiliency Program lies in the interaction of farmers and commodity groups with researchers who can find out their needs,” he said. “Based on their feedback, we should conduct research that can be developed into extension programs to deliver science-based recommendations.”
Michigan State University
Michigan’s proximity to the Great Lakes provides access to roughly 20 percent of the world’s surface fresh water. From agriculture to tourism, water is a key driver of the state’s economy and the well-being of its residents.
Protecting this resource from threats is of utmost importance. It has prompted Michigan State University, alongside statewide partners, to invest in bringing some of the leading water researchers to Michigan.
For Subhasis Giri, an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, working for the university is the culmination of a lifelong goal.
“My long-term career goal is to be a professor in the area of water quality, while establishing a research group that can solve current and emerging issues,” Giri said. “MSU’s land-grant model of teaching, research and outreach provides the platform to achieve those objectives. Extension is very practical and helps our industries, and teaching allows me to translate my knowledge for other people who will help solve real-world problems.”
Giri’s position is one of six new faculty roles and two MSU Extension educators that will be hired through the Agricultural Resiliency Program, a partnership among MSU, the Michigan Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The program, which began last year, is geared toward addressing enduring plant agriculture challenges related to water and the effects of extreme weather. Research and outreach focus on a variety of topics, including soil health, water quality and availability, and developing innovative long-term strategies in the face of severe events such as droughts and floods.
Giri, who obtained his doctorate from MSU, returned to the university after serving as an assistant research professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
He specializes in hydrology and water quality, working to advance understanding of hydrological processes and the flow of water in natural and human systems. Using field studies and modeling, his research team seeks to protect soil, water and other natural resources for generations to come.
Giri believes the Agricultural Resiliency Program offers the foundation to expand these efforts in Michigan.
“We’re seeing increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns in Michigan, which result in longer growing seasons that lead to more crop water requirement,” he said.
“Increasing temperatures also increase pests, diseases and weeds in various agricultural commodities. Furthermore, extreme precipitation events are leading to greater soil erosion and nutrient transport from agricultural fields into waterbodies, resulting into harmful algal blooms.”
In March, the program announced new funding for four projects that begin in 2025. Giri received a three-year, $1.275 million award to explore answers to harmful algal growth in Michigan waterbodies.
Giri will partner with corn and soybean growers to generate tools that prevent nutrient loss and lessen the environmental consequences of harmful algal blooms. The project will include water quality monitoring, demonstration of nutrient-capturing technology, evaluating conservation practices for water quality and soil carbon sequestration, quantifying socioeconomic benefits of conservation practices, and development of a decision-support tool for farmers.
The direct collaboration with growers, Giri said, is what will lead to practical solutions.
“The success of the Agricultural Resiliency Program lies in the interaction of farmers and commodity groups with researchers who can find out their needs,” he said. “Based on their feedback, we should conduct research that can be developed into extension programs to deliver science-based recommendations.”
Opinion: Democracy Against Corruption
(The following is an editorial opinion written by Douglas Marsh, who is editor of the Arenac County Independent, Ogemaw County Herald and Oscoda County Herald.)
By Douglas P. Marsh
CherryRoad-Media.com
Michigan consistently has ranked at or near the bottom of U.S. states in government transparency and accountability for over a decade. Journalists and government watchdogs have been sounding alarms while statutory remedies have stalled in legislative limbo or faded entirely from view.
Two policy reforms would go a long way: banning legislators receiving gifts from lobbyists and ending the total exemption from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests currently enjoyed by the office of the Governor of the State of Michigan and by members of the Michigan State Legislature.
Given the incentives at play, Michigan residents cannot rely on representatives to enact the necessary reforms. In a response to an investigation published by the Detroit News in 2024 that revealed Lansing politicians receiving gifts from lobbyists unchecked, retired litigator Bob LaBrant said a ballot measure through a citizen-initiated petition drive may be Michigan residents’ only hope.
“The December 2024 lame duck session meltdown underscores the need for the voters of Michigan by 2026 to turn once again to the initiative to reform a flawed system where FOIA expansion stalled,” LaBrant said. “With the end of trifecta rule on Dec. 31, 2024, and a return to divided government in Lansing in 2025, any new reform effort is unlikely to be pursued, let alone accomplished, using the traditional legislative process.”
In July 2024 LaBrant extracted an interpretive statement from the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office that acknowledged the existing reimbursement system employed by many Lansing politicians is likely forbidden by Michigan’s Lobby Act.
“This was a small victory,” he said. “The Michigan State Capitol is awash in dark money given by tax-exempt organizations designed to hide the true identity of the contributor. Lobbyists view gifts to legislators (to attend sporting events, concerts and rounds of golf, for example) as a cost of doing business that gives them an advantage over others in public policy debate.
Legislators too often view receipt of those gifts with a sense of entitlement and not guilt.”
LaBrant recommends banning lobbyist gift-giving and extending FOIA coverage to the governor and the legislature. Massachusetts is the only other state in the U.S. with similar exemptions.
He also recommends three additional policy reforms to require more financial contribution disclosures and regulations and to introduce a cooling-off period for officials leaving office, prior to registering as lobbyist agents.
“Since 2018, state public official personal financial disclosure, term limit modification, absentee and early voting, voter registration and redistricting reform have all been achieved by voters bypassing an intransigent legislature,” he said. “All but one was brought to the ballot by citizen-initiated petition drives.”
To get hands on with a citizen-initiated petition drive this summer, interested parties can join Rank MI Vote, a nonpartisan organization working to bring ranked-choice voting to the State of Michigan for a number of statewide electoral contests. Details are available at RankMIVote.org
We all are going to need a lot of practice if we hope to bring any of these much-needed reforms to Lansing.
By Douglas P. Marsh
CherryRoad-Media.com
Michigan consistently has ranked at or near the bottom of U.S. states in government transparency and accountability for over a decade. Journalists and government watchdogs have been sounding alarms while statutory remedies have stalled in legislative limbo or faded entirely from view.
Two policy reforms would go a long way: banning legislators receiving gifts from lobbyists and ending the total exemption from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests currently enjoyed by the office of the Governor of the State of Michigan and by members of the Michigan State Legislature.
Given the incentives at play, Michigan residents cannot rely on representatives to enact the necessary reforms. In a response to an investigation published by the Detroit News in 2024 that revealed Lansing politicians receiving gifts from lobbyists unchecked, retired litigator Bob LaBrant said a ballot measure through a citizen-initiated petition drive may be Michigan residents’ only hope.
“The December 2024 lame duck session meltdown underscores the need for the voters of Michigan by 2026 to turn once again to the initiative to reform a flawed system where FOIA expansion stalled,” LaBrant said. “With the end of trifecta rule on Dec. 31, 2024, and a return to divided government in Lansing in 2025, any new reform effort is unlikely to be pursued, let alone accomplished, using the traditional legislative process.”
In July 2024 LaBrant extracted an interpretive statement from the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office that acknowledged the existing reimbursement system employed by many Lansing politicians is likely forbidden by Michigan’s Lobby Act.
“This was a small victory,” he said. “The Michigan State Capitol is awash in dark money given by tax-exempt organizations designed to hide the true identity of the contributor. Lobbyists view gifts to legislators (to attend sporting events, concerts and rounds of golf, for example) as a cost of doing business that gives them an advantage over others in public policy debate.
Legislators too often view receipt of those gifts with a sense of entitlement and not guilt.”
LaBrant recommends banning lobbyist gift-giving and extending FOIA coverage to the governor and the legislature. Massachusetts is the only other state in the U.S. with similar exemptions.
He also recommends three additional policy reforms to require more financial contribution disclosures and regulations and to introduce a cooling-off period for officials leaving office, prior to registering as lobbyist agents.
“Since 2018, state public official personal financial disclosure, term limit modification, absentee and early voting, voter registration and redistricting reform have all been achieved by voters bypassing an intransigent legislature,” he said. “All but one was brought to the ballot by citizen-initiated petition drives.”
To get hands on with a citizen-initiated petition drive this summer, interested parties can join Rank MI Vote, a nonpartisan organization working to bring ranked-choice voting to the State of Michigan for a number of statewide electoral contests. Details are available at RankMIVote.org
We all are going to need a lot of practice if we hope to bring any of these much-needed reforms to Lansing.
MDHHS: Avoid Foam On Surface Waters That Could Contain PFAS This Summer
With summer approaching, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends Michigan residents and visitors avoid foam on Michigan lakes, rivers, streams and other surface waters.
Foam can form on any body of water. It can be white, off-white or brown; have an earthy or fishy scent; and pile up in bays, eddies, dams or other river barriers.
Sometimes foam can contain harmful chemicals or bacteria. This can include high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Some studies have found that high exposure to some PFAS is linked to high cholesterol and liver damage, among other health effects.
If you touch any foam, rinse off or bathe as soon as possible. This is especially true if the water is suspected to be contaminated with PFAS. Touching foam without rinsing off or bathing can lead to accidentally swallowing foam and its contents.
“The risk of PFAS exposure through your skin is low. However, you can accidentally swallow PFAS, as well as bacteria, algae, viruses and other chemicals, if you do not rinse off or bathe after touching foam,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for the state of Michigan. “Rinsing off or bathing after water activities will help protect you, your family and your pets from harmful substances that may be in foam or water.”
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also recommends people keep their animals from touching or swallowing foam on bodies of water. Animals can swallow foam that has built up in their fur when grooming themselves. If animals touch foam, they should be rinsed off and bathed with fresh water. Pet owners with questions related to animals and foam should contact their veterinarian.
For more information about PFAS concentrations and bacteria that can be found in foam in Michigan, visit michigan.gov/pfasresponse.
Anyone with questions about exposure to PFAS or foam can call the MDHHS Environmental Health Hotline at (800) 648-6942.
Foam can form on any body of water. It can be white, off-white or brown; have an earthy or fishy scent; and pile up in bays, eddies, dams or other river barriers.
Sometimes foam can contain harmful chemicals or bacteria. This can include high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Some studies have found that high exposure to some PFAS is linked to high cholesterol and liver damage, among other health effects.
If you touch any foam, rinse off or bathe as soon as possible. This is especially true if the water is suspected to be contaminated with PFAS. Touching foam without rinsing off or bathing can lead to accidentally swallowing foam and its contents.
“The risk of PFAS exposure through your skin is low. However, you can accidentally swallow PFAS, as well as bacteria, algae, viruses and other chemicals, if you do not rinse off or bathe after touching foam,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for the state of Michigan. “Rinsing off or bathing after water activities will help protect you, your family and your pets from harmful substances that may be in foam or water.”
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also recommends people keep their animals from touching or swallowing foam on bodies of water. Animals can swallow foam that has built up in their fur when grooming themselves. If animals touch foam, they should be rinsed off and bathed with fresh water. Pet owners with questions related to animals and foam should contact their veterinarian.
For more information about PFAS concentrations and bacteria that can be found in foam in Michigan, visit michigan.gov/pfasresponse.
Anyone with questions about exposure to PFAS or foam can call the MDHHS Environmental Health Hotline at (800) 648-6942.
Michigan Farm Bureau Urges Drivers to Watch for Farm Vehicles on Backroads
Michigan farmers are hard at work with corn and soybean planting well underway, and that means that drivers across the state will continue to see large farm implements traveling on rural roadways.
While an estimated 20 percent of people in the U.S. live in rural areas, 40 percent of traffic deaths occur on rural roads, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In rural areas, the fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled was 1.2 times higher than in urban areas.
With that in mind, Michigan Farm Bureau is asking drivers to remember these safety tips this spring and summer:
• Slow down: Most farm equipment travels at speeds of 25 miles per hour or less, which means drivers who are traveling 55 mph need to be ready to avoid rear-end crashes and give themselves 300 feet of braking distance.
• Stay alert: Slow-moving farm machines might be just over the next hill or preparing to enter the roadway and may occupy more than one lane in order to avoid obstacles like road signs and mailboxes. Be prepared to slow down, pull to the side of the road, or stop as needed.
• Be patient: Machinery that is half on the road and half on the shoulder may suddenly move completely onto the road. Farm equipment also makes much wider turns than passenger vehicles, so only pass when it’s safe to do so and give farmers plenty of room when you do.
“Farmers want drivers to know that they only take their equipment on public roads when it’s absolutely necessary, like when they’re working to get crops into the ground when we have dry spring days,” MFB legislative counsel Andrew Vermeesch said.
“Motorists and farmers alike share a responsibility to each other when they’re on the road, and with a little patience and awareness, we can all make it home safely.”
While an estimated 20 percent of people in the U.S. live in rural areas, 40 percent of traffic deaths occur on rural roads, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In rural areas, the fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled was 1.2 times higher than in urban areas.
With that in mind, Michigan Farm Bureau is asking drivers to remember these safety tips this spring and summer:
• Slow down: Most farm equipment travels at speeds of 25 miles per hour or less, which means drivers who are traveling 55 mph need to be ready to avoid rear-end crashes and give themselves 300 feet of braking distance.
• Stay alert: Slow-moving farm machines might be just over the next hill or preparing to enter the roadway and may occupy more than one lane in order to avoid obstacles like road signs and mailboxes. Be prepared to slow down, pull to the side of the road, or stop as needed.
• Be patient: Machinery that is half on the road and half on the shoulder may suddenly move completely onto the road. Farm equipment also makes much wider turns than passenger vehicles, so only pass when it’s safe to do so and give farmers plenty of room when you do.
“Farmers want drivers to know that they only take their equipment on public roads when it’s absolutely necessary, like when they’re working to get crops into the ground when we have dry spring days,” MFB legislative counsel Andrew Vermeesch said.
“Motorists and farmers alike share a responsibility to each other when they’re on the road, and with a little patience and awareness, we can all make it home safely.”
