May 23, 2007

LANSING - Grocery retailers across the state have cleared space in their produce sections for fresh Michigan asparagus - the first fresh crop of the growing season. To celebrate the official start to the fresh produce season, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) has teamed up with industry partners to invite you to Select Michigan Asparagus.

"You can’t beat fresh Michigan asparagus for taste, quality and nutrition," said MDA Director Mitch Irwin. "By buying locally grown asparagus, you help keep $65 million right here in Michigan supporting Michigan’s farmers, our rural communities, and our state’s economy."

Select Michigan is the state’s marketing program for food and agriculture products encouraging retailers and consumers to purchase food and agriculture products grown and processed in Michigan, through cooperative advertising, in-store promotions and product sampling.

Retail promotions for Michigan asparagus began May 21 in the southeast and west Michigan areas, and runs through mid-June. Industry sponsors and promotion partners include the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board; Miedema Produce; NorthBay Produce; Michigan grocers; state asparagus growers and packers; Michigan chefs; Select Michigan radio partners; U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Agricultural Marketing Service; the Michigan State University Product Center; and Women’s Lifestyle Magazine.

The in-store promotions feature celebrity chefs, asparagus recipe samplings, appearances by Mrs. Asparagus 2007 Heather Green of Shelby, and Miss Select Michigan Rebecca Hudson of Bloomfield Hills, and live radio remotes featuring radio personality Kim Carson from WLHT in Grand Rapids.

Retail partners include: Spartan Stores; Meijer, Inc.; Kroger Co.; Save-A-Lot; and several independent grocery stores in southeast Michigan, including Plum Market, Holiday Market, Papa Joe’s, Westborn Market, and Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace. Celebrity chefs include: Frank Turner, Chef, Matt Prentice Group, Bingham Hills; Nick Seccia, Executive Chef, The Henry Ford, Dearborn; Lorraine Platman, Chef-Proprietor, Sweet Lorraine’s, Southfield, Detroit & Livonia; and Culinary Historian Priscilla Massie, Allegan.

Michigan asparagus is one of the most nutritionally balanced of all vegetables. Asparagus contains no fat and is low in calories and sodium. It’s rich in vitamins, nutrients and is a great source of fiber. Asparagus is also the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid, which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease and neural tube defects. Nearly 30 million pounds of asparagus is harvested in the state at 250 family farms, and only Michigan asparagus is hand-snapped in the field, giving consumers a product that is all edible-all the time.

The Select Michigan program has several fresh product promotions scheduled throughout the season, including promotions for blueberries, peaches, and apples. For fresh Michigan asparagus recipe ideas and locations of scheduled Select Michigan Asparagus promotions, visit www.michigan.gov/mda.