MDARD Awards Latest Grants to Boost Agricultural Production and Strengthen Michigan Food Systems

LANSING, Mich.—The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) today announced $2.3 million of Underserved, Value-Added, Regional Food Systems and Supply Chain Grants to accelerate business growth and strengthen food systems across the state. Many of the grants fund broader projects that will support new jobs in Michigan communities.

"Smart investments in our food and agriculture systems boost business growth, build stronger communities and improve quality of life for Michiganders,"  said MDARD Director Tim Boring. "These grants will create new jobs and cultivate new economic opportunities for Michigan farmers and food businesses while giving Michiganders more access to nutritious, locally grown foods."

MDARD awarded Underserved, Value-Added, Regional Food Systems and Supply Chain Grants to the following 28 Michigan entities:

Mid-Michigan

• 1321 Meat Processing. Inc.(Lennon)—$100,000 to develop a new 18,000-square-foot meat processing facility in Shiawassee County. The project is expected to create 22 local jobs and expand regional capacity for livestock processing and value-added agricultural production.

• City of Mt. Pleasant—$100,000 to equip a new incubator kitchen at the Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market that will help beginning food entrepreneurs test production, scale up and grow their businesses. This project will help create one full-time and ten part-time jobs.

• Food Bank of Eastern Michigan (Flint)— $100,000 for a cold storage expansion project that will improve the organization s ability to receive and store perishable and frozen foods from local farmers and food producers and distribute those foods to community members in need.

• Grow Jackson (Jackson)—$68,750 to invest in cleaning, milling and packaging equipment for locally grown small grains and to support education and training at the River & Rail Food Hub. This project will help create one full-time and one part-time job.

• Mitten State Malt, LLC (Okemos)—$43,637 to expand the production of malt made from Michigan-grown grains by purchasing new equipment and facilitating the company s move to a larger facility. This project will help create two part-time jobs.

• Ark Companies, Inc., which does business as Eaton Meat (Charlotte)—$57,800 to expand processing and retail infrastructure by adding cold and freezer storage. This project will help create four full-time and three part-time jobs.

• Blue Mitten Farms (Okemos)—$100,000 for infrastructure improvements that will expand production capacity across multiple greenhouse structures. This project will help create one part-time job.

Northern Michigan

• B&B Farms LLC (Alpena)—$24,390 to increase beef production by using virtual fencing, a system that uses GPS collars to track cattle and thereby enables grazing on previously unusable acres. This project will help create one part-time job.

• Carlson's Fishery (Leland)—$70,021 to invest in modernized equipment to expand fish processing and support product innovation. This project will help create two part-time jobs.

• Lakeview Hill Organic Farm LLC(Traverse City)—$99,744 to increase year-round production of organic produce by constructing new climate-controlled hoophouses. This project will help create one full-time and one part-time job.

• Z&N Farm (Bear Lake)—$89,921 to increase the volume of fresh, locally grown produce for Manistee County and surrounding rural communities by expanding cold storage, upgrading post-harvest handling systems, increasing retail display capacity and installing a greenhouse with climate control upgrades.

Southeast Michigan

• Celestial Gastronomy, LLC, which does business as The Lakehouse Bakery (Chelsea)—$90,537 to purchase a commercial steam-jacketed kettle, a pneumatic piston filler with heated hopper and a walk-in cooler/freezer to replace seven aging units. This project will help create one full-time job.

• Cook's Farm Dairy, Inc. (Ortonville)—$64,328 to expand ice cream production and meet growing consumer demand through the purchase of cold storage infrastructure. This project will help create two part-time jobs.

• Forget Me Not Farms(Lambertville)—$100,000 to construct three hoop houses that will help expand production of fresh cut flowers, reduce seasonal supply gaps and improve supply chain reliability in winter when imported flowers dominate. This project will help create one part-time and two full-time jobs.

• Safie Specialty Foods Company Inc. (Chesterfield Township)—$100,000 to invest in new product lines that use Michigan-sourced ingredients and to expand into new markets. The extra production is expected to support up to 20 new full-time jobs.

• Sanilac Creamery (Ann Arbor)—$44,873 to purchase whey capture and installation infrastructure that will help expand production of Michigan-made dairy products.

• Dutton Farm, Inc.(Rochester Hills)—$100,000 to expand its horticultural program, increasing equitable access to hands-on agricultural training. This project will help create 20 part-time jobs.

Southwest Michigan

• Granor Farm (Three Oaks)—$100,000 to purchase and install a stone mill that will expand production and facilitate the launch of full-scale, custom milling services for regional farmers, distillers and food producers. This project will help create three full-time jobs.

Thumb Region

• Maurer Meat Processors LLC (Cass City)—$73,194 to build a retail storefront and local distribution hub in downtown Cass City, helping expand market reach, stabilize year-round revenue and build the production infrastructure needed to grow as a regional food hub. This project will help create one full-time and two part-time jobs.

West Michigan

• Big Bear Honey LLC (Zeeland)—$100,000 to implement a fully integrated, automated honey filling and packaging line to expand its processing capacity. This project will help create four full-time and two part-time jobs.

• BLiS Gourmet (Grand Rapids)—$100,000 to increase bottling capacity of products such as maple syrup and specialty ingredients, enabling the company to increase production and purchase greater volumes from regional suppliers. This project will help create three full-time and two part-time jobs.

• Beer City Dog Biscuits(Grand Rapids)—$58,316 to purchase a new equipment, such as a walk-in freezer, expanding their distribution and supply chain capacity. This project will help create six part-time jobs.

• Daddy's Dough Cookies(Walker)—$92,027 to purchase commercial mixing equipment, packaging systems and a walk-in cold storage unit, increasing overall production. This project will help create one full-time and two part-time jobs.

• Crooked Acres Farm LLC (Hart)—$49,025 to establish new on-farm grain milling capacity, enabling the farm to process Michigan-grown grains into flour products for regional bakeries, farmers markets, retailers and direct consumers. This project will help create one full-time and three part-time jobs.

• Gavin Orchards, LLC (Coopersville)—$99,347 to increase marketable production of Michigan fruit by purchasing and installing a multi-camera, optical sorting and sizing machine. This project will help create 22 full-time and nine part-time jobs.

• Great Lakes Farm to Freezer (Caledonia)—$100,000 to expand production capabilities through the installation of a vegetable washing, drying and tunnel freezing system, increasing the company s capacity to process locally grown produce. This project will help create eight full-time and four part-time jobs.

• Riveridge Produce Marketing (Grant)—$100,000 to add a weigher and batcher to its existing cherry packing line, improving operational efficiency by enabling more precise, weight-based packing. This project will help create six part-time jobs.

Upper Peninsula

• Menagerie Homestead LLC, which does business as Troemner Farm (Atlantic Mine)—$99,950 to establish a new ADA-accessible, year-round farm market, selling their own products and foods from other local producers, building a dependable outlet for Michigan-grown goods in a rural area. This project will help create one part-time job.

MDARD's Underserved, Value-Added, Regional Food Systems and Supply Chain Grants help expand Michigan food and agriculture production while increasing community access to nutritious, locally grown foods. A joint evaluation committee reviews all grant applications using a rigorous and competitive process based on the impact and measurable outcomes that each project will have on Michigan's food and agriculture industry.

For more information about MDARD's grant programs, visit the MDARD Grants webpage.

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