Good Food for Michigan Buyer/Supplier Matchmaking Event

Our Summit theme of Sankofa/Biiskaabiiyaang touches on the powerful concept of reaching back and returning to an identity and culture disrupted by colonization, and carrying that knowledge and wisdom into the future.

In this book talk, author Nessa Richman will share practical strategies and actionable, research-based tools for building equitable, resilient local food systems from her new book, Food Policy Councils: Building Civic Engagement and Community Well-Being (Routledge, 2026).

The Michigan Incubator Kitchen Network (MIKN) supports shared use commercial kitchens and their communities of food business entrepreneurs.

The Michigan Food Hub Network brings food hubs together to create something larger than the sum of its parts: A network of regional food distributors across the state dedicated to supporting the growth and success of Michigan’s local food economy.

Head to farms throughout the area for hands-on learning from innovative farmers. This is what the summer conference is all about.

Listening Session : MDARD's Farm to Family Program is focused on strengthening local food supply chains, engaging community input, and embracing innovation. The program offers grants, networking opportunities, and marketing consultations to farmers, food businesses, and other local food supply chain stakeholders across the state. The purpose of this interactive listening session is to identify the emerging needs and opportunities that conservation district staff and other food system stakeholders have identified in their communities. This feedback will directly inform our program's funding and technical assistance priorities in future years. You'll also hear about what we learned on our listening tour in 2025, and how we're already applying it to our work. If you have ideas about what projects our team should be funding, you should attend this session!

MDE and SNAM are excited to be hosting the 2026 Annual Conference, November 5-8, 2026, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, MI! This year's conference will feature a great lineup of engaging speakers to equip you with the tools and knowledge to excel in school food service.