News

Michigan value added grants announced

The Michigan Department of Agriculture has awarded funds to nine projects through the Value Added and Regional Food System Grant Program.

Grant dollars will be used to improve processing and resources for a wide range of specialty products including wine, trout, eggs, sugar and chestnuts.

More than 60 proposals were received by the department with requests for more than $6.6 million. Projects to be funded include:

• Campbell Milarch Vines LLC of Copemish – $140,400. Produce and market the first locally sourced and cold-hardy vinifera “Truly Michigan Vines” for Michigan vineyard owners and grape growers.
• Chestnut Growers Inc. of Clarksville – $43,500. Improve production capacity in processing and preparing Michigan chestnuts for market.
• Food Lab Detroit of Detroit – $54,000. Develop a “Detroit Grown & Made” campaign to strengthen the relationship between farmers, added-value processors and the broader community.
• Growing Hope of Ypsilanti – $79,800. Develop the food hub components of the Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace, including creating an incubator kitchen for value-added product development.
• Indian Brook Trout Farm Inc. of Jackson – $150,000. Expand aquaculture processing facility and refrigerated transportation to grow marketing channels.
• Kitz Koop of Sault Ste. Marie – $19,400. Expand egg farm production for the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
• Michigan Sugar Company of Bay City – $100,000. Construct a liquid feed plant in Carrollton in partnership with Westway Feed Products, adding value to beet molasses.
• Rainbow Packing Inc. of Escanaba – $100,000. Expand facility to keep pace with meat processing needs in the Upper Peninsula.
• Sprout Urban Farms Inc. of Battle Creek – $65,000. Increase food hub producers and double sales of regional produce through wholesale markets.