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Climate Smart Commodities grant will support Michigan foodshed

Two Michigan agricultural organizations have secured nearly $5 million for a USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant to expand the food supply chain in the state.

Star of the West Milling Company Sustainability Director Lisa Woodke tells Brownfield the project, A Climate Smart Strategy for the Michigan Foodshed: Nourishing our Land, Farmers, and Rural Communities, partners with Michigan Agriculture Advancement to increase the number of people focused on climate-smart ag practices.

“We’ve got all the technology that’s probably necessary, but what we don’t have are people to help the growers input that data,” she says.

Star of the West plans on hiring a climate-smart agronomist and climate-smart interns as part of the project to support farmers growing wheat, food-grade soybeans, dry beans, and food-grade oats.

Woodke says a directory will be created to link different parts of the food system.

“Of interested buyers, processors, and sellers, and then we plan to leverage our existing partnership with Artisan Grain Collaborative and be able to connect growers and food companies even more,” she explains.

There will also be a focus on building social networks, supporting women and beginning farmers, and outreach to next-generation youth about climate-smart agriculture.