Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senator Debbie Stabenow, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Tuesday announced the Michigan recipients of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The program offers federal funding to a state department of agriculture to support the specialty crop industry and the impacts to the food system due to COVID-19. These grants focus on marketing, training, certifications, food safety, pest control, and plant health for specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, plants and/or flowers.
“Investing in and supporting our rural economy is critical to Michigan’s economic success and will help us put Michiganders first,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “The grants enhance opportunity for our specialty crops growers and workers, and they will help our supply chain recover, grow, and thrive. I appreciate Senator Stabenow and USDA’s commitment to expanding Michigan’s local food economies and strengthening our rural communities.”
“Michigan leads the nation in the production of many fruits and vegetables and is second in diversity of our crops only to California. Our fruits, vegetables and nursery crops are not only a source of great pride – they are critical to our state’s economy.” said Senator Stabenow. “This new support is a big win for Michigan agriculture. It will help our farmers keep their competitive edge and continue to provide healthy fruits and vegetables to American families.”
“Michigan’s food and agriculture industry was hit hard by the impacts of COVID-19 from farm to fork,” said Gary McDowell, MDARD Director. “These much-needed funds will help our growers and processors continue to innovate and compete for new growth opportunities throughout the food supply chain, both nationally and globally. Michigan grown and made just tastes better.”
Below is the list of grantees:
| Grantee | Project Title | Location | Amount Awarded |
| Cherry Marketing Institute | Inspire Michigan Tart Cherry New Food and Beverage Innovations | DeWitt | $125,000 |
| Michigan Ag Council | Specialty Crop Market and Festival Tour | Lansing | $125,000 |
| Michigan Apple Committee | Raising Michigan Apple Brand Awareness through Online Engagement with Consumers | Lansing | $125,000 |
| Michigan Blueberry Commission | Developing Export-Ready Pest Management Programs for Michigan Blueberries | Lansing | $100,000 |
| Michigan Celery Research Inc. | Building resilience in MI celery: Strategies for weed, nematode, and fertility management | Hudsonville | $100,000 |
| Michigan Christmas Tree Association | Sustainable Christmas Tree Production: A Training Program for New and Current Christmas Tree Producers | Durand | $77,315 |
| Michigan Department of Education-Office of Health and Nutrition Services | Developing Regional Specialty Crop Supply Chain Connections and Innovations to Support 10 Cents a Meal Grantees | Lansing | $124,082 |
| Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) | Diversifying Market Channels to Increase Competitiveness for Beginning and Historically Underserved Specialty Crop Producers | Okemos | $123,268 |
| Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc (dba Migrant Legal Aid) | Improving Agricultural Sustainability by Improving Health for Migrant and Immigrant Food Workers | Grand Rapids | $56,000 |
| Michigan Potato Industry Commission | Potato Nutrition Messaging to Address Food Insecure Audiences in Michigan | East Lansing | $120,000 |
| Michigan State Horticultural Society | Orchard Innovations to Sustain Michigan Peach/Nectarine Industry Profitability | Benton Harbor | $90,526 |
| Michigan Wine Collaborative | Developing a Competitive Brand for Michigan Wine to Sustain Grape Sales | Fennville | $125,000 |
For more information, visit www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp and/or www.michigan.gov/mdardgrants.
