LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Upper Peninsula is set to benefit from farm-to-table projects funded in the 2025 fiscal year budget, with the goal of improving distribution systems that provide Michigan-grown produce to families in rural and disadvantaged communities.
The state legislature approved over $150 million for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), $3 million of which will go to continue its farm-to-family program.
The department’s director, Tim Boring said the program continues MDARD’s work in regenerative agriculture and climate resilience. Finding the ways that work in our current economy and climate to produce enough healthy food to feed everyone in the state.
He said MDARD is hoping to support agricultural industries by building diversity in the state’s food production and to expand rural farm economies by growing higher value and more thoughtfully produced crops.
“We’re really working hard to value the outcomes of agricultural production in a more comprehensive and thorough way.” Boring said. “but at the same time, we know there’s technical challenges on a lot of farms to doing that, we just don’t have the outlets to get healthy, fresh food into places into grocery stores, into hospitals and schools onto families’ plates in the way that we need.”
boring says the department is investing in research to improve farming processes that prioritize outcomes so the state can restore soil quality, build crop resiliency, and help with carbon sequestration while growing what it needs to support rural and urban communities.
