A grant opportunity designed to encourage growth in Michigan’s food and agriculture industry was announced today by Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Jamie Clover Adams.
“This is a great chance for our food and agriculture businesses to find innovative ways to expand and grow. Food and agriculture in Michigan is a $101 billion industry. This is one avenue to help spur job creation, support local communities and drive new economic development,” said Clover Adams.
Applicants for grant funds will be asked to describe how the project potentially impacts and produces measurable outcomes for the food and agriculture industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution, or individual.
This initiative has been developed to focus on removing existing barriers and leveraging opportunities identified by food processors, agri-business, and those in agricultural production as critical to business development and growth. Priority will be given to projects that identify a scope of work that includes one or more of the following as it relates to the food and agriculture industry:
1. Talent/Workforce Development (i.e. training activities)
2. Infrastructure/Logistics (i.e. broadband access)
3. Feasibility Studies (i.e. enhancing value added capacity)
All application materials including the program overview and fillable application form are available on MDARD’s website www.michigan.gov/mdardgrants. Applications are due to MDARD by 3pm EST on July 22, 2015.
