Our Work
Our work spans the many people, processes, and places involved in regional food systems. Current work advances:
- Food System Infrastructure, Planning and Policy
- Michigan Good Food
- Farm to Institution/School
- Farm and Farmer Development
Find information about past areas of work at the bottom of this page.
Food System Infrastructure, Planning and Policy
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Michigan Food Hub Learning and Innovation Network
Providing development and leadership expertise for Michigan businesses that facilitate the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and/or marketing of local and regional food products.
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Michigan Food System Workforce Assessment
Michigan’s local and regional food sector is important to the state’s economy. Does Michigan have the workforce to sustain and grow this system?
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Michigan Local Food Council Network
Convening and engaging food councils through peer-to-peer learning to build individual and collective capacity, address food and food policy issues, and engage communities.
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Michigan Meat Network
A network of livestock producers, meat processors, distributors, buyers, and food professionals looking to make business connections, find answers, and build viable markets for local and regional meat in Michigan.
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National Food Hub Survey
A series of national surveys offering one of the most comprehensive data sets on food hub operations to date.
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Racial Equity in the Food System Workgroup
A community of Cooperative Extension professionals and community stakeholders who connect, learn and collaborate to facilitate change within our institutions and society to build racial equity within the food system.
Michigan Good Food
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Michigan Good Food Charter
The Michigan Good Food Charter is a roadmap for a food system that is rooted in local communities and centered on good food. The charter outlines six goals to advance the vision by 2020.
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Michigan Good Food Charter Shared Measurement Project
Improving understanding of the impact of good food efforts in Michigan by building capacity statewide to assess and communicate food system change.
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Michigan Good Food Fund
A $30 million public-private partnership loan fund providing financing and business assistance to good food enterprises that benefit underserved communities across Michigan.
Farm to Institution/School
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Michigan Farm to Institution Network
Seeking new approaches to institutional food purchasing. Growing Michigan institutions’ capacity to serve local food. Expanding markets for food grown, raised and processed in Michigan.
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Michigan Farm to School
Sharing ideas, tools and resources to support a range of efforts to serve local foods in schools and early care and education settings.
Farm and Farmer Development
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Michigan Organic Farming Exchange
Equipping farmers and consumers with knowledge about organic production practices and suggesting methods to successfully transition conventional production to organic.
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Michigan’s Emerging Farmers
Making farming a more prosperous, secure, and sustainable career by providing training and tools for Michigan’s beginning and emerging farmers.
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Organic Farmer Training Program
Eight-month intensive training program in year-round organic farming to increase knowledge of farm production, management, marketing, and business operations necessary to operate a diversified small farm.
Past Work
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Economic Impact Analysis of Local and Regional Food Systems
Economists and local food system researchers convened to assess existing practices and recommend future strategies for economic analyses of local and regional food systems.
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Financing Farming in the U.S.
A national team of community-based lenders and farm business advisors.
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Food and Community Connections
A national outreach effort to cultivate environments and infrastructures for the development of equitable good food systems and healthy communities.
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Food Innovation Districts
A planning and economic strategy toolkit to address regional food system infrastructure needs and support the clustering of markets, food business incubators, and facilities for common storage and distribution.
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Local Governments and Local Food Systems
Building capacity for local government engagement in food system development through research and outreach programming.
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MI Farm to School Grant Program
From 2011-2018, over 70 eligible Michigan K-12 schools/districts and early care and education programs were provided mini-grants to plan for or implement farm to school programs.
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Northwest Michigan Agriculture and Food System Sector Alliance
Facilitating collaboration, planning, and action between stakeholders from the Northwest Lower Michigan food system, including growers, processors, preparers, packagers, distributors, servers, and retailers.
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Season Extension Outreach
Sharing resources, research, and other support for production, marketing, and business planning for year-round farming.
