Project GREEEN Announces $2 Million in New Grants

MSU researchers have been awarded more than $2 million for research and outreach projects to continue growing Michigan?s $71.3 billion agri-food and agri-energy industries.

Project GREEEN

MSU researchers have been awarded more than $2 million for research and outreach projects to continue growing Michigan?s $71.3 billion agri-food and agri-energy industries.

Thanks to funding from Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs), 88 plant agriculture research projects will receive $2.08 million in grant funding. Project GREEEN is Michigan?s plant agriculture initiative, based at MSU.

Doug Buhler, MAES associate director and Project GREEEN coordinator, said the proposals put before the project selection committee continue to get better every year.

"As the economy continues to struggle, investments in appropriate research are more important than ever," he said. "The selection committee looked for strong projects that respond to the challenges in the industry and will help move Michigan forward. With those goals in mind, they were careful to ensure that every dollar was invested wisely."

Project GREEEN is a cooperative effort between plant-based commodities and businesses together with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) to advance Michigan's economy through its plant-based agriculture.

"Investing in our state's agriculture industry is critical to growing Michigan's second largest economic driver," said Don Koivisto, MDA director. "The Project GREEEN grants demonstrate not only the importance of partnerships but also the need to diversify Michigan?s economy through our agriculture industry."

The Project GREEEN selection committee invested more than $1.5 million in 58 new projects. In addition, the committee awarded $568,000 to continue funding for 27 projects already under way. New projects were funded across the spectrum of Michigan's plant agriculture industries.

"Michigan State University continues to be cognizant of the need to expand the agricultural economy, and these projects are helping create and maintain jobs in that sector," Buhler said. "MSU's unique Extension relationships throughout the state give us an opportunity to uncover meaningful research and outreach needs that are directly applicable to farms throughout the state and region."

A complete listing of 2010 newly funded and continuing Project GREEEN research and Extension projects is at www.greeen.msu.edu.

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