Six Northern Michigan Farms, Including 9 Bean Rows In Suttons Bay, Land Big MDARD Grants

Northern Michigan farms will get more than $2 million thanks to the latest round of grants from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). The grants, which were announced by the state Thursday, are part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program. Local grants will fund everything from wastewater improvements to cold storage updates for farming operations.

This round of RFSI grants allocates $3.2 million to 10 entities throughout the state. The lion’s share of that money – $2,136,425, to be exact – is coming to the northern part of the state. The region's six grantees are outlined below.

>Burnette Foods in East Jordan will get $475,000 “for wastewater improvements that will increase food processing and manufacturing capacity.”

>Bur’s Maple Syrup in Cheboygan has been awarded a $269,362.08 grant “for a new maple sugar house that will enable expansion while supporting distributors and the community.”

>King Orchard in Central Lake will receive $475,000 “for a multi-functional facility that will increase the processing of fresh foods supplied by regional growers.”

>Petoskey Farms Vineyard and Winery is getting $305,985.60 “for expanding climate-controlled wine and cider storage for ‘Tip of the Mitt’ producers.”

>9 Bean Rows in Suttons Bay will net $163,077.98 “to launch a regional milling facility to support the grain industry.”

>Wunsch Farms of Traverse City will see a $475,000 grant “for cold storage, packaging and safety improvements for statewide fresh sweet cherry distribution.”

“These RFSI grants complement MDARD’s efforts to strengthen regional food systems through our Farm to Family Program,” MDARD Director Tim Boring said in a press release announcing the grant recipients. “Together, these initiatives are creating more opportunities for local food processing, aggregation, and distribution, which means more Michigan families will have access to more Michigan-grown foods.”