LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced outstanding first-year results on October 24 from its 2025 Food Hub and Farm Stop Grant Program. This initiative marked the inaugural investment made by the agency’s innovative Farm to Family Program, which was launched last summer following a proposal by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in her Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget Recommendation.
Backed by a $730,000 initial investment, the program has worked to significantly expand market opportunities for Michigan farmers, strengthen local food value chains, and increase access to fresh, Michigan-grown products for families across the state. By targeting regional distribution hubs and community-based farm stops, the initiative has injected vital resources into local agricultural economies, helping producers overcome logistical hurdles while simultaneously bringing high-quality food closer to consumers.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer emphasized the broader vision behind the initiative, noting that the success of the program highlights the importance of local infrastructure in supporting regional communities.
"A thriving Michigan starts with resilient local food networks that nourish our communities and support the people who power them," said Governor Whitmer. "MDARD’s Farm to Family program is a shift toward a healthier, more connected future where families have better access to nutritious, Michigan-grown foods. This grant opportunity is fostering economic growth and supporting our hardworking farmers by giving them the support they need to succeed. Let’s keep strengthening our community food systems and building a state where quality of life and opportunity go hand in hand."
As part of the reporting process, grant awardees were asked to provide comprehensive impact reports summarizing their accomplishments during the year since the funding was announced. Detailed information regarding the individual recipients of the Food Hub and Farm Stop Grant Program remains available directly on the official Farm to Family website, offering transparency into how public funds have been deployed across diverse regions of the state.
MDARD Director Tim Boring pointed to the collected impact metrics as clear evidence that targeted state investments can yield substantial economic and social dividends.
"These results make clear that even a modest, targeted investment can transform Michigan’s local food economy, which has been the goal all along for our Farm to Family Program," said MDARD Director Tim Boring. "The impact metrics from the recipients prove these grants didn’t just expand markets — they created new opportunities for farmers, strengthened regional food systems and helped thousands of families access fresh, Michigan-grown food. The momentum we’re seeing is extraordinary, and we’re just getting started."
Recipient Feedback
The tangible benefits of the MDARD grants are best illustrated through the experiences of the organizations and farm operators who received funding. Across rural and urban communities alike, recipients utilized the financial support to upgrade infrastructure, expand storage, solve distribution bottlenecks, and address local food security needs.
In Northern Michigan, Coveyou Scenic Farm used its funding to upgrade its operational capabilities to better serve the surrounding community.
"Coveyou Scenic Farm sought to increase storage capacity to offer more local foods, organic produce and artisan products as part of our commitment to a stronger, healthier Northern Michigan community," said Coveyou Owner David Coveyou. "The Farm Stop grant made this possible. Since expanding our storage and product offerings, we’ve seen customers buy more items per visit and more producers selling both frozen goods and other products through our market. These additions have strengthened our farm, supported our producers, and better served our customers—and we look forward to continued growth."
Further south in rural Muskegon County, grant funding played a critical role in tackling food insecurity among children and families. The initiative supported the MSU Extension’s Food, Agriculture, Research and Manufacturing Accelerator and Food Hub, which is owned by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.
"This MDARD grant helped us address food insecurity for children and families in rural Muskegon County by enabling local producers to supply and distribute food through our Summer Non-Congregate Feeding Program and other channels," said Clarence Rudat, who manages the facility. "The grant also strengthened community partnerships, supported infrastructure to move 600 food boxes to students each semester through the Jayhawk food pantry, and allowed us to work with a buyer to improve procurement and shipping to the food hub. We are working together as a community to feed our community—and it feels incredible."
In urban and semi-urban settings, organizations like Flint Fresh leveraged the funding to streamline their supply chains and deepen their relationships with local growers. Flint Fresh Executive Director Brian Schorr explained that the grant allowed the organization to overcome long-standing operational hurdles.
"The Michigan Farm to Family Food Hub Grant allowed Flint Fresh to build on existing knowledge and infrastructure to invest in equipment and supplies that will resolve unique delivery, procurement and processing issues we’ve faced in the past," said Schorr. "This has allowed us to increase on-farm pick-ups, especially for smaller farmers, and increase our customer base, including new school food service clients, wholesaler buyers and online customers."
Meanwhile, in the Charlotte community, Eaton Meat utilized its Farm Stop Grant to directly answer consumer demand for locally sourced proteins and produce. Eaton Meat Owner Ryan Garn noted that the improvements have positioned the business as a vital community asset.
"Farm to Family’s Farm Stop Grant helped Eaton Meat expand access to local food in the Charlotte community by investing in new refrigeration equipment for our downtown storefront," said Garn. "This enhancement allows us to offer a wider variety of fresh, locally produced items—something community members have consistently expressed a strong desire for. Through this project, we’ve also been able to support more than 15 Michigan farmers, allowing our farm stop to play a vital role in addressing food gaps and building a more resilient, connected community."
Background on MDARD’s Farm to Family Program
The broader context of these success stories lies in the strategic design of MDARD’s Farm to Family Program. Initially proposed by Governor Whitmer in her Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget Recommendation, the initiative was conceived to foster economic prosperity across Michigan while maintaining and expanding the diversity of the state’s agricultural production. Furthermore, the program explicitly aims to support climate-smart and regenerative agriculture value chains through intentional investments designed to improve the overall quality of life for all residents.
Since the Food Hub and Farm Stop Grant Program was first announced, the Farm to Family framework has continued to expand, launching and awarding funds through two additional targeted grant programs. The Last Food Mile grants were established to meet ongoing demands for essential infrastructure and transportation assistance, ensuring that fresh food can move efficiently from rural producers to populated consumption centers. Additionally, the Regenerative Agriculture Value Chain grants were deployed to increase market opportunities specifically tailored for beginning farmers who are adopting sustainable production methods.
Beyond direct infrastructure and production grants, the Farm to Family initiative has also forged important collaborative partnerships. Most notably, the program teamed up with the Michigan Farmers Markets Association to launch the Farmers to Markets program, an initiative specifically designed to help local growers boost their direct-to-consumer sales at farmers markets throughout the state, further solidifying the state’s local food network from the ground up.
