- The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, or MDARD will create a new farm to family program, dedicated to connecting local farmers to local families.
- The 3 million dollar program from the the 2025 fiscal year budget, will support the implementation of the program looking into regenerative farming and promoting local food products from small and medium-sized growers.
Bringing healthy produce to low income neighbors is one of the many tasks Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed off on in the 2025 fiscal year budget and there are many people in our neighborhoods already working towards that goal.
"So we come in here to pick up produce each week and it changed the way we relate to food and eat at home,"
Iris Paul came to the Allen Neighborhood Center to find healthy food options.
"I was a subsidized veggie box member and it made such a big difference for my family," Paul said.
And now, she serves others in the community as the assistant manager for the Center's Food Hub and Veggie Box program.
The veggie box is a subscription the non-profit provides, giving vegetables and fruits to people in our neighborhoods.
TAKE A LOOK INSIDE AN ALLEN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER VEGGIE BOX
And it all comes from farmers here in Mid-Michigan.
"The greater Lansing area has tons of amazing farms that we already are connected to so we're able to buy farms we already have existing relationships with," Paul said.
The Center's Veggie box is just small look into what the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, or the MDARD wants to implement statewide.
3 million dollars from the 2025 fiscal year budget will support the creation of the Farms to Families program.
MDARD Director Tim Boring says that the program will promote local food products from small and medium-sized growers and bridging the gaps to provide underserved persons with healthy food options.
"Sourcing local products is a real opportunity to improve to the health of people, the health of communities, the health of our economies," Boring said.
Boring and Paul both have the mindset for the food program: that it is promising future for our community.
"It is great for our community economic health because we supporting local farmers and strengthen our food systems and connecting our community members," Paul said.
The state's Farms to Families program is still in the starting stages as the budget was just signed.
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