The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced more than $1.2 million in grants around the state to support the specialty crop industry. Among the recipients is the Michigan State Horticultural Society in Benton Harbor. It’s getting more than $90,000 for orchard innovations to sustain the Michigan peach and nectarine industry. The state ag agency says the grants come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and they focus on marketing, training, food safety, pest control, and plant health for specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and flowers. In addition to the MSU horticulture grant, a grant of $125,000 is going to the Michigan Wine Collaborative in Fennville to develop a competitive brand for Michigan wine to sustain grape sales. Governor Gretchen Whitmer says “supporting our rural economy is critical to Michigan’s economic success and will help us put Michiganders first.”
