Michigan's Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) has announced the launch of the Farm Innovation Grant Program. This initiative seeks to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change in the state's food and agriculture industry. Governor Whitmer's budget emphasizes the importance of this sector, valued at $104.7 billion, and recognizes its significance as a key driver of Michigan's economy.
The Farm Innovation Grant Program invites proposals aimed at developing innovative solutions to a range of problems faced by Michigan's agriculture sector. These proposals should focus on the following priority areas:
• Climate Smart Practices: MDARD is looking for practices and technologies that can mitigate the effects of climate change. These innovations should aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon, or employ various strategies to enhance climate resilience in Michigan's food and agriculture industry.
• Supply Chain Resiliency: The program encourages enhancements to equipment, the adoption of new technologies, and novel research to strengthen Michigan's food and agriculture supply chain.
• Food Processing and Farm Production Automation: Innovations related to the automation of agricultural production and food processing are a key area of interest.
• Other: MDARD is open to considering applications that offer unique approaches to address additional aspects of farm innovation, with a particular focus on rural resiliency improvements.
The Farm Innovation Grant Program offers a maximum grant award of $450,000 per proposal. All proposals will undergo a competitive selection process, with a focus on how the project will produce measurable innovation outcomes for Michigan's food and agriculture industry.
Interested parties can find the grant application and guidelines at MDARD's website. For further inquiries regarding this Request for Proposals, communication can be directed to mda-grants@michigan.gov. Proposals must be submitted via email to mda-grants@michigan.gov by no later than 3:00 p.m. (EST) on November 20, 2023. Proposals received after this deadline will not be considered.
This grant program underscores Michigan's commitment to sustainable agriculture practices and climate resilience in the face of changing weather patterns and environmental challenges. For more information on MDARD's grant programs, visit www.michigan.gov/mdardgrants.
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Categories: Michigan, Business