About the Food And Farming Network

The Northwest Michigan Food & Farming Network is a forum and opportunity for the region’s many food and farming interests to link and advance their work.

Food & Farming Network Goals and Objectives: By 2020, the region’s food and farming systems are more resilient and provide at least 20% of our region’s food. Read more here...

The Network came about after the Feb. 24, 2009, Farm Route to Prosperity Summit. The reason for the summit was to help determine how this region’s food and farm interests should follow up on the Grand Vision process, a 50-year planning process that calls for strong farms, healthy people, and abundant, fruitful farmland.

The Northwest Michigan Food & Farming Network is not a new organization but rather a structure through which many organizations and individuals can meet and make progress together.

Farm Route to Prosperity Summit

Each year the Network sponsors the Summit, bringing 100 or more people together from a broad cross-section of food system interests together.

Please join us in person or online! The Network Convener is the Michigan Land Use Institute. Contact Bill Palladino. The Council chair is Michigan State University Extension; contact Rob Sirrine.bill@mlui.org

Network Partners
MSU Extension, Michigan Land Use Institute, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Michigan State University, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Traverse Bay Economic Development Corporation, ISLAND, Neahtawanta Center, North Central Michigan College, Northwestern Michigan CollegeNorthwest Michigan Council of Governments, Oryana Natural Foods Market, Cherry Capital Foods, Honey Boy Bob, USDA, Telamon Corporation, Black Star Farms, James Bardenhagen Farm, Maple Crest Farm, Head Start, Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Traverse Bay Poverty Reduction Initiative, Great Start Traverse Bay/Manistee Collaborative, Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, Grand Traverse County Health Department, Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, Munson Medical Center, Northern Michigan Diabetes Initiative and many individuals.

Network Partners

NETWORK GOAL:
By 2020, the region’s food and farming systems are more resilient
and provide at least 20% of our region’s food.

Network Partners: MSU Extension, Michigan Land Use Institute, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Michigan State University, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Traverse Bay Economic Development Corporation, ISLAND, Neahtawanta Center, North Central Michigan College, Northwestern Michigan CollegeNorthwest Michigan Council of Governments, Oryana Natural Foods Market, Cherry Capital Foods, Honey Boy Bob, USDA, Telamon Corporation, Black Star Farms, James Bardenhagen Farm, Maple Crest Farm, Head Start, Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Traverse Bay Poverty Reduction Initiative, Great Start Traverse Bay/Manistee Collaborative, Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, Grand Traverse County Health Department, Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, Munson Medical Center, Northern Michigan Diabetes Initiative and many individuals.