Michigan Agriculture On The Uprise, Farmers Still Face Challenges

As A method to say “Thanks” For his or her exhausting work By way of the pandemic, Gary McDowell, Director of the Michigan Dehalfment of Agriculture and Rural Enchancment, is touring processors All through the place Inside the state.

“These are the processors who buy Michigan meals, Michigan-grown merchandise… and That basically helps our financial system, helps our native farmers, helps our communities, and helps our rural An factor of the state,” said McDowell.

Like many completely different companies, farmer’s and processors took Worthwhile By way of the pandemic. Although the enterprise is on the rise, some challenges stay. Definitely one of them is the growing worth of fertilizer.

“It is going up, it’s Solely a half of Coming out of the pandemic,” McDowell said. “All of the current chain factors and that.”

Proprietor And founding father of Grand Traverse Distillery, Kent Rabish, said this yr has been A hit regardless of A pair of of the challenges with COVID And current factors.

“This yr has been unbelievable,” said Rabish. “Assume As a Outcome of of tourism, A lot Of people maybe aren’t leaving the nation. They’re hanging right here.”

McDowell said he and his group Want to The Prolonged time period. They’re working To promote Michigan Agriculture and serving to processors.

“We simply went through the worst pandemic in 100 yrs. Now, We now have The prospect to rebuild our infrastructure, our financial system On this state,” McDowell said.