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Local Food Hub Gets State Backing

An old bread machine left in Building 58 at the former Traverse City State Hospital.
An old bread machine left in Building 58 at the former Traverse City State Hospital.

five million dollar project to improve distribution of locally grown products got a nod last week from the state Department of Agriculture. The state will invest $200,000 dollars into a regional food hub organizers hope to build at Traverse City’s former state hospital, the Village at Grand Traverse Commons.

Rob Sirrine says this is the first project of its kind to be supported by the Michigan agriculture department. The community food systems educator with Michigan State University Extension imagines a facility that would clean, cut and peel local vegetables and distribute them to local salad bars.

“The schools have signed on. Many of them are really interested in supplying healthy food to their students,” Sirrine says. “We’d also like to be putting that money into the farmers’ pockets in the region.

“There’s also potential for supplying the restaurants and institutions like Munson as well,” he says.

Sirrine and other organizers say they would like part of the facility up and running within 15 months.

“We really do see an agra-food sector economic development potential, and I think it’s being recognized with the Michigan Department of Ag and Rural Development’s funding for this food hub grant. And they really do see the ability to create jobs as well, not just in our area but around the state,” Sirrine says.

Leaders with the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments say this is the first project of its kind to be supported by the Michigan agriculture department.