Bridging the gap: West Michigan producers secure major share of MDARD 'Last Food Mile' grants
West Michigan emerged as a focal point of the initiative, with several regional producers and nonprofits securing nearly $400,000 to bolster cold-chain transportation.
GRAND RAPIDS — From the apple ridges of Greenville to the cider presses of Hudsonville, West Michigan’s agricultural corridor is getting a significant logistical boost.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently announced the recipients of its inaugural Last Food Mile grant program, awarding funds to 21 projects statewide aimed at fixing the "broken link" between local farms and dinner tables.
West Michigan emerged as a focal point of the initiative, with several regional producers and nonprofits securing nearly $400,000 to bolster cold-chain transportation.
The program, born out of MDARD’s Farm to Family initiative, addresses a persistent irony in the Great Lakes State: while Michigan is the second most diverse agricultural state in the nation, local growers often lack the refrigerated trucks and logistics tools to move their harvests to nearby schools, hospitals and grocery stores.
For West Michigan recipients, the grants represent more than just new vehicles; they are an investment in regional food security and the growing regenerative agriculture movement. Key local awardees include:
- Farmhaus Cider Company (Hudsonville): Awarded $101,000 to purchase a refrigerated truck. The investment will allow the cidery to distribute Michigan-grown fruit to school districts and health systems across a 10-county West Michigan footprint.
- Community Food Club (Grand Rapids): Received $100,400 for a refrigerated truck intended to increase the volume of fresh, local produce available to households facing food insecurity in the metro area.
- Tom Rasch & Son Orchards (Greenville): Secured $69,585 for a refrigerated box truck. The funding helps the orchard — a proponent of regenerative farming — connect more retailers and processors with local apples.
- Middle Mitten Farms (Vestaburg): Granted $81,000 to expand deliveries of produce, meats, and honey to "food desert" communities with limited access to fresh Michigan goods.
“The Last Food Mile grant is a meaningful step forward,” said Kyle Rasch, director of Third Leaf Farm and a grant recipient. “It strengthens our cold-chain and delivery capacity so Michigan-grown regenerative food can move more reliably from orchard to table ... across more communities that need it.”
The program saw "overwhelming interest," according to MDARD Director Tim Boring, with more than 130 applications submitted from across the state.
"Farmers and communities across Michigan continue to signal rising consumer demand for locally grown foods, but the transportation and distribution infrastructure ... hasn’t kept up," Boring said.
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The 21 selected projects are expected to impact more than 300 Michigan food producers, over half of whom utilize regenerative practices designed to improve soil health and sustainability.
While West Michigan saw significant investment, the grants also touched neighboring regions. In Southwest Michigan, St. Joseph-based Mick Klüg Farms and MI Dad’s Farm collectively received over $200,000 to enhance CSA offerings and grocer distribution, ensuring the bounty of the "fruit belt" reaches further into the state.
— Submitted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. To submit a news tip, email newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
