New Year, Same Commitment

The latest news, resources, and opportunities from CRFS

New year, Same Commitment “It was the year of rebirth; the year of great sadness; the year of pain; and a year of joy.”  — Babylon 5 We here at CRFS are looking forward to a year of continuing and deepening our commitment to Good Food Systems in Michigan, the United States, and the world. Based on the 2022 Michigan Good Food Charter, which received guidance from nearly 500 individuals and 150 organizations, “Good Food Systems” are defined as those that support a diverse and equitable society, where food is accessible to everyone, healthy communities are promoted, and fair and sustainable production methods are used.  Last September, our staff engaged in a strategic planning retreat with nationally recognized strategist and leader, Yodit Mesfin Johnson. Coming out of that retreat, we are continuing to refine our Theory of Change, our guiding Values, and our Vision—challenging ourselves to dream into what the world would look like in 2075 if we, with our communities, realize our potential and power.  In turbulent times such as these, it can seem especially tenuous to engage in such “dream-planning”. Current events certainly call to mind what Martin Luther King, Jr. framed as the “fierce urgency of now”. But as Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Freire pointed out, there is no change without dreaming; there is no authentic betterment of society without living in the tension between denouncing the intolerability of what is happening and announcing the dreams of a future to be created.  Our commitment at CRFS is to work with our communities to collectively realize our Good Food future. So we look forward to engaging you all this year: in new and continued partnerships; and through seeking your feedback on our detailed Vision of this future, our understanding of how our actions get us there (our Theory of Change), and the Values that will guide us along the way.  May 2026 be characterized by the care we show each other, and ourselves, and in inhabiting dreaming and joy, even amidst an urgent and intolerable now.  Support CRFS' continued resilience! Your tax-deductible gift will help us support communities to realize their own food system visions. Give Doubling Investment and Growing Impact 10 Cents a Meal 2023-2024 Program Evaluation Summary 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids and Farms (10 Cents a Meal) was a state-funded local food purchasing incentive grant program that reimbursed 50% of the cost of fresh or minimally processed Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans, used in meals and educational activities for children.   During the 2023-2024 program year, 10 Cents a Meal had the highest participation by grantees and food suppliers to date in its history. This program reached:  an estimated total of 594,000 children,  269 grantees in 66 out of 83 Michigan counties, and  approximately 320 unique food suppliers, such as farms and food hubs, processors, and distributors, who participated in getting Michigan-grown food onto grantees’ plates.   As a result of this matching reimbursement grant program, grantees reported spending nearly $6 million on eligible Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans from a $3 million investment from the state. According to the Local Food Impact Calculator, this spending yields over $10.2 million in estimated economic impact for the state.  Though 10 Cents a Meal remains unfunded at the state level for the 2025–2026 program year, CRFS is proud to share the latest Evaluation Summary of the 2023-2024 10 Cents a Meal Evaluation Results, with additional sections of the report to be published in the coming weeks.  Read more 10 Cents a Meal was administered by the Michigan Department of Education with support from a core team of organizational partners: Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and CRFS. Grow your business in 2026! Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses In this digital directory, food and farm business owners in Michigan and beyond can easily navigate over 80 funding sources to support and sustain their business. Each funding source is outlined by funding limit, qualifications, and geographic area to streamline the search for funding. This interactive tool sorts funding sources by funding type, business sector, geographic eligibility, and funding amounts. Explore this resource!   Developing Food Systems Plans: Considerations for Getting Started What is a food systems plan?   A food systems plan is a set of interconnected goals and strategies that, if implemented, can help foster healthier and more resilient food systems for a targeted geopolitical area.  This resource provides a checklist of considerations to help community groups and coalitions lead their food systems planning process. More resources and tools can be found on this site: National Community of Practice for Statewide and Regional Food Systems Plans Read more The Latest Emerging Farmer Learning Series: Diving into Business Operations, Legal, Financing and More All are welcome to join this free, 7-week webinar series exploring key business skills for Michigan growers with speakers from across the state. This series is facilitated by the Michigan Good Food Fund and CRFS. Great Lakes Partnership for Food and Farm Development This collaborative partnership is dedicated to providing business support, financial assistance, and value-led coordination for farms and food businesses in the region (IL, IN, MI, and WI). Exploring the Impacts of Tariffs on Michigan Food Supply Chains Lindsey Scalera, Director of Policy and Leadership Education and Assistant Director of Policy at CRFS, presented on the impact of tariffs on food systems to the Michigan Senate Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee. Building Connections with Emerging Farmers at GLEXPO 2025 Michigan’s Emerging Farmers provided Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Expo (GLEXPO) conference scholarships to over 30 Michigan producers, with a majority of them attending this conference for the first time.

Featured Publications and Resources

Case Study: Growing a More Inclusive Muskegon County Food System Findings of the 2025 National Food Hub Survey Beginning Farmer Resource and Decision-Making Guide Beginning Food and Farm Business Market Access Explore More Publications

Out of Office with CRFS Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Expo 2025 In Mid-December, several members of the CRFS team joined 4,000+ other attendees at the annual Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Expo (GLEXPO) in Grand Rapids. This event is one of the largest gatherings of growers in the midwest each year. Some CRFS team highlights from GLEXPO: Cultivate Michigan Meet the Buyers Event Selling to schools and institutions is a consistent market channel for farmers and producers. To build connections between growers and purchasers, the Michigan Farm to Institution Network hosted a Cultivate Michigan Meet the Buyers event at GLEXPO to encourage local procurement for a stronger local food economy for Michigan. For this event, Michigan State University Extension partnered with Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to host tailored one-on-one meetings for institutions with suppliers. Over 35 growers registered for these conversations arranged by MDARD to foster relationships and increase local market opportunities. "Can’t beat getting together in person! This event was a great way for farmers to get in front of buyers and make new connections," Julie Lehman, Farm to Youth Network Coordinator of CRFS, said. The Michigan Farm to Institution Network is a collaborative effort with Michigan State University Extension and CRFS. Emerging Farmers Cohort To increase access to this educational and networking opportunity, a collaborative program named Michigan’s Emerging Farmers, offered GLEXPO conference scholarships to Michigan producers. Over 30 producers accepted these scholarships, with a majority of them attending this conference for the first time. This also included optional transportation to Grand Rapids for farmers coming from Detroit, Lansing, and Jackson. “We heard from attendees that they felt welcome in the space and were likely to attend in the future. People enjoyed the sessions and have even mentioned that they are already using new marketing tips they learned,” Bekah Galang, Partnership Specialist of CRFS, said. “We look forward to hosting similar opportunities for attending conferences in the future!"  Michigan’s Emerging Farmers is dedicated to connecting farmers of all experiences to the support needed to grow and is a collaborative program with members from the Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS), and CRFS. Pictured (from left to right): Julie Lehman and Bekah Galang of CRFS

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