A federal program to purchase locally grown food ends on Sept. 30
Over the last three years, Feeding America West Michigan has built strong working relationships with farmers throughout our 40-county service area. The farms stretch from a first-generation livestock operation near the Indiana state line to a sixth-generation commercial fishing operation in St. Ignace. What unites them is their commitment to working hard to grow high-quality products and support their local economy.
Here are a few of the farmers who have partnered with Feeding America West Michigan over the last three years. We thank them for working with us to feed our neighbors.
Upper Peninsula pork farm
For first-generation farmers Trevor and Maria Case, Feeding America West Michigan accounted for a third of their sales last year. The Alger County farmers raise pasture-fed pigs and cows. The Cases began their partnership with Feeding America West Michigan right after Trevor suffered a debilitating injury and couldn’t leave home to market their products throughout the Upper Peninsula.
“I don’t know if we would still be operating if it hadn’t been for Feeding America West Michigan,” Trevor said. “The program saved our farm. By taking away the (federal) program, it won’t be there for the next farm that needs it (in the future).”
Case said the visibility of their pork label in mobile pantry food boxes also boosted sales.
“When people saw the label, they called us to find out how they could buy it because they said it tasted so good,” Trevor said.
Multigenerational Kent County orchard
Duane and Deb Rasch of Lowell have a small fruit and produce operation on the same farm where Duane was raised.
“We run a small farm–it’s just my husband, our boys, and myself,” Deb Rasch said. “(LFPA) really was huge for us, and it costs us less to supply (Feeding America West Michigan) because there was less packaging. We can pick and sort the produce, and (Feeding America West Michigan) will receive it on a truck that same day.”
Cass County entrepreneurs
Vanessa and Juan Frias, owners of Willowbrook Farms in Cassopolis, started farming goats in 2022. “Goats turned into chicken, and chickens turned into pigs. We just fell in love with farming and the people in farming,” Vanessa said.
As new ag producers, they found that the greatest challenge was finding markets for their products. Through another farmer, they learned about LFPA and began to sell their products to Feeding America West Michigan and Kalamazoo Valley Gleaners.
“[Feeding America West Michigan] brought us on board and helped keep us afloat our first two years,” Vanessa said. “With the [LFPA] cuts, we are not giving small farmers the opportunity to grow and develop.”
Veteran-owned produce farm
For Charlevoix County vegetable farmer Chet Craw, his LFPA-funded sales created an opportunity to increase production to meet high-demand times without risking loss or waste. He could safely plant enough produce to meet the high-demand days because he knew he could sell any excess to Manna Food Project, Feeding America West Michigan’s affiliate food bank in Harbor Springs.
“It is very hard to manage the fluctuations in sales and demand from our various outlets and not have food go to waste,” said Craw, a retired veteran who chose farming for his second career. “Next year, I will probably have to significantly reduce the amount I plant to what I know I will sell. I won’t be able to flex and plant over what I need to meet the high-demand times.”
Grand Traverse County cherry growers
Isaiah Wunsch is a sixth-generation cherry and apple farmer in Grand Traverse County. His farm’s sales to Feeding America West Michigan enabled him to donate produce over and above what was purchased with LFPA funds. Wunsch used the LFPA-funded sales to cover the packing and storage costs of donating cherries and apples to Feeding America West Michigan.
“That LFPA funding actually leveraged itself three to fourfold in significant donations. “We used the purchases to cover the costs incurred when deciding whether to donate or just discard them. … We are able to make the donation well in excess of what we sold to Feeding America.”
Mackinac County fishery creates jobs
Jamie Massey is a sixth-generation commercial fisherman in St. Ignace who employs seven fishermen and up to 25 employees to process and market his products.
“It has been a blessing to sell lake trout portions to Feeding America West Michigan,” Jamie said. “Because our label is on them, several people call us because they got our fish from Feeding America and they can’t believe how good it is. The day the fish comes in, it is filleted and packed and put in freezers.”
Jamie has seen first-hand how the jobs his business provides can be life-changing, including a young woman who had seen more than her share of hardship.
“I saw her really respond to positivity and somebody giving her a chance,” he said. “ She was super responsive to encouragement and positive feedback, and she really became a different person. She realized, ‘Holy cow, I am somebody.’”
We salute our local LFPA farmers
Farming has always been loaded with uncertainty. The end of LFPA funding adds more for the agricultural producers we partnered with. The way through the uncertainty is still unknown.
“These are uneasy times, but farmers are resilient,” said Vanessa Frias. “Farmers find another way, another avenue to get things done, and that’s all I can say.”
Now that the federal dollars are gone, we’re working hard to raise funds so that we can purchase products from our local farmers in the future. Learn more about how we’re bridging this gap.