A Berrien Springs farm has been awarded a $175,000 grant by the Michigan Commission on Agriculture and Rural Development to help with an expansion project.
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring tells us Hildebrand Fruit, LLC is seeking to double the square footage of its packing operation, introduce a more efficient layout to increase capacity and equipment options, and create two new positions. The grant will support that.
“It’s going to be providing them some support for a more than $4 million investment in expanding the processing capacity they have there at their farm,” Boring said. “So, this is work that’s going to continue to build out what apple, peach, pear processing looks like for the farm.”
Boring says the work done by Hildebrand Fruit represents the diverse agriculture industry in Southwest Michigan, something MDARD wants to support.
“It really serves as an important investment in not only that farm, but neighboring farms. That fruit comes there for processing.”
The grant comes from MDARD’s Food and Agriculture Investment Program, which offers financial support for projects that expand food and agriculture processing, enable growth in the agriculture industry, and bolster Michigan’s economy.
Boring says the department this week also approved a $225,000 grant to the City of Oak Park for a Commercial Food and Event HUB Project that will include a year-round farmers market.
