MARQUETTE — A total of 177 farms and 159 food processors have been awarded $15 million in Michigan Agricultural Safety Grants to mitigate risks of the COVID-19 virus across the state’s food production industry, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced on Wednesday.

Additionally, 124 small farms of less than 10 employees received $567,000 in grants for COVID-19 risk mitigation through the MEDC Small Farm Safety Grants.

Local recipients include: Seeds and Spores Family Farm LLC, Marquette, $6,000; Gabriel Oceanus Caplett, Skandia, $1,000; and Gary Shaffer, Marquette, $1,000.

Farms and food processors in 55 of 83 counties received grants. Funds will be used to cover testing costs, personal protection equipment, facility needs and more.

“Michigan’s food and agriculture sector has been hit particularly hard by COVID-19, and through the Michigan Agricultural Safety Grant program we were able to provide some relief to our farmers and food processors across the state while ensuring the safety of our agricultural workforce and food production,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement.

Food economies to receive help

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, on Wednesday announced a new $746,480 investment to build local food economies, create jobs and increase access to locally grown food in urban and rural communities in the Upper Peninsula and the southwest Lower Peninsula.

This investment comes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new Regional Food Systems Partnerships Program, which Stabenow authored in the 2018 Farm Bill.

The new Regional Food Systems Partnerships Program was created to build regional partnerships between farmers and food entrepreneurs to grow local food economies. Stabenow secured permanent funding for these partnerships by including them as a part of the Local Agriculture Market Program, ensuring these investments will be available for food and farm entrepreneurs for years to come.

Stabenow is the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

“When we produce food here, we create jobs here in Michigan,” Stabenow said in a statement. “This is a win-win for families and local food producers who have been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis.”

Michigan State University will receive $746,480 to strengthen local food systems by connecting food and farm entrepreneurs in southwest Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. The project will create partnerships between farmers and food businesses to help create jobs and improve access to locally grown food in both rural and urban communities, officials said.

“This award from USDA will allow us to create a more cohesive collaboration infrastructure to better support urban and rural communities of need in Michigan,” said Jamie Rahrig, project lead with the MSU Center for Regional Food System and the MSU Product Center, in a statement. “We will expand the reach of the Michigan Good Food Fund to assist local food and farm entrepreneurs who bring healthy and affordable foods into Battle Creek and the Upper Peninsula.”

Gilchrist pens letter

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II issued an open letter on Wednesday to Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield, calling on them to enact and enforce a mask mandate within the Michigan Senate and House chambers.

“This is not a political issue. This is ultimately about standing tall for the people who serve our state,” Gilchrist wrote. “Our members are elected to serve in these chambers, their staffs serve in critical support roles and the media have a duty to inform the public about the actions of our government. They deserve to know their safety is respected by their leadership.”

According to Gilchrist’s office, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommend cloth masks be worn over the nose and mouth, along with hand washing and social distancing, to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

To date, legislative leaders have declined to require House and Senate members to wear a mask in the chambers.

Under his epidemic authority, MDHHS Director Robert Gordon issued an emergency order on Monday under MCL 333.2253 that restricts gathering sizes, requires face coverings in public spaces and places limitations on bars and other venues.

NMU reports cases

NMU’s Safe on Campus dashboard at https://nmu.edu/safe-on-campus/ has indicated that between July 27 and Wednesday, there have been 67 cumulative COVID-19 positive cases, which include 30 on-campus students, 31 off-campus students and six employees.

There are five active positives — one on-campus student, three off-campus students and one employee.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net