Food System Economic Partnership

Vegetable processors, meat slaughter houses and packers, product co-packers, manufacturers of agriculturally based products, and other processors play an important role in converting agricultural commodities into consumer goods. Those that run food processing businesses add value and provide a key service for suppliers and procurers of food and non-food agricultural products. Processors also play an important role in working with local farmers to make the high quality, locally grown ingredients available to the general public.

Preliminary Vision

• Have developed highly marketable and valuable food products and increasing value for customers by creating new products differentiated by, for example, place of origin, local farm production practices, etc.
• Have gained trust and patronage from customers by supplying unique and high quality products direct from the region’s farms and food producers.
• Have a working relationship directly and indirectly with and between family farms withinagricultural entities of the region.
• Local sustainable foods are more accessible to people, resulting in healthier communities and customers and adding to the public view of the processor as a contributor of economic and social value to the region.

Current Activities

• Processing companies have participated in strategic planning sessions.

Who's Involved

The Food System Economic Partnership is currently seeking partners from local food processors interested in designing and marketing locally grown and produced foods! Please contact Jennifer Fike to discuss a potential partnership.

Participating county and local government officials from Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw and Wayne also play an important role in representing and supporting the interests of local food distributors.

How You Can Get Involved

Contact Jennifer Fike to:

• Join the Partnership
• Participate in Forums
• Contribute Funding
• Contribute with In-kind Services

Once Involved You Can

• Help raise awareness
• Help recruit other food processors
• Share success stories