EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Members of a Detroit neighborhood are getting a chance to learn about production agriculture and livestock raising, thanks to a partnership effort between Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, the Michigan Coalition of Black Farmers and Branches of the Vine Food Buyers Cooperative.

According to Mike Score, MSU Extension educator in Washtenaw County, the food cooperative is designed to provide people from low-income neighborhoods with fresh, locally grown produce. Score and Peacemakers International Ministries, a church working with the food cooperative, accept food orders from neighborhood residents. Food orders are filled by wholesalers at Detroit’s Eastern Market and local farmers.

Score says the Michigan Coalition of Black Farmers recognized that this neighborhood needed a source of fresh fruits and vegetables and worked with Score to help identify a solution to the problem.

“The Michigan Coalition of Black Farmers identified that this neighborhood needed a system for supplying its citizens with access to fresh produce,” Score says. “Though we originally thought about organizing a farmers’ market in the area, it was more efficient and economical to develop this process, which allows citizens to place food orders with us.”

Though the food cooperative was not able to accept food stamps when it started, more than $400 of food was sold during the first month of operation. The club recently activated an electronic food stamp reader, which gives more people a chance to participate in the program.

“It’s not likely that a grocery store will be built in this neighborhood,” Score says. “That’s one of the reasons we’re here helping -- these people need access to wholesome, fresh food.”

In 2005, Score helped organize a community garden to teach neighborhood residents how to grow their own vegetables, providing them with another source of nutritious, fresh food.

“With this program we can help strengthen regional farm profitability through local access while also teaching others about agriculture,” Score says.

After hearing about the success in the Detroit neighborhood, community leaders and health officials from nearby Ypsilanti and Adrian came to Score to learn how they might start similar programs in their communities.

Ypsilanti considered starting its own food buyers club but, after consulting with Score, decided to improve an existing farmers’ market.

“Health statistics show that people living in Ypsilanti are not eating the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables they need per day,” says Jenna Bacolor, health planner for Washtenaw County Department of Public Health. “We’re in the process of improving our farmers’ market by updating our facility and hoping to increase the number of vendors and shoppers.”

Detroit-area residents participating in the Branches of the Vine Food Buyers Cooperative aren’t only helping out local farmers and learning about and eating fresh produce -- they are also learning about livestock production.

A pet store in Novi contacted Score through Melinda Curtis, publisher of a food magazine, about rabbit production. The store owner wanted to know if there was anyone interested in helping him breed and raise pet rabbits. The pet store owner agreed to provide material for cages and food, in addition to buying back the rabbits once they were old enough to be sold in his store as pets.

Score saw this as a great opportunity to get the residents from the Detroit-area neighborhood involved in an entrepreneurial activity.

“Area residents are learning livestock production skills and also learning how to run a small business,” he says. “This will increase the residents’ confidence and also expand their knowledge in an area that they may be unfamiliar with.”

Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs), Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, provided some of the initial funding for this program.

Project GREEEN is a cooperative effort between plant-based commodities and businesses together with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture to advance Michigan’s economy through its plant-based agriculture. Its mission is to develop research and educational programs in response to industry needs, ensure and improve food safety, and protect and preserve the quality of the environment.

To learn more about Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, visit www.greeen.msu.edu.

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