September 2020
The Michigan Craft Beverage Council announced that it is now accepting 2021 Research Grant proposals with a maximum grant award of $40,000. Proposals must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. (EST) on Monday, October 19, 2020.
While any research topic will be accepted, the Council has identified priorities that will help direct the projects prioritized for funding. Priorities include climate change impacts; crop quality analysis; new varieties for hops, fruit, barley, grain, or other agricultural inputs that are used in craft beverage production; and dissemination of research relevant to Michigan’s craft beverage supply chain to industry members or groups. A full list of the MCBC’s research priorities and evaluation criteria are available online and can be found here.
View the full press release with submission details.
Please direct questions to Jenelle Jagmin at 517-930-0696 or Jagminj@michigan.gov.
The Michigan Craft Beverage Council recently published a statewide map of Michigan craft beverage licensees. The businesses can be filtered by license type and narrowed by county. Consumers are encouraged to call ahead to verify the address and hours of operation, as business license addresses may be different from tasting room addresses. View the map and listings here.
If you own a craft beverage business and find an error in your listing, please email Jagminj@michigan.gov the correct or preferred information. We will be updating the map continuously as improvements are identified.
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J Robert Sirrine, Ph.D., Michigan State University Extension
The 2020 Hop Harvest is wrapping up in Michigan and by most accounts, it was a successful growing season. Mother nature was a great partner this year compared to 2019, when cool wet spring weather delayed corn planting across the state, which led to European Corn Borer problems in alternative hosts like hops. There were only localized signs of the ECB this year, although there were reports of Hop Vine Borer. Potato leafhopper and mites were also present. One surprise this year was the prevalence of the pathogen Diaporthe, which reduced yields on some farms.
After a fairly cool spring, warm summer weather kicked the hops into gear and yields looked good. Most Michigan producers have seen average to exceptional yields with some growers reporting record yields. Growers around the state suggested cone color and quality are excellent. Perhaps most importantly, many growers have suggested that orders have been increasing, after a few months of pandemic-related uncertainty.
Learn more about hop research at Michigan State University.
Thank you to MI Local Hops for use of the photo.
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Travel Michigan is encouraging businesses, communities and visitors to take the “Pure Michigan Pledge,” a promise to uphold safety protocols that allow for safe travel this season as we battle COVID-19, and into the future.
The Pure Michigan Pledge outlines seven steps that businesses in the travel industry will take to ensure a safe environment for travelers and residents. The steps of the pledge were developed with input from more than 350 tourism industry professionals across the state. Participating businesses will be able to proudly display a Pure Michigan Pledge logo on their property entrance. This logo, which will come in several forms as part of a toolkit including signs, stickers and guideline posters, helps show everyone that Michigan’s destinations are committed to keeping everyone safe.
Learn more about the pledge and view the toolkit at michigan.org/puremichiganpledge.
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The USDA announced on Friday that wine grapes will be eligible for the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP2), which is designed to provide direct payments to growers who have suffered financial losses during 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. WineAmerica worked with the Wine Institute and other industry partners to advocate for this change. Additionally, the Congressional Wine Caucus sent a letter to USDA requesting that wine grapes be included in CFAP 2. Wine grapes are included under the blanket term of “grapes,” which are now listed as one of the specialty crops eligible for the funding.
The CFAP program was developed as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed in late March to stem the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. The initial commodities that were eligible for the relief funds had to see losses though the first quarter of 2020. The updated program bases eligibility on 2019 sales.
The application period for CFAP2 is September 21 through December 11. There is a payment limitation of $250,000. More information on the program and how to apply for assistance can be found here:
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2.
Other specialty crops used in craft beverage production are also eligible. Find a complete list and more information here: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/faq.
Are you looking for Michigan wine grapes or other agricultural products for your craft beverage business? There are many new listings for grapes and more on the Michigan Craft Beverage Council marketplace. Check it out here: https://michigancraftbeverage.com/craft/marketplace.
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Hard Cider – Hard cider producers may see a spike in visitors who are traveling as a part of the u-pick autumn tourism season. Detroit Metro Times shared this list of 31 essential Michigan cider mills and orchards to visit this fall, which include many businesses that produce hard cider. For a list of exclusive hard cider producers, use this map and directory.
Wine – Michigan wineries all over the state are beginning to harvest the first of their wine grape crop. Harvest typically starts in Southwest Michigan, where the farms experience a warmer, longer growing season. Wineries are also gearing up for a busy fall wine touring, hoping to continue to use outdoor spaces. Accessing acreage for safe wine touring helped many Michigan wineries see good sales throughout the summer. View Michigan wineries see boost in business despite pandemic.
As you drive through Paw Paw you will recognize the landscape to be a little different now. St. Julian Winery & Distillery installed the tanks on Aug. 28 to expand the storage capacity by 140,000 gallons
Beer – Michigan breweries (and other craft beverage producers) have been challenged by an aluminum can shortage, which has been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Learn more about how craft beer producers are getting creative during the can shortage.
Michigan’s Short’s Brewing Company is teaming up with a local non-profit to raise money for an anti-oppression program aimed at providing education and conversation around equity and inclusion in Michigan’s brewing community. Learn more about the program here.
Distilling – The Michigan Craft Distillers Association is celebrating “Michigan Craft Spirits Month” throughout September. In addition to hosting virtual happy hour events and sharing news around the industry, the MCDA created this image below to encourage support of Michigan craft distillers.
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