In March 2020, a Finnish Delegation led by Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland, visited Michigan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Governor Gretchen Whitmer to promote increased cooperation in the research, development, and commercial sectors on clean technologies.  After signing the MOU, a Finland/Michigan Forest Bioeconomy Collaboration Group was formed that also included participants from Maine. The collaboration has focused on advanced wood construction, including mass timber and cross laminated timber (CLT), innovations in value-added products from wood residuals, lignin derivatives, and forest health and health management. This focus is through exchanges in research, development and innovation, and business-to-business networking. In 2022, Michigan hosted an inbound Finnish delegation and made an outbound trade and study mission to Finland in 2023. Both missions furthered advancements and innovations through joint research in lignin and business development opportunities in wood construction and value-added products from wood residuals.    

In March of this year, Pinomatic, a Finnish wood products manufacturing equipment company, visited the Upper Peninsula to explore opportunities to advance the manufacture of CLT products in Michigan.  In June 2024, a second outbound trade mission to Finland will include participants from Michigan’s architecture, engineering, and construction communities, academia, and state government. Planning is also underway to further advance our transatlantic collaboration with a Michigan/Finland wood residual summit to be held in Michigan from October 2 to 4, 2024.  

For more information on the Michigan/Finland Forest Bioeconomy Collaboration contact Donna LaCourt at lacourtd2@michigan.gov. 

The sold-out first Michigan Craft Beverage Summit took place March 3-5 in Kalamazoo. The event, hosted by the Michigan Craft Beverage Council and Pure  Michigan Business Connect, included collaboration-centered educational programming, networking events, and buyer-supplier matchmaking. The conference also included a Tuesday morning address by Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist II and MDARD Director Tim Boring.  

The Summit was attended by craft beverage producers from each segment (wine, beer, cider, spirits), farmers, suppliers, and service providers. It featured Michigan-based exhibitors and resource tables for non-profit, educational, and government organizations serving the craft beverage industry.  

Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, and supported this inaugural event. The comradery and energy at the Summit directly result from the people there.    

For more information on the Michigan Craft Beverage Council, visit www.michigancraftbeverage.com.  

MDARD’s Wastewater Infrastructure Fund Grant Program (WIF) still has funds available. The program aims to help the state’s food and agriculture businesses ensure compliance with Michigan’s environmental regulations.  

Successful applicants will receive funding to assist them with achieving compliance with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) wastewater regulations under their Groundwater Discharge Permit Program. Eligible entities are agriculture and food processors located in Michigan who are under an Administrative Consent order, compliance and enforcement action, or have a Schedule of Compliance found in a Certificate of Coverage or state Groundwater Discharge Permit from EGLE and are in good standing with other State of Michigan agencies.  

The WIF funds are distributed with a maximum amount of $2 million per project. Each awarded amount follows a tiered system as part of the cost-reimbursement for selected projects. Applications for the WIF program will be accepted until all funding is committed.  

To apply for the WIF grant, companies will first need to submit an electronic pre-qualification form online, available on the MDARD grant page.  

For more information on MDARD Grants, visit www.Michigan.gov/MDARDGrants. 

In the fall of 2019, Michigan State University launched a new certificate program that trains students on the processes and technologies used to convert commodities into consumable food products. Mobile food processing labs are part of the program, ensuring they have the skills necessary to perform effectively in the food processing industry.   

To support the statewide training that MSU mobile labs help to provide, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development provided funding for the on-campus food processing lab renovations and one mobile food-processing lab that will be used for the certificate program.   

For more information on MSU Mobile Labs, click here.