U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday touted Biden administration funding for underserved communities during a visit to Detroit’s Eastern Market.
He was joined by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing), chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, and U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit). Vilsack also visited Flint during the Tuesday visit.
Vilsack outlined how U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiatives and investments in Detroit and across the state are “helping to build more markets for producers and entrepreneurs and looking to establish opportunities for producers and more options for consumers.”
“We’re excited about the fact that we have established 17 urban food centers, one of them in Detroit, and those centers also have a food service agency office located in the city to provide assistance, help, and information for farmers here in Detroit where they might be able to obtain a microloan,” said Vilsack.
In January, the USDA announced that it was making $7.5 million for grants through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. The competitive grants are designed to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects.
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