Michigan Apple Committee Receives Check from USDA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denise Yockey
(517) 336-4680
Lansing, Mich. – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) presented a grant award to the Michigan Apple Committee for hard cider research today in Grand Rapids.
Dale Sherwin, State Director of USDA Rural Development presented the $71,600 check to Denise Yockey, Executive Director of the Michigan Apple Committee. The Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant program assists producers of agricultural commodities to increase their product's value in the marketplace.
The grant award is for a Michigan apple hard cider market research project, headed by Michigan State University Associate Professor of Horticulture, Bridget Behe. The grant will allow for more market research and another use for flavorful Michigan apples.
“We are really excited to work on developing a new product that will help Michigan's apple industry,” said Behe.
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to promotion, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption by consumers in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit www.michiganapples.com.