Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel, 517-290-1734

Program contact: Jeff Haarer, 517-896-2236

Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund Now Accepting Applications

Applications are due May 1, 2025

LANSING, Mich. – Youth exhibitors who are getting ready to graduate high school or are newly graduated are encouraged to apply to the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund (MYLSF) cycle for 2025, which was announced today.

The scholarship program provides funding awards for applicants that are residents of Michigan and are graduating seniors or graduated students that are continuing their education at an accredited institution in the year in which they are applying. The awards are given as either a general scholarship or a statewide scholarship. Applications for the scholarships are due on May 1, 2025.

Proceeds from the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration auction, held annually in mid-July, as well as charitable donations help fund the scholarships. The fund is governed by an 11-member board comprised of volunteers from Michigan’s agricultural community, including representatives from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

Since its inception in 2000 at the Michigan State Fair, MYLSF has awarded $840,255 in scholarships and educational awards to outstanding youth who have exhibited at premier livestock events in the state of Michigan. In 2024, A total of $50,500 in scholarships awarded to 43 deserving students.

In 2025, a select number of applicants will be offered an opportunity to interview, prior to the Sale-Abration event for a larger scholarship with awards up to $5,000. The decision is made the discretion of the MYLSF Board.

For the general MYLSF scholarship, the applicant must have been a youth exhibitor at the Michigan Livestock Expo or the Michigan Dairy Expo for a minimum of three calendar years prior to the year of application. For the statewide scholarship, an applicant must have been a youth exhibitor at a local, county, or statewide exhibition for a minimum of three years prior to the year of application.

The 2024 MYLSF scholarship winners were:

• $5,000 scholarship: Madalyn Laskowski of Bad Axe
• $4,000 scholarship: Samual Jones of Reading
• $3,000 scholarship: Olivia Black of Eagle; and Maddux Locke of Albion
• $2,000 scholarship: Nastassia Benjamin of Webberville; Madyson Garza of Palms; Jena Bradley of Cassopolis; London Eldridge of Stanton; Brianna Stockwell of Dowagiac; and Drew George of Niles
• $1,500 scholarship: Sydney Fowler of Montgomery; Joscelyn Layman of Reading; Meah Palmatier of Williamston; Jordyn Chant of DeWitt; Madyson Garza of Palms
• $1,000 scholarship: Taylor Smith of Linwood; Talan Hiemstra of Marcellus; Cassidy Cashen of Muir; Jack Thielen of Reading; Aaron Ernst of New Lothrop; Ryder Greenman of Olivet; Cassidy Harris of Ovid; Natalie Bounds of St. Johns; Zoe van Rijn of Deford; Aden Hathaway of Coldwater; Travis Boeskool of Hamilton
• $500 scholarship: Sophia Barnum of Leslie; Kate Stewart of Charlotte; Natasha Bickel of North Branch; Carragh Cashen of Muir; Tyler Landis of Homer; Willow Evans of St. Johns; Olivia Birchmeier of Durand; Lillian Merrill of Charlotte; Alivia Burlingame of Litchfield; Samantha Armstrong of Gregory; Joelle Boeskool of Hamilton; Jacob Reif of Allen; HallieAnn Holtz of Mendon; and Tally Laarman of Allegan
• $1,000 statewide scholarship: Chloe Steiner of Mecosta
• $500 statewide scholarship: Chloe Lawrason of Beaverton; Katlyn Cunningham of Corunna

Applications and qualification requirements for the MYLSF and the statewide scholarship are available at https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/program/MYLSF2025. Applications must be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 p.m. on May 1, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Haarer, MDARD’s Commodity Section Manager at 517-896-2236 or [email protected], or Sheila Burkhardt, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, at 248-474-6672 or [email protected].

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel, 517-290-1734

 MDARD Encourages Owners to Help Keep Their Animals Safe this Valentine’s Day Holiday

Share the love this holiday by keeping animals happy and healthy

LANSING, MI—As Michiganders prepare to celebrate this Valentine’s Day, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) would like to remind owners of some of the best ways to share the love by keeping their animals healthy and safe.

“One of the best ways to show our pets some love this holiday is to make sure they don’t have any additional stress or discomfort,” said State Veterinarian Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. “From ensuring they are fully vaccinated to making sure they don’t eat any unsafe treats, there are many precautions owners can take to keep their animals healthy this Valentine’s Day.”

Keep animals safe this holiday by following these five easy tips:

• Treat them Right: Avoid feeding animals chocolate or other candy.

While it may be tempting to share a sweet treat with your animals, they cannot enjoy all the same foods we do. Any type of chocolate or treat sweetened with xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in many candies and gum) can be poisonous to animals. Instead of these sweets, stick to their normal treats.

• Avoid Temptations: Keep holiday decorations out of reach.

Gift wrap, ribbons, and balloons can make a celebration special, but they can also catch the eye of our pets. If consumed, these items could cause intestinal blockages or other injuries. Be sure these items are out of their reach, along with candles as curious paws and excited tails should not be near an open-flame unsupervised.

• Build a Better Bouquet: Make sure all arrangements are pet friendly.

Whether flowers and plants are given as a gift or used as a decoration, not all of these plants are safe for your animals. Flowers with thorns (like roses) can cause injury if bitten, swallowed, or stepped on; and certain floral varieties (like lilies, chrysanthemums, and tulips) can be dangerous for pets if they are ingested. Keep these items away from pets and make arrangements with plants that are not toxic to animals.

• Share the Love, Not the Germs: Take steps to keep animals healthy.

Healthy animals begin with setting healthy boundaries. Make sure your animals do not have contact with wildlife or other animals of unknown health status, drink from puddles or other open sources of water, or ingest items you have not given them.

Also, vaccinations are central to animals’ preventative care as the vaccines can protect them against common diseases, such as rabies and distemper. Contact your veterinarian to ensure your animals’ vaccinations are complete and/or to schedule an appointment.

• Be a Secret Admirer: Consider donating to the Animal Welfare Fund.

Not every animal has someone to be their Valentine as many are waiting at one of Michigan’s 212 registered animal shelters for their fur-ever home. When generous Michiganders check the Animal Welfare Fund’s box on Form 4642, Voluntary Contributions Schedule, on their state tax returns, one hundred percent of the contributions go directly to these shelters to help them better care for local animals and support their broader community.

Consider donating to the fund to keep the good going by continuing to protect local animals and increasing their chances of adoption into a loving home.

These tips can help keep your animals safe and healthy throughout the holiday. If there are ever any concerns about your animals’ health now or throughout the year, please talk to your veterinarian.

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel, 517-290-1734

MDARD Director Applauds Governor Whitmer’s FY26 Budget Recommendation

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring celebrated Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Executive Budget Recommendation, which supports the department’s ongoing focus on economic prosperity, regenerative agriculture and diversifying agricultural production across Michigan.

“Michigan agriculture is a $105 billion industry for the state, and Governor Whitmer continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to our farmers, producers and rural communities,” said Director Boring. “This budget recommendation provides the resources we need to continue to prioritize emergency response, support economic prosperity and maintain our national status as an agriculture powerhouse.”

Governor Whitmer’s recommended budget continues support for key MDARD programs including:

• $5.5 million for protecting Michigan’s food supply: This funding will allow MDARD to implement proactive measures to have biosecurity response in place statewide to prevent and reduce the impact of animal disease outbreaks in the livestock industry.
• $2 million for rural development grants: This funding will allow MDARD to expand the Rural Development Fund Grant Program, supporting projects that enhance land-based industries and rural community infrastructure, including job training, childcare, housing, and utilities.
• $1.6 million for plant, soil, and pest diagnostics: This funding will allow MDARD to respond to soil and plant diseases and infestations by increasing testing capacity to provide growers with localized data and expertise to best protect Michigan agriculture.

“Investing in plant, pest, and soil diagnostic capabilities is increasingly important to Michigan potato growers and farmers of all kinds across state to ensure long-term sustainability and success of Michigan’s agriculture future,” said Damen Kurzer, Executive Director of the Michigan Seed Potato Association. “This budget proposal reflects the understanding of serving and supporting Michigan’s farmers.”

“Star of the West is working with farmer customers to conduct soil health testing on more than 12,000 acres, better quantifying regenerative agriculture impacts and lowering recommended fertilizer rates for improved grower profitability,” said Lisa Woodke, Sustainability Director at Star of the West Milling Company. “Investments in laboratory testing capacity and analysis expertise, tailored to Michigan’s unique production systems makes our company and our growers more competitive into the future.”

MDARD’s portion of the budget recommendation for FY26 includes total funding of $158.3 million, which includes $85.9 million in general funds.

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel, 517-290-1734

Program contact: Emily Slatter, 608-301-7751

Dairy Business Builder Grant Now Accepting Applications

Michigan dairy farms and processors are encouraged to apply

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan dairy farms and producers can once again apply for funding to support and grow their operations, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring announced today.

The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) – which MDARD joined in Sept. 2022 – is now accepting applications for the Dairy Business Builder Grant opportunity. The grant encourages small and medium-sized dairy farmers, entrepreneurs, and processors in the Midwest to pursue projects such as dairy farm diversification, on-farm processing, value-added product creation, and efforts to market dairy products for export.

“The dairy industry in Michigan continuously makes a large economic impact while providing nutritious products across the state,” said Director Boring. “This funding will support growth and sustainability, so we’re encouraging dairy farms, processors and producers to apply.”

Since its creation in the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill, the DBIA has awarded over 250 grants totaling more than $20 million to dairy businesses within the Midwest service area. Reimbursement grants of up to $100,000 each will be awarded to different dairy businesses after a competitive review process.

During previous rounds of funding, 44 businesses were awarded over $3.5 million. Two Michigan companies were among those awarded during the last round: Leelanau Cheese Company and Reny Picot – Old Europe Cheese, Inc. Information on previous award recipients is located on the grant website.

Applicants are encouraged to attend a webinar for the Dairy Business Builder Grant that will take place Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 1 p.m. Central Time. Registration for the webinar can be found on the DBIA website. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Central Time on April 2, 2025. Award announcements will occur in late May 2025.

For more information on grant opportunities and DBIA, visit the DBIA website.

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel 

Program contact: Nate Engle

MDARD Launches New Farm-to-Family Grant Program

Proposals due by 5 p.m. on February 21, 2025

LANSING — Michigan’s first-ever grant program aimed at strengthening the state’s middle-of-the-supply-chain agri-food systems is now open, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring announced this week.

The new Farm-to-Family “Food Hubs and Farm Stops” grant program is designed to support innovative models that deliver locally produced and healthy food to Michiganders while creating economic opportunities for Michigan farmers.

“We’ve heard overwhelming feedback about the need to support food systems during our extensive listening tours across Michigan, and this grant program is one of the first, direct responses we’re taking to meet that need through Farm-to-Family,” said Director Boring. “This grant will support emerging aspects of agriculture and food systems infrastructure as well as the growers and livestock producers who are working so hard to provide for our communities.”

Food Hubs and Farm Stops grants will provide up to $50,000 to eligible applicants to support a range of activities including expanding processing capacity, sourcing, transportation infrastructure, distribution service, or other relevant functions that increase the vibrancy of and access to Michigan’s food systems.

First proposed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in her Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget Recommendation, Farm-to-Family seeks to further economic prosperity across Michigan, maintain and expand diversity of the state’s agricultural production, and support climate smart and regenerative agriculture value chains. Details on eligibility, funding, how to apply and more are available on MDARD’s website.

Media contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724

MDARD Encourages Owners to Help Keep Their Animals Warm and Safe in Cold Temperatures

Feeling the chill? Chances are your animals are too

LANSING, MI—As cold temperatures settle in around the state, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reminding owners of some of the best ways to keep their animals warm and safe.

“While each individual animal tolerates the cold differently, animals that are young or elderly, short-coated, and/or have underlying health conditions can be more susceptible to frigid temperatures,” said State Veterinarian Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. “It is important to work with your veterinarian and know your animal’s limits in cold weather to prevent hypothermia, frostbite, and other negative outcomes.”

Keep animals safe from the cold by following these five easy tips:

• Give them Shelter: Bring animals indoors whenever possible or make sure they have a shelter with dry bedding.

Animals are vulnerable to freezing temperatures. It is recommended to keep pets inside as much as possible and limit their walk and bathroom time. For livestock and other outdoor animals, it is important to ensure they have access to a shelter with dry bedding if they need to get out of the elements.

•  Let it Flow: Make sure an animal’s water source does not freeze.

No matter the temperature outside, animals need access to fresh drinkable water. If their water freezes, they can become dehydrated, and it can’t be assumed they will eat snow to get the water they need. Make sure to move water bowls inside, change the water frequently, or use tank heaters or heated buckets/bowls to keep the water flowing.

•   Happy Paws: Check paws for injury and clean deicers from them.

Walking on cold, snowy surfaces can cause paw pads to crack or bleed. Also, deicers and other products used during wintertime can be toxic to pets. Applying a paw protectant can help to minimize injury and the absorption of chemicals. Wiping down your pet’s feet and legs when coming inside and using pet-safe deicers can also help to keep them safe.

• Need More Food?: Some animals may need more calories to maintain their body heat.

Keeping animals at a healthy weight throughout the winter is important for their overall health. Some animals may require a few extra calories to maintain their body heat—especially if they spend time outdoors. To help determine an animal’s specific nutritional needs during cold weather, contact your veterinarian.

• Quick Clean Up: Thoroughly clean areas where antifreeze may have spilled.

Antifreeze contains the chemical ethylene glycol, which is extremely hazardous to animals. Be sure to thoroughly clean any area where antifreeze has spilled from a vehicle and keep containers of the fluid out of their reach.

Following these tips can help keep your animals be comfortable and safe through any cold snap. If there are any concerns about your animals’ health either now or throughout the winter, please talk to your veterinarian.