Impacts
Our team aims to help vegetable growers learn about and incorporate new practices to help them reduce the risk posed by pests, improve their efficiency through new horticultural practices, and increase revenue through improved product quality and marketing. Of those who attended a Michigan State University Extension vegetable event, data from 2020-2021 surveys revealed:
- 88% learned something new and useful to help them manage risks.
- 87% reported making a change on their farm related to managing risks
- 82% learned useful information about increasing efficiency on the farm.
- 67% reported making a change on their farm related to increasing efficiency.
- 3,500 participants at in-person meetings, 161,000 reached in mixed media outputs (podcasts, trade magazine articles, newsletters, bulletins).
- 316 one-on-one individual consultations with stakeholders in 30 counties.
- $950,000 in federal, state and commodity group funds leveraged to support research that directly benefited growers in 2021.
Priority Areas
Michigan vegetable production takes place on over 3,000 farms, generating cash receipts of $442 million dollars.* The state’s climate and soils make it possible to grow vegetables in every county; however, commercial production is in specific areas having a long history of marketing and processing infrastructure. Michigan is among the top five states in the production of asparagus, snap beans, beets, carrots, celery, cucumbers, pickles, radishes, squash, tomatoes, turnips and pumpkins.* Our team consists of strategically placed educators who work with local vegetable growers in key regions and a team of on-campus vegetable researchers.
Source : msu.edu