Adolph and Ginger Meyer believed that farmers were the backbone of America and that farming and the production of food “always will be a required function if any of us are to survive." The Meyers had a lifelong interest in honoring America’s agrarian traditions and were committed to ensuring that people in Michigan maintain a close connection with the land, and with farmers and other producers of our food.
Over the years, Americana has supported projects and programs designed to create rural and urban landscapes in Michigan where the community is connected to the food system, land, and nature; where agricultural producers are prosperous and focused on sustainability; and where agriculture and natural resources support public health, diverse business opportunities and livable communities for all.
![Freeman Kitchen Garden at Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge MA. Image Credit: [emailed Dyan Vaughn 1/11/2024]](https://americanafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Old-Sturbridge-Village.jpg "Old Sturbridge Village")
Transforming Michigan's Food Systems for a Sustainable Future
Our Current Focus
Geographic Focus: Nonprofit organizations doing work that impacts Michigan are eligible to apply.
Our Current Focus: Our current priority in the Agriculture and Food Systems program area is to support projects and programs that work to transform food systems in Michigan so that they focus on growers, processors, and distributors and provide healthy and culturally appropriate food through ecologically sound and sustainable methods. The goal is for all Michiganders - rural and urban - to be connected to a sustainable local food economy. The program area seeks to benefit those who traditionally have lacked power over and resources to access healthy locally or regionally produced food.
Example Projects
Connecting Michigan farms and food businesses with new markets, consumers, and communities.
Empowering Michigan communities to shape the food systems that provide their food.
Creating opportunities for small-scale and marginalized Michigan farmers and food businesses.
Supporting systems designed to increase access to healthy, culturally appropriate, locally grown food for Michigan communities.
Increasing the resilience of the food system in Michigan to the impacts of climate change.