In May 2025, the Americana Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to the Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology to pilot a peer-based support network for small-scale livestock producers in northwest Lower Michigan. This initiative aligns with our goal of transforming regional food systems through ecologically sound, locally rooted strategies that center the needs of growers, processors, and communities.
Founded in 2005 and based in Bellaire, Michigan, Crosshatch promotes resilient, place-based economies at the intersection of art, ecology, and agriculture. From coordinating guilds of small farmers and beekeepers to convening the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference, Crosshatch is recognized as a regional leader in farmer education, carbon farming, and cooperative resource sharing.
This new program aims to strengthen the region’s small livestock sector by addressing the structural barriers that limit producers’ economic viability, especially for beginning farmers, BIPOC producers, and others historically excluded from food system decision-making. Over the 18-month grant period, Crosshatch will build a farmer-led support network and pilot collective approaches to marketing, transportation, and processing.
Key activities include:
- Creating shared marketing infrastructure through pooled advertising, branding, and digital platforms
- Facilitating mentorship, farm tours, and technical assistance to support learning and skill development
- Coordinating logistics like bulk purchasing and transportation to reduce costs and improve supply chain efficiency
- Planning for farmer-led cooperatives and other collaborative business models, and
- Advancing regenerative grazing and climate-smart practices.
The program will engage 5 to 10 farms during its pilot phase, with the goal of expanding to a more robust and self-sustaining network over time. The long-term vision includes a thriving ecosystem of livestock producers with access to appropriate processing infrastructure, diversified income streams, and meaningful market power.
This grant supports work that benefits not only small farmers, but also the rural communities that depend on them for healthy, locally produced food. We are proud to support Crosshatch’s efforts to build stronger, more equitable food systems from the ground up.