The U.P. Food Exchange, in partnership with Upper Peninsula Food as Medicine Team and Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress, will offer grants for area farms to build cold storage facilities for fresh produce.

The grant program, funded by the Superior Health Foundation, will award up to $14,000 to three farms from each of the U.P.’s three regional planning districts. Funds can be used for the materials and labor to build new or additional facilities, as well as access to technical assistance for construction and HVAC. This will support increasing local food production by ensuring farms have a place to safely store produce until it can be sold.

“Farm debt is a huge problem across the country. Even small-scale farming requires taking on a high amount of debt that is difficult to pay back, especially with an income that varies seasonally,” said Sarah Monte, outreach director at the Marquette Food Co-op and UPFE member.

Cold storage facilities are essential for extending the agricultural sales season by providing space for crops that can be sold well into the winter, directly supporting the growth of the U.P. farm economy and increasing access to local food for all residents.

The application period opened March 16 and extends through 5 p.m. April 18.Grants will be announced May 3.

These projects must be completed by Sept. 30.

For m ore information and to access the grant application, go to upfoodexchange.com/cold-storage-grant-program.

Questions can be directed to info@upfoodexchange.com or 906-225-0671, ext. 723.