A new economic report from Michigan State University examines the contribution of the state's vegetable sector to the regional economy. According to the analysis, vegetable production generates close to US$5.4 billion per year in economic activity in Michigan.
Agricultural economist Bill Knudson said vegetable farming plays a central role due to the state's soils and climate. "There are a lot of vegetable products that are very well suited for where they're going, and you couldn't switch over to corn and soybeans and wheat necessarily, because of the soil and the climatic factors," he said.
The report notes that around 60 per cent of vegetables grown in Michigan are processed within the state. Most of the output is marketed across the surrounding region rather than exported further afield. This processing base supports a wide range of crops and contributes to supply chain stability.
Knudson also highlighted the interdependence between Michigan's vegetable and fruit industries. "Without the vegetable sector, it'd be hard to keep the fruit sector, and that was something that came as a bit of surprise to me," he said. "There's so much co-packing or co-processing between the fruit and vegetable sectors that if you lost one, the other one would be in serious, serious trouble."
Michigan is the leading producer of asparagus and squash in the United States and ranks first nationally in several other vegetable crops. The report classifies dry beans and potatoes as part of the vegetable sector when assessing economic impact.
According to Knudson, the overall vegetable sector has remained relatively stable over the past 15 years. He added that analyzing the economics of specialty crops has become more complex, as access to public data has become more limited in recent years.
Knudson discussed the findings during an interview conducted at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Market Expo in Grand Rapids.
Source: Brownfield
