Michigan Fruit Industry Depends on MSU Research, Outreach: ‘We Can’t Do it on Our Own’

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This story is part of a series highlighting the impact of MSU AgBioResearch’s work with Michigan agriculture and natural resources told through our stakeholders’ perspectives. Through partnerships with the State of Michigan and industries, MSU AgBioResearch is finding solutions to some of the most timely problems facing our state. To view the entire series, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu.

To view a podcast with MSU AgBioResearch Director George Smith and Ben Smith, executive director of the Michigan State Horticultural Society, on the impact of MSU research on Michigan’s fruit industry, click here. 

Millions of visitors flock to Lake Michigan each year for the abundance of recreational opportunities. While the beauty of West Michigan facilitates a bourgeoning tourism industry, a sect of the region’s residents appreciate Lake Michigan for a different reason.

Known as the “Fruit Belt,” Michigan’s west coast is home to one of the state’s most prolific agricultural sectors.

Lake Michigan acts as a temperature regulator, providing a climate well-suited to growing fruit when coupled with fertile, sandy soils — from apples, blueberries, grapes and peaches to the country’s largest tart cherry-growing region near Traverse City.

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), total economic activity of the Michigan fruit industry equates to more than $750 million annually. Specialty crop production, which includes fruit, supports more than 41,000 jobs.

Ben Smith, a southwest Michigan grape grower and executive director of the Michigan State Horticultural Society (MSHS), said there is ample opportunity for industry growth. But challenges pertaining to evolving insect pest pressures, debilitating crop diseases, labor shortages and profitability introduce significant hurdles.

“There’s so much room for growth,” Smith said. “I live in southwest Michigan, and it’s great ground to grow fruit. You can’t grow fruit just anywhere throughout the state. It’s mostly along the west coast for climate reasons, and we have the potential to grow as an industry with necessary investment. Figuring out answers to those tough questions facing the fruit industry can make farmers more profitable, the fruit industry more successful and the state more successful. The fruit industry supports a lot of jobs and healthy eating for a lot of people.”

The “necessary investment” Smith refers to is funding for research and outreach services provided by Michigan State University AgBioResearch and MSU Extension.

Finding answers to the short- and long-term questions confronting Michigan agriculture has been a core part of the mission of both organizations for more than a century. Working alongside the fruit industry has spanned the entirety of that time, and the MSHS partnership remains a crucial component.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Michigan State University AgBioResearch scientists discover dynamic solutions for food systems and the environment. More than 300 MSU faculty conduct leading-edge research on a variety of topics, from health and agriculture to natural resources. Originally formed in 1888 as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU AgBioResearch oversees numerous on-campus research facilities, as well as 15 outlying centers throughout Michigan. To learn more, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu.