LANSING, Mich. — Michigan school districts can now apply for as much as $100,000 apiece to make more cafeteria meals from scratch, under a new pilot program the state agriculture department rolled out Thursday in Lansing.
The Scratch Cooking Pilot is part of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Farm to Family Program. Money for it was written into the bipartisan budget for the 2027 fiscal year, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed in July.
Districts may spend the grants on commercial kitchen equipment for washing and chopping produce or batch-cooking grains and vegetables, on tools to prepare fresh meat and plant proteins, on hiring and training cooks, and on software to buy food from local farms. The goal is to swap out heavily processed items for Michigan-grown produce and meat, giving farmers another market.
MDARD Director Tim Boring said the pilot builds on the state’s push for healthier lunchrooms, including free school meals statewide. The budget measure was backed by Rep. Ken Borton, a Gaylord Republican, and Sen. John Cherry, a Flint Democrat.
Districts must file a letter of intent online by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 24. The department will hold a webinar on Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. Districts chosen from that first round will be asked for full applications by Jan. 22, and winners are expected to be named in March 2027.
Section: More Lansing MI education news
Filed under: Lansing MI Education News
