Success Stories

Before the Village of Honor improved its wastewater treatment system in 2022, the team that runs it dealt with frequent maintenance issues.The system, which includes a series of treatment lagoons and other structures and components that lie at the northeastern edge of the… [Read More]

People have been visiting the area surrounding the Village of L’Anse, which means “the cove” in French, to recreate, fish, camp and enjoy the water since long before the village’s founding in the 1870s.Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, L’Anse offers a unique blend of… [Read More]

Dairy cows and sustainability have always been a part of Deidre Iciek’s life. As the oldest daughter of two veterinarians, she grew up around animals, large and small, from the time she was born. After high school, she majored in environmental studies at Michigan State… [Read More]

When Ron Sportel’s grandfather started his celery farm in Comstock, Michigan, in 1918, he probably didn’t expect the family farm would sell flowers to big box stores across five states 100 years later. Sportel’s father and uncle continued growing celery on the family farm until… [Read More]

Kent County, Michigan, is the kind of place where everyone seems to know everyone. It is also the place where Jim Kober grew up helping on the family pig farm. His grandparents established the family farm originally as an apple orchard in the early 1900s. “I grew up there and I… [Read More]

Sustainability may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about hog farms, but for Arrow Farms in Scotts, Michigan, it is a part of their business model. Jarred Lorenz, Arrow Farms owner and H&H Farms general manager of hog operations, views hog production… [Read More]

Traverse City, Michigan is a rural community on the shores of lake Michigan. A city with a strong year-round recreation economy and a vibrant downtown filled with independent businesses. Many business owners have struggled to locate commercial space, as well as retain employees… [Read More]

Outline Of Need: Bangor is a small town located in southwest Michigan.  Some years ago a biodiesel production facility went out of business, leaving the community with fewer jobs and idle equipment. How Rural Development Helped: USDA Rural Development provided $10 million… [Read More]

Outline Of Need: The Lake  Odessa Community Library opened in January of 1987. The original building was 1,500 square feet and in response to high usage from local residents, the library moved to its current 3,800 square foot location in 1998. Since then, demand for… [Read More]

Outline Of Need: Like many rural communities, Menominee has seen its economy change considerably over the decades.  Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the border with Wisconsin, a century ago Menominee was a major center for lumber production and later transitioned to… [Read More]