Michigan is home to many world-class universities and colleges that are engaging minds with ideas and creating opportunities for research and discovery. One such opportunity is for these institutions to make better connections with local farmers to help reach the goal of 20 percent Michigan-grown products on their dining menus by the year 2020. Increasing sourcing from Michigan food producers is one goal of the Michigan Good Food Charter.
On June 9, 2015 the Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN) joined the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan and culinary and sustainability specialists at Michigan universities to meet one another and talk about how these two groups can work together. The higher education institutions represented included Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Central Michigan University, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Dining and culinary services at colleges and universities are working to create local, healthy and seasonal meals for students, employees and guests and finding ways to source local is one way to accomplish this goal.