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Dear Farmers, Community Health Agencies, WIC Agencies, Farmers, Market Masters, MSU-Extension, and Recipients, Project FRESH (Farm Resources Expanding and Supporting Health) has grown over the decades into a program which helps local economies by providing income to farmers, and giving access to amazing produce to our mothers, children, and seniors. We are holding five regional meetings to facilitate dialog on how everybody involved in Project FRESH can increase the redemption rates and visibility of the program. The Meetings are as follows: * Marquette: Tuesday, July 29th, Marquette Commons, 203 S. Front St. 10am-2pm. * Harrisville: Wednesday, July 30th. 12pm-4pm. Alcona County EMS Building, 2600 East M-72. * Kalamazoo: Friday, August 1st. 12pm-4pm, Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation Building, 251 Mills St. * Big Rapids: Friday, August 8th. 10am-2pm, at the MSU Extension Office, 14485 Northland Drive. We hope to increase the visibility and redemption of the program by bringing together all those involved to begin a constructive dialog directed by two questions: how do we raise our redemption rates further, and how do we increase the visibility of the program. Two simple questions which have proven extremely difficult to address by any one person is exactly why we need you to voice your concerns, your philosophies, and your history to what methods have worked, are feasible, or what needs to happen in order to keep this program successful. Hopefully, you might meet those who are in the position to assist you in the ways that you cannot assist yourself. We are all interconnected in this program, and we need to start discussing it beginning now, and establishing contacts to continue throughout the year. Attached are five invitations for five regional meetings. Attend as many as you want: just RSVP! For more information either contact me or Teresa Johnson ( [log in to unmask]), or visit http://www.farmersmarkets.msu.edu/ under "What's Happening' on the left hand side for agendas of each individual meeting. If you are not familiar with project FRESH here is a little overview of the program: Project FRESH (Farm Resources Expanding and Supporting Health) is a program that makes fresh produce available to low-income, nutritionally-at-risk consumers and also supports Michigan farmers. It expands the awareness and use of farmers markets in addition to increasing sales at the markets. The Michigan Department of Community Health WIC Division, Michigan State University Extension and the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service jointly administer the program. Project FRESH receives federal funds, local funds, private grants and WIC program income from vendor fines. Thank you very much, and I hope to see you there. Micah Manikas 416 Agriculture Hall East Lansing, MI (517) 432-3387 [log in to unmask] Vicki Morrone Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist Michigan State University C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems 303 Natural Resources Bldg. East Lansing, MI 48824 517-353-3542 517-282-3557 (cell) 517-353-3834 (fax) For information on organic agriculture production please visit: http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/ P Please consider the environment before printing this email If you would like to access previous postings to the Mich-Organic listserv you can copy and paste the following URL into your browser address bar http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html