As the regional population has increased at a rate of two percent per year, farm households have been decreasing, leaving farmers a minority in their communities. The economic effect of farming has also diminished as tourism, construction and retailing have taken a dominant position in the local economy. Even the most generous calculations grant the agricultural sector only ten percent of total activity. Yet agricultural products and the agricultural landscape are vital to the region's health and vitality. We want to discover the ways and means to put and keep agriculture in the hearts and minds of the people in the region.
Grand Traverse is the major city center in the region.
The one exception has been Benzie County, which has seen a 35 percent decrease in farms and a 24 percent decrease in farmland. 1621 N. Kent St., Ste.