Businesses are buying from Michigan farmers

Michigan farmers seem to be the belle of the ball these days as more and more are buying their foods - and not just local schmos but everybody.

Excerpt:

Food companies big and small are buying ingredients from Michigan farmers for their products, and state agencies are reporting increased calls from others that want to do so.

Experts say there are many reasons for the uptick: The state's location -- in the middle of the country and relative closeness to the large East Coast market -- makes transportation costs cheaper; Michigan-based processing companies' are loyal to local businesses; and increasing consumer demand for locally grown food.

An exact figure for how much of Michigan's $71.3 billion agribusiness industry comes from sales of Michigan farm products to food companies is unavailable. But Christine Lietzau of the Michigan Department of Agriculture said the industry's 12 percent revenue growth from 2006 to 2007 can be attributed, at least partly, to more companies buying food from local farmers.

Read the entire article here.