Think Michigan’s vegetables are just crunchy party snacks? Think again! A report from Michigan State University shows that the state’s veggie industries aren't just good for your body, they're also good for Michigan’s economy. It’s like a giant veggie party where asparagus pays the rent!
Here are Five Fast Facts about Michigan's veggie industries:
- 🥒 Veggies Are Serious Green - Michigan’s vegetable farms sell an average of about $1.19 billion worth of produce each year, and when you count all the extra business they create, the total economic contribution jumps to about $2.11 billion. That’s a lot of green!
- 🚜 Veggie Jobs Galore - Vegetable farming itself directly employs almost 8k people, but when you count jobs in related areas (like trucks, stores, and services), that number grows to well over 13k jobs.
- 🏭 Process This - Once vegetables go to factories (like for canning or freezing), that processing side adds almost another $2 billion in direct sales and another 13k total jobs. Think of it as a veggie power multiplier!
- 💪 For The Win - All these great farms plus the processing power means veggies make up around $5.4 billion of Michigan’s economy and over 26k jobs. That’s more than some small countries produce in total!
- 🏆 The Good Stuff - Michigan isn’t shy about veggie bragging rights - it ranks in the top 10 nationally for at least eight different crops due to soil and climate that veggies love, including asparagus, squash, and cucumbers.
🔥Bottom line: Michigan’s vegetables aren’t just food on your plate - they’re economic MVPs for the state! From farms out in the fields to processing plants, the whole system brings in big money and keeps lots of people working. Now, pass the ranch dressing and let's have a snack!
What's your favorite veggie?
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