Growing Resilience from the Ground Up: Two Michigan Food Entrepreneurs Creating Positive Change

Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back. In Michigan’s food and farm systems, it means building something stronger, more rooted, and more inclusive—especially when the odds are stacked high. From challenges related to climate change to difficulty accessing financing to continue growing, small farms and food businesses face persistent challenges. But across the state, a different story is unfolding—one of regional infrastructure rising, community ownership growing, and local food movement gaining momentum. 

At the heart of this story is a powerful truth: Resilient communities grow when healthy food is within reach, local food businesses are equipped to thrive, and farmers and producers have the support they need to succeed. And that kind of resilience is only possible when we invest in local changemakers—those reclaiming power over how food is grown, processed, distributed, and accessed in their communities. 

In Washtenaw County, that future is taking shape with the help of Damian’s Craft Meats. What began as a dream is now set to become a cornerstone of Michigan’s regional meat processing infrastructure. Damian’s team is aiming to break ground on a new, community-rooted processing facility in 2026, providing local meat producers with a regional anchor that restores autonomy, reduces bottlenecks, and keeps food dollars circulating close to home.   

In Battle Creek, a different but equally transformative vision came to life this year with the launch of Uproot Market and Eatery. After years of organizing, planning, and community commitment, the market will open its doors this fall using a co-op model that allows the store’s ownership and decision-making power to remain within the community. Stocked with fresh, locally grown food, Uproot is more than a grocery store—it’s a prototype of what’s possible when communities invest in themselves. 

These businesses are part of a larger movement across Michigan. In Ann Arbor, Argus Farm Stop is a year-round farmers market selling only locally grown foods on consignment where farmers receive 70% of the sale, and the Detroit People’s Food Co-op is a Black-led and community-owned grocery cooperative. Both are more than retail outlets; they’re proof points for a re-localized economy that prioritizes shared ownership, the vision of young and emerging farmers, and a food economy that serves not just the few who have historically had access to capital and power, but everyone.  

Building a strong, resilient food system doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, partnership, and long-term investment—especially in communities that haven’t had a level playing field. That’s where Fair Food Network comes in. We work alongside entrepreneurs like Damian, Rosemary, and the Uproot team to help them access funding, overcome challenges, and connect with others leading this work across Michigan and beyond. With your support, this kind of community-rooted change becomes possible. 

In a world where supply chains can break and global markets can falter, Michigan’s food and farm businesses are showing us something different: real resilience starts close to home. It’s built through relationships, over time—season by season, store by store. And with the right support, it’s a model that can grow in communities across the country. 

And it’s working.