Plans for a food market in Grayling are taking off after a recent meeting of legislators, farmers, and food vendors at Grayling City Hall.
Agricultural officials said farmers have struggled in recent years to sell produce in northern Michigan. The food market would bring more consumers to growers and meat processors.
Molly Stepanski is a farm owner and the northeast local food coordinator for Taste the Local Difference. She said more than 60 people attended the meeting.
“They were just brought together to talk about the Grayling Northern Market, and basically it would serve a hundred mile radius, overall about 16 counties year round seven days a week it would be open and it would essentially operate as a large food hub.”
Stepanski said development of the food market will cost just over seven-million dollars. It’s expected to be funded through public and private sources
She said construction is expected to start in the fall and the hope is for the market to be up and running next year.