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Michigan senate bill proposes wild rice as state grain

Scot Martin
/
Openverse

A senate bill wants to make Michigan wild rice the state grain.

It’s traditionally called manoomin (mah-NOO-mihn) and has cultural significance to Indigenous peoples in the state. The plant is also important to many wetlands.

Senator Curt Vanderwall (R-MI) co-sponsored the legislation. He said the bill has received bipartisan support.

"I just think, overall, the whole thing plays well for the state of Michigan for what our natural resources are," he said. "A lot of people take some of those things for granted, and most people don’t even know we have rice grown right here in the state."

Vanderwall said the new focus on Michigan rice could drive up its sales.

"Any time any attention is brought to something like that that they know it is grown naturally in the state, I certainly think that there would probably be an uptick in sales," he said.

The bill last had movement on June 6, and it was referred to the committee of the whole.

Ben Jodway is an intern, serving as a reporter for WCMU Public Media and the Pioneer in Big Rapids. He has covered Indigenous communities and political extremism in Michigan.