1. Growing Entrepreneurs and the Michigan Economy
Parker Jones
Innovation Counselor
MSU Product Center

2. Innovation Counselors
Provide business counseling to help entrepreneurs assess the developmental phase of projects, identify markets and guide them from concept to launch
Areas of expertise
Food
Agriculture
Natural Resources
Forestry

3. Innovation Counselor Network* * * * * * * * * *

4. MSU Product Center
Provide strategic research and business development services in food, agriculture, and natural resources
Collaboration with MSU Extension, Ag-Bio- Research, and Department of Agricultural Food & Resource Economics

5. Products

6. Question: what water activity and pH values define non- exempt foods?
Quick Poll
Cottage Food law exempts all but Potentially Hazardous Foods and Temperature Controlled for Safety foods (PHF, TCS) from some regulation
Question: what water activity and pH values define non- exempt foods?

7. Entering the food sector can be daunting
Answer
Entering the food sector can be daunting
(Products with water activity greater than 0.85 and pH ranges between 4.6 and 7.5 are not allowed under Cottage Food Law)

8. How can the Product Center help?

9. How can the Product Center help?
Food science and testing
Nutritional labeling
Packaging
Connections to MSU resources

10. MarketMaker https://mi.foodmarketmaker.com/
Web-based resource that provides a link between producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, farmers' markets, food service providers and end-consumers within the food supply chain.

11. AgBioResearch
A source of UP specific agriculture, natural resources and forestry research
Forest Biomass Innovation Center – Escanaba
Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center – Chatham
Dunbar Forest - Sault Ste. Marie

12. Larger Clients

13. Growing entrepreneurs and the Michigan economy
4,164 counseling sessions
689 clients
91 venture launches
461 jobs created
486 jobs retained
$53,435,370 new investment

14. Questions ? Contact: jonesp28@anr.msu.edu

15. EUP Farm-Institution Mini-Grants
The purpose of these mini-grant funds are to cover a portion of the costs for farmers in Chippewa, Luce or Mackinac counties to register and attend programs that are not feasible to hold within the region (such as programs at UPREC) or held in the region but have a registration fee and are needed for the farm to move into new markets.  These funds could also be used to assist a farm in purchasing small items they might need to come into compliance with farm food safety best practices to be able to sell to a restaurant or institution. These expenses could include labeling equipment, labels or printer, packaging and related expenses. The maximum receivable amount is 300$. You’ll hear back on your application within two weeks.