Gov. Whitmer Holds Roundtable on Newly Created Office of Rural Development

Statement

Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer hosted a virtual roundtable to highlight her latest executive directive establishing the Office of Rural Development within the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). The roundtable featured MDARD Director Gary McDowell, Michigan Economic Development Corporation CEO Quentin L. Messer, Jr., and several key rural stakeholder groups.

"Since my first day in office, I have been focused on addressing the significant structural challenges our state faces by growing Michigan's economy, creating good-paying jobs, and building industries of the future, which includes our robust food and agriculture businesses," said Governor Whitmer. "The Office of Rural Development will be a critical component in how we tackle those challenges, create a resilient and equitable Michigan while opening the door to new and exciting opportunities within our rural communities. We will continue building on our economic momentum from 2021, when we added 145,000 jobs, and pursue a holistic approach to growing our economy."

The Office of Rural Development will help MDARD with its ongoing mission to concentrate on economic, social, and educational needs in rural areas while being a key connection point for leaders and stakeholders to the state's rural communities and putting Michigan first. Additionally, the office will be a crucial part of MDARD's workforce initiative to encourage job seekers and new talent to investigate food and agricultural-related careers.

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