LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants for 17 projects designed to support land-based industries and infrastructure benefiting rural communities.
Land-based industries include food and agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas production, and tourism.
Eligible to apply were counties with populations no greater than 60,000 and urban clusters with populations between 10,000 and 50,000.
Grand Traverse Distillery LLC of Traverse City got $123,800 for equipment to double production of its craft whiskey.
The Northern Michigan Geological Repository Association in Marquette received the largest grant of $226,700 to buy a building for a diamond drill core library and geological data for research.