CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Ottawa County is being awarded a nearly $439,000 grant to preserve farmland from development.
More than 168 acres will be protected from the grant provided by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The land is in Chester Township, located in the northern portion of the county.
Officials say the land has been farmed by members of the Klein family since the 1860s and currently produces crops like corn, soybeans and wheat.
Ottawa County says its farms are at risk and preserving it is critical to maintaining an affordable and high-quality food supply. From 2012 to 2017 the county lost 8% of its farmed acreage and 17% of its farms.
The MDARD grant program chose Ottawa County as one of the five out of 13 applicants to receive grant funds.
