A Traverse City-area program offers lessons on everything from farming business plans to driving a tractor and attracts students from across the US.
Business Watch
Covering the intersection of business and policy, and informing Michigan employers and workers on the long road back from coronavirus. Our Michigan Economic Dashboard shows key metrics that show how the state is performing.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Amid tax pressure, competition, marijuana may move out of rural Michigan
A flooded market has driven down cannabis prices, forcing consolidation of the industry. A new state tax could expedite those changes, and small towns will feel it most.
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After years of struggles, Michigan cherry industry pushes for better future
Michigan’s cherry industry has fallen on hard times. A new marketing campaign and better collaboration will turn things around, growers hope.
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Great Lakes shipping lost third of season to ‘inadequate icebreaking’
The Lake Carriers Association said in a report that it lost 82 shipping days this year because the US Coast Guard failed to break enough ice. Despite repeated attempts, Congress hasn’t invested in a new icebreaker for the Great Lakes.
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Final home holdouts sell for $261M megasite; demos ramp up even without tenant
It’s curtains for a 90-acre neighborhood, as work accelerates on assembling a 1,300-acre site for a large-scale manufacturer in mid-Michigan. Boosters remain hopeful, but some residents and lawmakers are upset.
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A victim of its popularity, Petoskey struggles as home prices hit $1 million
With half of its homes occupied only a few months of the year, Petoskey is facing a housing crisis for year-round residents.
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MEDC under fire, board silent following criminal charges against ex-member
A potential target in an ongoing criminal probe, MEDC CEO Quentin Messer said Tuesday he still has “the best job in economic development.”
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Michigan loaned $35M to mobility center. Debt could cripple it, boosters say
Amid a backlash against public subsidies, Michigan seeks repayment of loan for autonomous testing site. Activists say the nonprofit is doing vital work to keep Michigan competitive.
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Michigan farms ‘losing money on every acre’ as war spikes costs
Rising diesel and fertilizer prices are pinching Michigan corn farmers as they prep for planting season.
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GM expects $500M refund from Trump tariffs the Supreme Court struck down
GM is expecting a $500 million tariff refund after the Supreme Court struck down some of President Donald Trump’s most sweeping levies