Agriculture at Owosso Public Schools in Michigan is getting a boost. The district will receive $100,000 in state funding to expand hands-on agricultural education, with the money earmarked for a new livestock facility at Owosso High School.
The grant comes through Michigan’s rural development fund. It will give students in the Shiawassee County district more direct experience with animal science and farming, and district leaders said the facility will support career and technical education classes, strengthen career readiness, and deepen students’ connection to the local food system, according to news station WNEM TV5.
The award is part of more than $1.6 million in rural development fund grants announced statewide. It marks the first joint recommendations following Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order 2025-9, which transferred the Rural Development Fund Board from MDARD to LEO. The executive order also reinforces continued collaboration between the two departments to advance shared strategies that support rural prosperity across the state.
“Rural communities across Michigan are navigating complex, fast-moving change with limited resources, but we’ve seen that targeted investments can unlock real results,” said Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director Susan Corbin. “Programs like the Rural Development Fund are about more than individual projects, they are about strengthening the capacity of communities to plan, collaborate and lead with confidence. In partnership with MDARD and local leaders, we are making strategic investments that support infrastructure and industry today while helping communities build the foundation to grow and thrive in the long-term.”
The timing matters. For a district rooted in a working agricultural county, the new facility connects classroom instruction to the surrounding production base, giving students working space to apply animal science concepts alongside the farms and food system that define the region.
The $100,000 will pay for the new livestock facility. That structure expands the hands-on component of the school’s career and technical education offerings, supporting students as they work through animal science coursework.
“The food, forestry and agriculture industry is fundamental to the health and prosperity of communities and economies throughout Michigan,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring. “These Rural Development Fund grants are strategic investments in Michigan’s land-based industries that will strengthen rural infrastructure and create new jobs across our state. We are proud to partner with LEO in improving quality of life for Michiganders.”
This article was prepared with the assistance of automated tools and human research and verified by our editorial team.
