Families and Communities Together
Following a pattern of success established by the coalitions created around Michigan's plant andanimal industries, the MAES, MSUE, the Office of the Provost and the Institute for Children,Youth and Families have created the Families and Communities Together (FACT) to give communities access to research results quickly and easily.

The FACT Coalition was created to stimulate, facilitate and coordinate MSU's research and outreach efforts related to the health and well-being of children, youth and families; to support and develop the capacity of Michigan communities to meet their own needs; and to encourage new directions in scholarship and new applications for problem solving.

The Revitalization of Animal Agriculture in Michigan Initiative

Initiated by the state’s animal industries, the Revitalization of Animal Agriculture in Michigan Initiative was funded by more than $70 million in state appropriations. In 193-94, the Michigan legislature, with the approval of Gov. Engler, appropriated about $70 million to fund the facilities improvement part of the initiative. In 1994, an additional $4 million was provided to implement the program component.

The initiative added new buildings to the MSU campus and modernized older ones. New facilities include the Infectious Disease Containment Facility, the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, the Equine Teaching and Research Center, the Swine Teaching and Research Center, the Turkey Research Facility, a new milking parlor and an intensive metabolism facility at the Dairy Teaching and Research Center barn and renovations to the cattle handling facilities, installation of a truck scale, remodeling of the intensive physiology and metabolism room and upgrades to the electrical system at the Beef Cattle Research Center. Anthony Hall, home of the Department of Animal Science, was completely renovated, as was the Meats Lab and the Dairy Plant.

The initiative also strengthened academic programs, provided for more researchers to be hired and added more MSU Extension agents to directly assist farmers. The combination of improved and new facilities, coupled with added investment in expanded programming capacity, is enabling the industry to plan and move strategically for a more productive future, a future that is enhancing the state’s economy, creating new jobs and addressing industry concerns.

Project GREEEN: The Plant Initiative

Michigan plant commodity groups and food processors asked Michigan State University to develop a plan to prepare them to meet the economic and environmental challenges of the coming century. MSU responded with GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs): a plan to generate new research and educational programs to meet a wide range of economic and environmental needs identified by growers and processors.

Plant agriculture and processing industries want a rapid, integrated response from MSU to develop and implement improved management programs that increase profitability while reducing undesirable environmental impacts and improving food safety. They want research on new processing techniques that will add value to Michigan raw commodities, as well as studies that will help them gain access to new markets for current and subsequent products.  

Center for Integrated Plant Systems
The proposed Center for Integrated Plant Systems, also known as the Pesticide Research Center, is home to many research programs, including the biological control program, diagnostic services and the integrated pest management program, that are either directly a part of Project GREEEN or work cooperatively with it.  Visit the CIPS Web site for more information on its programs.