Scaling michigan's food processing workforce: expanding MSU's food processing, technology & safety certificate program

The Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education awarded Michigan State University $2.359829 million on January 1, 2026, under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (CFDA 84.116) to scale MSU's Food Processing, Technology & Safety Certificate Program.

The award supports expansion of the food-processing workforce certificate program, designed to address Michigan's workforce development needs in the food processing sector through enhanced curriculum, delivery capacity, and student access. The project runs through December 31, 2029, with performance at MSU's East Lansing, Michigan campus.

FIPSE project grants fund institutional reforms and innovative strategies to improve postsecondary education quality and expand opportunity. Grants under this program are frontloaded to pay full multi-year project costs from a single appropriation and are awarded to institutions of higher education and other public and private nonprofit institutions.