When you think of Ford Motor Company you're likely to think of cars and trucks – not farms. So it may come as a surprise to learn that Ford Motor Company has a storied farming history. Recently, Ford Motor Company's last free-standing working farm – Cherry Hill Farm – was honored by the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program for effective land stewardship. MAEAP verification is a voluntary program that shows farmers how to reduce agricultural pollution.
Currently owned by Ford Motor Company, the Cherry Hill Farm is an 882-acre working farm in Washtenaw County that produces corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. Once used by Ford's Tractor Division for testing, the land currently is managed by Ford Land, the company's real estate arm, and farmed by the VanWashenova family. The property includes three historic barns and a farmhouse.
Ford's Cherry Hill Farm Achieves Agricultural Honors
"I am honored to farm land that has such strong ties to Ford Motor Company," says Al VanWashenova. "Getting the Ford Cherry Hill Farm verified was the right thing to do, and I am very proud of this accomplishment."
"For the past 10 years, Ford and the VanWashenova family have made a great team," says Donna Inch, Ford Land chairman and CEO. "Today's recognition is another example of Ford's commitment to sustainability."