Start A Farm Or Food Business
Welcome to the Montana Department of Agriculture's collection of online information to help you Start a Farm or Food Business. If you are looking to start or expand your farming operation, or want to start or expand your food/agricultural manufactured product, these resources will get you started.
- Ideas on what will grow, and how to grow it?
Contact Montana University Extension - msuextension.org. - Need start-up resources?
Get off to a great start by contacting one of Montana’s Food and Agriculture Development Centers (FADCs) for ideas on how to develop your business plan or how to access financing - FADC. - Looking for ways to finance your business?
Find them on our Grants & Loans page - Grants and Loans
And find more on our Marketing page under "Domestic Marketing" - Marketing-Assistance. - Ideas on how to sell your product?
Find them on our Marketing page - Marketing-Assistance. - Are you a beginning farmer or rancher looking for support?
Visit the Community Food Agriculture Coalition (CFAC) of Missoula County website - www.missoulacfac.org/programs/farmer-support - Do you need to rent a kitchen facility to manufacture your product?
Visit the Commercial Kitchens page for facilities in Montana - Commercial-Kitchens
Start-Up Resources
Whether you are a start-up or an established company looking for new markets, we can help. Our assistance is targeted to value-added agricultural companies, those who either grow the product and process it or those who use Montana agricultural ingredients in their processed products. We also assist those who grow specialty crops to sell as fresh products to Montana's consumers, food service, and groceries.
We have also contracted with Montana Food and Agriculture Development Centers (FADC), a network of small business assistance professionals across the state.
Knowing where to start when developing a new business is key to success. Below are some resources that can help, and refer to the Marketing Assistance page for more information's, resources and links.
For one-on-one assistance with starting up your business, contact the marketing officer listed on this page, or contact your local Food & Ag Development Center.
- Business Planning, Feasibility & Financing
- Montana Food & Agriculture Development Centers can assist you with food regulations, labeling, financial analysis, funding opportunities, marketing, and much more. The centers are located in Butte, Havre, Joliet, and Ronan.
- Small Business Development Centers provide free, confidential, one-on-one business counseling to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
- Business Training offered by Montana's Small Business Development Centers
- Montana Growth Through Agriculture grants and loans
- Montana Finance Information Center grants and loans
- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Program grants, Montana Department of Commerce
- Indian Country Economic Development Program grants and loans, Montana Department of Commerce
- MicroBusiness Finance Program (MBFP) loans
- Regulations & Licensing
- Food Manufacturing Regulations on the Montana DPPHS website.
- Processing
- Marketing
Contact