Financial Assistance
Grants & Loans
The Montana Department of Agriculture offers several grant and loan opportunities for the agriculture industry.
- Beginning Farm/Ranch Loans are available from a tax-exempt bond program that aids financial institutions in assisting Montana's beginning farmers and ranchers. Loans can be used to purchase agricultural land and other depreciable agricultural property.
- Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) program offers investments for new and innovative agriculture marketing ideas or agribusiness developments. Program applications are reviewed quarterly. The Agriculture Development Council - which consists of representatives from industry and government - selects successful applications for GTA investments.
- Junior Agriculture Loans assist and encourage members of agricultural youth organizations in financing agricultural projects when financing is unavailable from other sources. Projects can involve crop and livestock production, custom farming, marketing, processing and other financially feasible projects.
- Rural Assistance Loans are available to producers with modest financial investments in agriculture. These loans finance agricultural enterprises to enhance producers' operations and assist in the economic growth and welfare of Montana agriculture.
- Building Our Montana Committees (BOMC) - Three grants are awarded annually to FFA chapters that have shown outstanding BOMC projects.
- Rural Community Development Grants - This program assists in funding community development projects conducted by rural youth organizations such as FFA and 4-H to improve the quality of life in rural Montana communities and improve interaction between the rural and urban portions of the communities.
