Montana Agriculture Development Council

The Agriculture Development Council establishes policies and priorities to enhance the future development of agriculture in Montana including the award of loans and grants offered through the Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) program.

The committee is appointed by the Governor and composed of seven members. Board members serve three-year terms. For additional information about Governor appointed Boards and Councils, visit the Boards, Councils & Commissions website from Montana.Gov.

Board Members
Name	Contact Info	Term End	Qualifications
Director Mike Foster	Dept. of Agriculture PO Box 200201 Helena, MT 49620 agr@mt.gov		Agriculture Director, Statutory Appointment
Dept. of Commerce Director	Dept. of Commerce PO Box 200501 Helena, MT 59620 commerce.mt.gov/Contact		Commerce Director, Statutory Appointment
John Wicks	5238 Broadhurst Road Ledger, MT 59456	7/1/2022	Agriculture Representative
Amy Kellogg	442 5th Avenue East Kalispell, MT 59901	7/1/2022	Agriculture Representative
Lars Hanson	P.O. Box 6 Edgar, MT 59026	7/1/2023	Agriculture Representative
George Kipp, III	P.O. Box 191 Heart Butte, MT 59448	7/1/2023	Agriculture Representative
Megan Hedges	PO Box 571 Chester, MT 59522	7/1/2023	Agriculture Representative

Agriculture Development Council Agendas & Minutes

Growth Through Agriculture News

Junior Ag Loans Available Through Montana Department of Agriculture

Loans up to $8,500 available to young Montana farmers and ranchers

Montana youth ages 21 and under may be eligible for up to $8,500 in loan financing through the Montana Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Junior Agriculture Loan Program.

“With the average age of farmers and ranchers being nearly 60 years old, supporting the next generation is vital to Montana’s livelihood,” said MDA Director Mike Foster. “The Junior Ag Loan Program plays an important role in connecting young people who are passionate about pursuing projects in agriculture with the financing they need to get started.”

Click here to learn more about the Junior Ag Loan Program and apply.

Documents to download

JrAg_ApplicationForm(.pdf, 81.19 KB) - 31 download(s)

More links

Montana Department of Agriculture Junior Ag Loan Program

MT Dept. of Agriculture Requesting Specialty Crop Block Grant Applications

Over $3 million in funding available for Montana agriculture

The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for an estimated $3 million in federal funding available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program.

The purpose of the SCBG program is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Montana. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, peas, and lentils, dried fruits, as well as horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts.

Grant proposals are due to the Montana Department of Agriculture by 2:00 p.m. February 19, 2021. Technical assistance calls will be held on January 30 and February 18, 2021. For more information, visit agr.mt.gov/SpecialtyCropGrantProgram or contact Grace Aklestad, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Manager, at (406) 444-3407 or email scbg@mt.gov.

Documents to download

2021 SCBG Grant Proposal Manual(.pdf, 749.76 KB) - 148 download(s)

Documents to download

Ag Dev Council_DEC17 2020(.pdf, 122.35 KB) - 161 download(s)

Montana Agriculture Development Council