Ag Development Council Meeting Notice - March 2026
CONTACT:
Bailey Kaskie, Montana Department of Agriculture, (406) 444-0134
Logan Kruse, Montana Department of Agriculture, (406) 444-3684
Agriculture Development Council Meeting Notice - March 2026
HELENA, Mont. – The Agriculture Development Council will meet March 18 - 19, 2026, to review Growth Through Agriculture applications and address general updates. Meetings will start on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
Meetings will take place at the Montana Department of Agriculture, Conference Room 225, in Helena, Montana. The option to join remotely is available via Zoom.
To request information to join the meeting virtually, please email Bailey Kaskie at bailey.kaskie@mt.gov.
The Agriculture Development Council establishes policies and priorities to enhance the future development of agriculture in Montana. To view an agenda for the meeting, please see below or visit the department’s website at: agr.mt.gov/GTA.
The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. For more information on department programs and services, visit agr.mt.gov.
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AGENDA
Zoom link or join by phone
+1 646 558 8656
Meeting ID: 867 6872 5996
Password: 913103
Wednesday, March 18
Time Topic Discussion
9:00 Call to Order – John Wicks, Chair
Roll Call/Call for Proxies – Dani Jones, Council Coordinator
Public Comment
Welcome – John Wicks
Council Reimbursement – Dani Jones
Minutes Review – 9/11/25, 12/12/2025 Council action needed
Review of Ethics Policy/Conflict of Interest – Anna Kecskes, Chief Attorney
Application Review Process – Bailey Kaskie, GTA Program Manager
9:30 Review of Applications – John Wicks
- Q&A session schedule starting on page 2 of agenda
Grant Review Schedule
Wednesday, March 18
9:00 Start meeting, review process
Discussion and Q&A for Applications 1-4
9:30 #1 Rivulet Apiaries dba Hindu Hillbilly Honey Kavita Bay
9:45 #2 MVS (Mission Valley Shrimp) James Vaughn
10:00 #3 Monarch Farm Winery Jenkins-Brandhorst
10:15 #4 Abraxas Farm dba Far Out Feeds Frank Reichel
10:30 #5 Living Sky Grains Kari Groeneweg
10:45 Review proposal scores 1-4
Break
Discussion and Q&A for Applications 6-10
11:00 #6 Pura Vida Shearing Pete Connolly
11:15 #7 ClarDan Clark Grant
11:30 #8 Solum Thomas Bogle
11:45 #9 Big Flat Meats Trever Kimmel
12:00 #10 LCCDC dba Mission West Community Dev Partners Jan Tusick
12:15 Review proposal scores 6-10
12:30 Lunch
Discussion and Q&A for Applications 11-15
1:30 #11 Willow Mountain Winery Roxann McGuire
1:45 #12 Last Best Organics Erik Gibson-Snyder
2:00 #13 Old Town Farmstand Roxanne Mulder
2:15 #14 Living Water Agriculture Carolyn French
2:30 #15 Sovereign Warrior Yasmeen Sokol
2:45 Review proposal scores 11-15
Break
Discussion and Q&A for Applications 16-19, 5
3:00 #16 Black Dog Farm Kira Jarosz
3:15 #17 Jocko Valley Farm Claire Steinberg
3:30 #18 Bull River Farm Katherine King
3:45 #19 Cool Earth Creamery Theresa Morales
4:00 #5 Living Sky Grains Kari Groeneweg
4:15 Review proposal scores for 16-19, 5
Public Comment
Adjourn
Thursday, March 19
9:00 Call Meeting to Order
Public Comment
Discussion and Q&A for Applications 20-24
9:05 #20 Ben Robert’s Heritage Poultry & Eggs Ben Roberts
9:20 #21 Montana Milk Producers Association Joseph Kleinsasser
9:35 #22 Project Meats Tanya Flowers
9:50 #23 Producers Partnership Matt Pierson
10:05 #24 Baguley Farms West James Baguley
10:20 Review proposal scores 20-24
Break
Discussion and Q&A for Applications 25-28
10:35 #25 CIVC Colleen Kavanaugh
10:50 #26 Fat Toads Farm Pantry Carly Brief
11:05 #27 Helena Farm Stop Derrick Quandt
11:20 #28 Excelsior Meats Timothy Mac Anderson
11:35 Review proposal scores 25-28
11:45 Lunch
1:00 Final Scoring Discussion and Awards
Ag Summit Memo
BEP/BAM Memos
Next Meeting Date
Public Comment
Adjourn
Tags: Public Meeting Notice, Public Meeting and Ag Development Council