News

Helena, Mont. – Director Ben Thomas and the Agriculture Development Council announced the recipients of $859,832 in grants and loans to Montana agricultural businesses and organizations. From Westby to Alberton, a total of 24 projects across the state were awarded funds through the Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) program.

The Monata Pulse Crop Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 17th starting at 9:00 am. In response to confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Montana, the MT Pulse Crop Committee will meet virtually rather than in person as a precaution. Please see the Zoom Conference Meeting information below to join

Click here for more information about the Montana Pulse Crop Committee. 

Montana Beverage Show

Showcasing a variety of tasty beverages made right here in Montana!

Monday, June 29, 2020

12:00 noon - 6:00 p.m.

Delta Hotels Helena Colonial, Helena, MT

This show will be open to professional buyers only.

Click to learn more and for exhibitor registration.

Are you a specialty crop producer, grocery store vendor, or interested community member? Join our convening to network and and discuss all things farm to grocery. How are purchasing agreements made? How is communication maintained? Will grocery stores require specific certifications, food safety practices, levels of insurance coverage, specific packaging etc.? What strategies can producers adopt to successfully market their crops to grocery stores? Learn the answers to these questions and more from our panelists, presenters, and fellow attendees.

Attendance is limited to the first 20 registrants. Registration is given on a first come, first served basis.

Click to learn more and register.

Are you looking for a thriving market to grow your food and agricultural exports?

Join the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on a trade mission to Bogota, June 4-7, 2019, and learn how the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) is opening doors, creating new opportunities and helping U.S. ag exports flourish to record levels.

Join the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on a trade mission to Bogota, June 4-7, 2019, and learn how the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) is opening doors, creating new opportunities and helping U.S. ag exports flourish to record levels.

It’s World Pulses Day Week!  Celebrate by cooking up something like Apple-Lentil Cake or Green Lentil Stew. Timeless Seeds, Inc., based in Ulm, MT, has a lot of recipe ideas: https://www.timelessfood.com/recipes/.  

Find more info on pulses, and more recipes, at the Half-Cup Habit website: https://pulses.org/nap/.

Learn more about pulse crops in Montana at our Pulse Crops page.

The recently announced informational webinar about the Proposed National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard is now available online. The pre-recorded webinar provides an overview of the background, provisions and potential impacts of the proposed standard.

The informational webinar is now available for viewing on the BE Disclosure and Labeling page on the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service website under Resources.  

Helena, Mont. –  Montana cherry growers have voted to eliminate the Montana Cherry Research & Market Development Program. The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) will now take the necessary steps to eliminate the checkoff program.

Helena, Mont. – Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Ben Thomas joined state and provincial counterparts from the United States, Mexico and Canada last week to stress the necessity of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for agriculture and to call on their respective federal governments to ensure a modernized NAFTA does not harm agriculture. North American state and provincial agriculture officials gathered last week in Denver, Colo. for the 26^th annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord. The Tri-National Agricultural Accord represents a longstanding commitment among the senior state and provincial agricultural officials of North America to work together collaboratively on agricultural trade and development issues.