Montana State University Extension and Montana Department of Agriculture join new USDA regional food business center partnership

BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension and the Montana Department of Agriculture were recently announced as partners in a $30 million U.S. Department of Agriculture effort to establish a regional center to create opportunities for food producers and increase food security.

Co-led by Colorado State University and Oregon State University, the new Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Center is part of a larger effort nationwide, for which the USDA announced $400 million in funding last September.

“This funding represents a great opportunity to both identify and fill gaps that need attention while leveraging the strengths that exist within Montana’s food supply chains,” said Andy Fjeseth, bureau chief of the state of Montana’s Agricultural Finance, Trade and Development Bureau.

In total, the USDA will establish 12 regional food business centers to serve all areas of the country.

“Montana is lucky to have a robust technical assistance network within this space. I am excited to see how this funding can establish new partnerships and help move our food and ag industries forward,” Fjeseth said.

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Center will support farm, ranch and food businesses, as well as broader food supply chain enterprises, through:

• Technical assistance programs, curricula and one-on-one business support.

• Direct investments in projects and professional development for regional food system leaders and innovators.

• Coordination via strategic sharing of resources and coordinated action across the region, and between USDA and regional stakeholders.

“We are incredibly excited for this project to get underway,” said Tommy Bass, MSU Extension livestock environment associate specialist. “Working with the Montana Department of Agriculture, USDA, local food NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and regional land-grant colleagues, I know we can make a significant impact to food supply chains across the region.”

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center will work with partners to target investments in communities across the region. It will focus on four areas: resilient animal protein supply chains; food entrepreneurs seeking to scale up; farms leveraging opportunities aligned with emerging climate-resilient markets; and right-sized infrastructure and investment.

The center will also serve as the hub for regional small- and mid-tier food and farm business development initiatives, supporting resilience across multiple industry sectors and creating a regional collaborative network. The center will also provide timely and relevant data and analysis for market access and development and serve as a gateway and navigator for USDA programs and funding as well as other third-party funding sources.

More information about the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Development Center can be found at NWRockyMountainRegionalFoodBusiness.com.