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The Montana Agriculture Innovation Center provides further funding for value-added agriculture

The Montana Agriculture Innovation Center funded three Montana value-added agricultural producer business enterprises at its August board meeting.

The businesses receiving the grants from the center are Timeless Natural Foods of Conrad, Fort Peck Water Users Association and Peaks and Prairies Oilseed Growers LLC.

The MAIC board of directors approved the three proposals submitted from the regional centers on behalf of their clients. "These are a great example of the important agriculture producer projects that MAIC is here to support," said Brooks Dailey, MAIC board president and Montana Farmers Union president. Centers putting forth requests for the meeting included Bear Paw Development Corporation in Havre and Great Northern Development Corporation in Wolf Point.

"Our business was looking at additional funding to further analyze our options and ability to expand our current operations in Conrad," said David Oien of Timeless Natural Foods said. "One needs to analyze the marketplace as well as current best practice manufacturing processes before considering investing nearly $1.5 million in expansion." The $10,000 MAIC funding will cover the remainder of their research, help Timeless Natural Foods expand sales and help determine the feasibility of hiring additional staff.

The Fort Peck Water Users Association received $15,000 to study a barley based micro-ethanol facility. "This could be an incredible demonstration project for the state and provide a market for non-malting grade barley," said MAIC Board Member Bruce Wright representing the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. "Ethanol is being discussed throughout the state and a readily grown Montana crop like barley is a natural fit."

Peaks and Prairies LLC was awarded $5,600. Kent Wasson, an agricultural producer in Malta and principal in Peaks and Prairies LLC, asked the center for help to develop marketing materials and provide further testing of its products. Wasson said Peaks and Prairies is "on the verge of turning a large corner with our line of biobased oils and lubricants developed from local oil seed crops. We have a biodegradable product performing as well as the most expensive synthetics all developed here in Montana. We see this marketing support creating increased awareness and sales for the company, not to mention jobs for the Malta area."

MAIC was created through federal legislation as a result of work by Rep. Denny Rehberg with support from Sens. Conrad Burns and Max Baucus. The center is operated through the MSU Bozeman College of Agriculture with USDA Rural Development funding.

Montana agricultural producer who have a value-added project requiring additional technical or financial support should contact the nearest regional center or visit http://www.maic.montana.edu.

The regional center contacts are:
Bear Paw Development Corporation
Brandi Beecher
48 2nd Avenue, PO BOX 170 Havre, MT 59501
Phone: 406 265-9226 Email: [email protected]

Beartooth RC&D
Charles Holt
604 W Front Street, PO BOX 180 Joliet, MT 59041
Phone: 406 962-3914 Email: [email protected]

Great Northern Development Corporation
Shauna Ferguson-Farver
233 Cascade Street, Wolf Point, MT 59201
Phone: 406 653-2590 Email: [email protected]

Lake County Community Development Corporation
Jan Tusick
405 Main Street SW, Ronan, MT 59864
Phone: 406 676-5901 Email: [email protected]

Snowy Mountain Development Corporation
Bob Giese
613 NE Main, Lewistown, MT 59457
Phone: 406 538-2591 Email: [email protected]

Tony Kavanagh, Montana Agriculture Innovation Center, (406) 270-7300 [email protected]

http://www.montana.edu/commserv/csnews/nwview.php?article=2668

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