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Glendive, Montana food project is model that sets the standards for local food systems.

People across the state are looking to Glendive and the Farm-to-Table project as a model of local food systems.

The Grow Montana Coalition http://www.growmontana.ncat.org/ is composed of organizations – including the local Farm-to-Table project – that promote community economic development policies designed to improve citizens’ access to Montana foods. It has conducted several research projects analyzing Montana’s public institutional food service markets and Montana’s food and agricultural producers’ capacity to serve those markets.

In relation to these research projects, the coalition is sponsoring four AmeriCorps VISTAs who coordinate four farm-to-cafeteria programs across the state. Their work is designed to increase the momentum and visibility of efforts linking local farmers to local markets, specifically in Montana’s public institutions.

Representatives from the coalition also served on the planning committee which brought together Montana’s agricultural, hunger/nutrition, economic development, low-income and other interests to the first Governor’s Food and Agriculture Summit in Helena in the spring of 2007.

One result of the summit was a vision that is being publicized statewide as “Montana Food for Montanans – It Just Makes Sense.” According to information from the coalition, Gov. Brian Schweitzer has embraced the initiative as a way to close existing gaps in food security through in-state resources.

The initiative is being guided by the Montana Food System Council which has set as its number one priority the establishment of the Montana Food Innovation Center Network, “a statewide effort to provide food processing infrastructure and technical assistance to developing and existing food and value added agricultural enterprises.”

The Farm-to-Table project in Glendive and Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center in Ronan have been identified as two regional centers of the network and a $3,462,000 appropriation request has been forwarded to Congressman Denny Rehberg’s office to provide the necessary resources to continue the operations at Mission Mountain and spearhead the building of the processing facility of the Farm to Table project.

According to information from Bruce Smith of Community GATE and the Farm-to-Table project, the appropriation would provide $895,500 for facility construction, $872,000 for equipment, $180,000 for operations and $85,000 to Community GATE for administrative expenses. The appropriation request will also be sent to senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, Smith said.

In the appropriation request, it was noted that the development of a local food system will keep consumers’ dollars in the area and thus in the state. It will also aid in the development of additional commercial crops that local producers would be willing to grow if they knew they had an outlet for their products.

“The idea is that we shouldn’t be paying out-of-state companies for products that can be grown or produced in Montana,” he explained.

Glendive and Miles City are prime areas for commercial vegetable production, Smith noted. Miles City leads the state with 2,726 growing days while Glendive has 2,670. This compares to Montana cities such as Missoula with 1,821, Kalispell with 1,655 and Bozeman with 1,625.

Miles City and Glendive also compare favorably with cities in Idaho and Washington where many of these crops are being grown. In Idaho, Caldwell has 2,803 growing days, but Twin Falls has only 2,576 and Idaho Falls only 2.076. In Washington, Quincy has 2,681, Yakima 2,381 and Moses Lake 2,331, he added.

“The combination of hot summers and cold winters reduces bug and disease pressure and allows producers to grow crops with fewer chemicals and pesticides than other regions of the country,” he said.

With grant money the project has already received three high grow tunnels have been ordered. One of these will be located at the regional prison, one at the Prairie Development Center and one at a community garden location. These will extend the growing season even longer, he added.

Consumers and producers interested in learning more about the Farm-to-Table project or working to help develop it are encouraged to contact Smith at the Dawson County Extension Office http://www.dawsoncountymontana.org/extension.htm.

Dawson County Extension Office
207 West Bell
Glendive, MT 59330
Phone: 406-377-4277
Fax: 406-377-2022
email: [email protected]

By Cindy Mullet
Ranger-Review Staff Writer

Full Story:

Glendive’s Farm-to-Table project Goes High Tech http://matr.net/article-26647.html

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