Governor Bullock & Ag Development Council Award Additional $110,000 to Ag Businesses
Helena, MT – June 2, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Steve Bullock and the Agriculture Development Council announced the recipients of $110,718 in grant funds through the Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) program. In all, seven agriculture businesses were awarded funds to assist with their development and growth.
“When we set out to create the Main Street Montana Project, expanding access to local foods and fostering growth in the agricultural sector were top priorities. These funds will help agriculture businesses grow and create jobs,” said Governor Bullock.
The Story Mill, based in Laurel, received an $8,000 grant to help increase production and efficiency when they process oilseeds. The mill is focused on using locally grown specialty crops to process their seeds into cooking oil products, specifically safflower oil and, eventually, expanding to flax oils.
“The Ag Development Council looks for innovative businesses to add value to the products we grow in Montana. This cycle we were able to select a range of agriculture businesses that will help the industry grow,” said Council Chair Amy Kellogg.
Another funded project will focus on expanding farm-to-fork seasonal and regional cuisine catering to tourists and agritourists. Two Bears Farm, LLC, located in Whitefish, will use $17,500 in grant funds to help purchase a mobile kitchen to service area events and agritourists.
The Agriculture Development Council will be accepting applications for its next round of GTA funding until the September 15, 2015, 2:00 p.m. deadline. Interested organizations are encouraged to contact their local food and agriculture development centers and economic development organizations for assistance before applying. More information is available on the program’s website or contact the program at gta (at) mt (dot) gov.
Additional GTA Grant Recipients:
Homestead Organics Farm, Inc. received a grant for $10,500 for a commercial kitchen expansion to increase value-added and processing potential of small food businesses in Ravalli County.
Lower Valley Processing Company, Inc., located in Kalispell, will be using their $50,000 grant to assist with a building expansion project and upgrade equipment for meat processing.
Montana Lefse, LLC., also known as Granrud’s Lefse out of Opheim, is going to expand their lefse production capacity by purchasing food production equipment with a $2,218 grant.
Red Gate Garlic, LLC. was granted $14,600 to assist with the construction and expansion costs of a garlic processing facility in Stevensville.
The Golden Yoke, LLC. will be using a $7,900 grant to purchase equipment to process their own ice cream base and assist with the start-up costs of an ice cream business in St. Ignatius.
The Montana Department of Agriculture’s mission is to protect producers and consumers, and to enhance and develop agriculture and allied industries. For more information on the Montana Department of Agriculture, visit agr.mt.gov.
