$208,980 to fund agricultural development projects

The Montana Agriculture Development Council has offered funding totaling $208,980 to 12 Growth Through Agriculture projects for agricultural development, according to council Chair David Tyler.

The Agriculture Development Council oversees the Growth Through Agriculture program, the source of funding the council uses for project investments. The goal of the program is to provide financial assistance to develop new products or innovative ideas that enhance and add value to our state’s agricultural industry.

In the latest round, the council offered funding to:

– Quinn Farm and Ranch, Big Sandy, $15,000 loan to assist with the purchase of equipment needed to expand the business’s culinary grade oilseed pressing facility.

– Montana Monster Munchies, LLC, Bozeman, $6,000 grant to assist with the costs of developing and implementing an initiative for Montana FFA chapters to raise funds using the company’s baked products.

– Montana Coffee Traders, Inc., Whitefish, $4,500 grant to assist with the costs of developing a kitchen facility plan to expand the company’s sale of baked goods and Montana Backyard salad dressing.

– Prairie Heritage Farm, LLC, Conrad, $16,000 grant to assist with the purchase of seed cleaning equipment necessary for the business’s ancient and heritage specialty crop seeds.

– Headframe Spirits, Inc., Butte, $14,500 loan to assist with the purchase of continuous flow distillation equipment needed to process the company’s line of distilled spirits.
– Rycom Transload Services, LLC, Sunburst, $15,000 grant to assist with the cost of construction materials needed to expand the company’s rail trans-load system.

– The Apple Barrel, Inc., Kalispell, $15,000 grant to assist with the purchase of a cider press that will assist the company in meeting the increased demand for sweet cider as well as expand into the hard apple cider industry.
– Great Northern Pasta Company, Whitefish, $45,000 grant to assist the pasta food product company with expansion costs of purchasing a walk-in dual refrigerator/freezer and blast freezer and associated costs of construction.

– The Healthy Pantry, Red Lodge, $13,500 grant to assist with the purchase of retail store ready display units that will feature the company’s dinner kits.

– Kootenai Cannery, Eureka, $20,500 grant to assist with expansion costs of purchasing a commercial grade cook range and walk-in cooler needed to increase production of the company’s product lines of jams, jellies and syrups.

– The Orchard at Flathead Lake, LLP, Bigfork, $18,980 grant to assist the company with costs for excavation, trellis materials and cherry trees to prepare a plot for researching a tree growth method intended to increase fruit production of Flathead Lake Cherry trees.

– Hampton Enterprises, Inc. dba Tizer Meats, Helena, $25,000 grant to assist the company with the purchase of an equipment washing and sanitizing system needed for its expanded meat processing facility.

The Montana Agriculture Development Council heard presentations on 21 proposed projects at a scheduled business meeting held Sept. 7 and 8 in Helena.

Council members are: David Tyler of Belgrade, chair; Ervin Schlemmer of Joliet, vice-chair; Patricia Quisno of Harlem; Verges Aageson of Gildford; Bill Koenig of Kalispell; Ron de Yong, director of the Montana Department of Agriculture; Dore Schwinden, director of the Montana Department of Commerce.

The next deadline for project applications to the Growth Through Agriculture program is Jan. 31, 2012.

For more information and application materials, contact Angie Nelson, Growth Through Agriculture program manager, at the Montana Department of Agriculture, at (406) 444-2402 or at gta@mt.gov.