HELENA – Montana agricultural products are recognized throughout the world for their superior quality. Our family farms serve as the cornerstone to rural communities across the state. With more than 27,000 farms and ranches across our state, agriculture is Montana’s number one industry.
Tuesday was National Agriculture Day, but here in Montana, the men and women that drive our state’s top industry deserve an entire week’s worth of celebration. That’s why Governor Greg Gianforte on Monday proclaimed this past week to be Montana Agriculture Week.
Check out how Governor Gianforte celebrated Montana producers during Montana Ag Week!
National Ag Day at Multi-Generational Potato Farms in Ronan
Governor Greg Gianforte celebrated National Agriculture Day by visiting the Lake Family farms, potato farms in operation for more than eighty years in the Mission Valley.
“We’re celebrating Montana agriculture today and the farmers and ranchers that drive our state’s number one industry,” Governor Greg Gianforte said. “Our commodities like potatoes, wheat, barley, beef, and pulse crops and recognized throughout the world for their superior quality, and family farms like the Lake’s serve as the cornerstone to rural communities across our state.”
During the visit, Governor Gianforte toured the on-farm seed lab. He observed hundreds of pounds of potatoes being shipped from the farms to market.
Ag Community Roundtable
On Wednesday, Governor Gianforte sat down with Montana’s agricultural leaders from the MT Farm Bureau, MT Grain Growers Association, MT Stockgrowers Association, MT Ag Business Association, MT Wool Growers Association, MT Cattlemen’s Association, and Jill Streit on behalf of the pulse crop industry to get their input as we lead Montana’s comeback.
Montana Ag Week Press conference
On Thursday, Governor Gianforte invited Department of Agriculture Director Mike Foster and Department of Labor Executive Office Mike Honeycutt to join him at the Montana Ag Week press conference.
“Our producers drive our state’s number-one industry,”Governor Greg Gianforte said. “Despite that, they haven’t always felt like they’ve had their voices heard in Helena. We’re committed to changing that.”
Feddes Familiy Meats Visit, Lifting Regulations to Support Montana’s Ag Industry
On Friday, Governor Greg Gianforte visited the Feddes family’s pasture-to-plate operation in Manhattan. Montana beef is the best in the world, and our local beef producers, like the folks at Feddes, embody the Montana spirit and exemplify what makes communities across the state so special.
To close the week, Governor Greg Gianforte also issued an executive order that temporarily suspends hours of service regulations for certain carriers to facilitate and expedite the delivery of fertilizer to Montana’s farmers.
Agriculture producers regularly face a compressed spring planting schedule due to late snowfalls and wet conditions which increase the demand for anhydrous ammonia and fertilizer across the state. Waiving hours of service requirements ensures that fertilizer haulers can meet the needs of the industry by delivering greater volumes in a short timeframe.
“We need to do everything we can so Montana farmers can get in the field to plant and produce their crops when they need to,” Governor Gianforte said. “Limiting access to necessary inputs threatens their effective, timely planting. Today’s executive action halts regulations so our farmers can receive needed fertilizer without unnecessary delay.”
Happy Montana Ag Week!
