The Food, Fuel, and Fiber Focus:

Tools & Resources to Support Your Ag Business

Welcome to our Food, Ag and Bio Processing Newsletter

Thank you to everyone who read our first Food and Ag Newsletter sent out last month. We wanted to offer one more chance to sign up for this newsletter before switching to just our subscribed list. If you would like to sign up or know some one who might be interested, please click below or email Anna at [email protected].

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Funding Focus: Business Acceleration and Marketing Grant

Are you an established start up in the food or ag industry who is looking to begin expansions? Do you need help funding your e-commerce website to start selling direct to consumer? Are there trade shows that would let you showcase your product to a new market? Do you need a piece of equipment under $10,000? If so, the Montana Department of Agriculture's Business Acceleration and Marketing Grant may be a good fit. Check your eligibility or learn more by reaching out to Anna.

[email protected]

1-406-590-1301.

LEARN ABOUT THE BAM GRANT

Service Focus: Small Business Development Center

GFDA hosts a regional Small Business Development Center (SBDC). SBDC's deliver professional, high quality, individualized business advising and technical assistance to existing small businesses and pre-venture entrepreneurs. Do you need advice on business planning? Operations? Marketing? Or accessing capital? Make an appointment with our SBDC to have your questions answered. Or reach out to our SBDC Director Alan Gohary at [email protected] or 1-406-750-0314.

Schedule Here

Upcoming Trainings

Feb 21- PCQI Food Safety Course in Bozeman Learn More

Feb 22- USDA Food Commodity Vendor Webinar training Learn More

Feb 27- Reality Check: The Challenges and Opportunities in Marketing to Retail (Meat Processing) Learn More

March 5 - Western Meat School Business Accelerator Learn More

March 5 - Internal Auditing for Food online Learn More

March 15 - Food Business Marketing Mastery from Mission West CDP Learn More

March 19 - Farmers Market Boot Camp Learn More

March 19 & 20- Online Montana Producer Safety Training Learn More

Upcoming Events

Current: Business Acceleration and Marketing Grant is open Learn More

Current: Value Added Producer Grant is open Learn More

Current: Specialty Crop Block Grant is open Learn More

Current: Montana Ag Technology and Investment- Registration and Pitch Competition Applications are open Learn More

Current: Akiptan's Native Youth Business Plan Contest. Closes April 30th. Learn More

February 22- 24 - Montana Beer Awards, Helena MT Learn More

March 1-2 - Montana Berry Grower Association Annual Conference, Helena MT Learn More

March 1: AgWest New Producer Grant Opens Learn More

March 6 - 9 - Northwest Intertribal Food Sovereignty Summit, Worley, ID Learn More

March 8-9 - Made in Montana Show Helena, MT Learn More

March 31 - REAP applications due

Month in Review

Our region had some exciting progress in February! Here are three highlights:

We hosted a site visit from a major agri-business which could bring excellent benefits to our region
We cheered on a local business during the Ag Development Councils Final review of Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) grant
Anna began a micro-credentialling class to be trained as a Rural Grocer Transition Specialist to ensure that the proper help and resources are available to every part of our local food system.

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Questions about our newsletter?

Connect with Anna!

Anna Flies is the Food, Ag and Bio Processing Business Development Officer with the Great Falls Development Alliance and the Director of GFDA's Food and Ag Development Center. There are eleven such centers throughout the state of Montana dedicated to supporting the development of value-added Food and Ag businesses.

Anna Flies

Business Development Officer

[email protected]

1-406-590-1301

Our Mission

Grow diverse economic opportunities that enhance quality of life.

GFDA is a certified Community Development Financial Institution and a 501(c)3 charitable organization. High Plains Financial is a certified Community Development Corporation that offers SBA 504 loans statewide. GFDA and High Plains Financial are Equal Opportunity Employers, Lenders and Providers.

GFDA is proud to host a Montana Small Business Development Center, a Montana APEX Accelerator, and a Montana Food & Ag Development Center. GFDA is a certified Montana MicroBusiness Development Corporation.

GFDA was the first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council.

Great Falls Development Alliance | Website