Changemakers Encouraged to Attend Local Food and Agriculture Summit
Oct 09, 2026
The Governor’s Summit on Local Food and Agriculture
The third Governor’s Summit on Local Food and Agriculture is scheduled for Oct. 23-24 in Helena, Mont. This collaborative event invites stakeholders from Montana’s food, agriculture, and distribution sectors to gather and identify actionable solutions to maximize agricultural production and local food consumption across the state.
Erin Austin, director of community partners and sales for Abundant Montana, a nonprofit dedicated to filling Montana plates with Montana food, highlights the summit’s focus on accelerating the mission.
“Back in the 1950s, 70 percent of the food we were eating in Montana was grown in Montana. A study in 2021 revealed that number had dropped to 3 percent.”
Austin points out the irony of Montana’s abundant agricultural resources while citizens consume only a small fraction of locally grown food. Abundant Montana and its partners aim to change this trend with the initiative “33x33,” aiming for 33% of Montana’s food consumption to be locally grown by 2033.
Related Stories
- Cyclosporiasis Outbreak: How to Protect Yourself (Video)
- UC Davis Study Seeks Answers to Silent Labrador Disease
- Meat industry leaders honoured at MPO awards gala
Trending
- Lawmakers Push EPA to Protect Biofuel Demand against Big Oil
- Second Harvest Reports Rising Demand for Food Banks Amid Supply Chain Issues
- USDA Invests $825 Million for “America First” Agriculture
- USDA Announces $1.8 Billion in 2026 Conservation Programs
- USDA Awards More Than $16.2m for MSU Greenhouse Project
- Mixing Plant Material With Manure May Be Key to Soil Health
- Grazing Corn Residue: Connecting Crops, Cattle, and Climate
- FTC and USDA Seek Public Comment on Agricultural Equipment