Alberta organic farmer explores local food programs
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News from Meadow Creek Farms, Alberta, Canada
WESTERN MONTANA — Mandy Melnyk, an organic farmer from Alberta, toured Ronan and other regional areas the first few days of the new Trump administration, tasked with researching how funding structures help build food systems in Montana.
“Through support from the U.S. Farm Bill, Montana producers of all sizes have access to processing and distribution systems that we could only dream about in Alberta,” Melnyk said. “Given the potential changes to North American Free Trade Agreements, building and understanding our respective countries’ food systems will play a enormous role in food security for both our countries.”
While Montana and Alberta have shared goals and similar challenges, Montana’s funding model “gives hope to all who have an ambition and commitment to knowing where their family’s food comes from,” she said.
Melnyk toured vegetable, dairy, poultry, beef and seed farms in the region and had many kitchen table conversations that were more valuable to her research than simply talking with politicians and bureaucrats.
Brianna Ewert, Farm to Institution Program Coordinator; Leslie Klien from the Good Egg Farm; Cale and Nicole Jarvis from Ploughshare Farm and Alberta- Montana cattle buyer Howard Nuernberger helped Melnyk learn about what producers need and understanding how the funding available helps grow and sustain farmers in the region, according to Melnyk.
She also met one smaller producer who accessed $100,000 in funding for his family’s farm through grants from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Melnyk said she was very impressed by the food system infrastructure that exists in the heart of Western Montana.
In Hamilton, a local co-operative chicken processing plant housed at Homestead Organics was built by farmers who are taking the lead to build relationships with funders. The goal is to essentially have a plant with no debt and a self-sufficient operating model.
Missoula is home to the Western Montana Growers warehouse, which does the marketing work so that farmers can spend their time on the land.
Ronan is a food hub for the region with the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center, Farm to Institution Program and the Western Montana Growers Coop, and is home to the founding chapter of the Montana Farmers’ Union.
A tour of the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center showed how school and hospital procurement partnerships are instrumental in building regional food systems.
Melnyk met one producer who is starting to make healthy ice-pops and will be working out of the center in Ronan.
“If anyone wanted to start a value-added business with food processing, you have everything you need right in Ronan,” Melnyk said. “I’m astonished by the willingness of local restaurants to support the growers’ co-op.”
Another group of producers have started “Triple Divide Seed Co-op” so Montana producers can access organic seed from close to home. “The hub of activity is exactly what is missing in Alberta,” she said.
The farther east in Montana Melnyk went — Helena, Butte and Great Falls — the more it reminded her of Alberta, but with more Community Supported Agriculture Farms than back home. “Everyone has a doctor, banker and dentist. Everyone should have a farmer,” she said.
Melnyk will be touring several U.S. states over the next 12 weeks but started her tour in Montana as it is Alberta’s closest neighbor.
