Episode 337. ATTRA and SARE: Building Local Food Systems in Montana

This episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org.

In this episode, Maura Henn, an NCAT Local Food Systems Specialist, talks with Michal DeChellis of the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) in Montana. Michal is AERO’s Program Manager for the Montana Food Economy Initiative (MFEI), a project that has been funded through a Western SARE Grant.

Maura and Michal talk about the process of conducting Community Food Assessments around Montana and the importance of bringing together multiple stakeholders from different parts of community food systems when building a coalition for food systems work. Maura and Michal also talk about some of the first projects, which were launched in 2020, and adaptations and improvements made to the 2023-2024 round of community assessments.

Related ATTRA Resources:

• Farmers Markets
• Local Food Systems

Other Resources:

• Montana Food Economy Initiative
• AERO
• Montana Food System Resource Library
• Butte Community Food Assessment Video Story 
• Butte Winter Farmers Market
• MSU Food Product Development Lab
• Montana Harvest of the Month
• Iowa State Food Assessment Training Certificate Program
• Double SNAP Dollars – Montana
• Northern Plains Resource Council

Contact Maura Henn at  maurah@ncat.org.  

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You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.