Commerce Agritourism Grants Help Business Owners Craft Memorable Montana Experiences
Late last year, the Montana Department of Commerce’s Agritourism Grants Program awarded $350,000 to 17 projects across the state. These projects will diversify agricultural operations and strengthen community-based tourism opportunities, bringing Montana to life for visitors and residents alike.
“The rise of the experience economy has given Montana an opportunity to shine. When people come to our state, they’re not just looking for things to take home — they’re looking for memories they can’t make anywhere else,” said Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio. “Our Agritourism Grant Program brings together one of Montana’s most iconic industries with visitors’ ever-growing appetite for authentic, one-of-a-kind adventures they’ll remember forever.”
Two grant recipients, Border Farm outside Bozeman and Live Oak Belgians in St. Ignatius, are using grant funds to expand their operations with new offerings for guests. Not only are these improvements promoting increased tourism, revenue and economic growth, they’re making the real Montana a place anyone can visit.
With a $10,000 grant award, Border Farm is adding a new farm stand; a dedicated processing kitchen for meat, produce and dairy; and classroom space to support its growing educational programs. The farm stand will offer a convenient storefront where community members can pick up fresh, local products. This will allow owners Nancy Tanner and Piper Meuwissen to streamline order distribution while focusing more time and energy on the daily demands of farm life, all while continuing to generate income.
The processing kitchen will provide product-specific storage and refrigeration, increasing inventory capacity. Currently, all processing takes place in the owners’ home kitchen, limiting both space and efficiency. With a dedicated facility, they’ll be able to scale operations, particularly in packing community-supported agriculture summer boxes, helping them serve more families in the community.
Border Farm is already a hub for hands-on learning, hosting classes on everything from sourdough and herbal teas to raw dog food preparation, natural goat rearing, biodynamic farming, composting, fermenting, soil health and animal processing. The new classroom will allow them to welcome more participants into immersive learning experiences.
At Live Oak Belgians, horse-drawn carriages, sleigh tours and wagon rides allow visitors learn about the history and role of draft horses in agriculture. Through hands-on demonstrations and events, guests develop meaningful connections to the rural lifestyle and agricultural traditions of Montana.
Owners Kenn and Susan McCarty are using their $9,660 grant to rebuild a town barn dating back to the 1800s, reimagining it as a cabin for overnight guests. In the 19th century, town barns accommodated one or two horses and a buggy for in-town transportation.
With the Agritourism Grant supplying capital for the first phase of the project, the foundation and framing are complete, and reconstruction of the walls is underway. When finished, the cabin will feature a wrap-around porch so guests can sip their morning coffee while gazing at a herd of Belgians nibbling fresh grass with the Mission Mountains in the distance.
From serving their neighbors with sustainable, community-focused agriculture to bringing a piece of Montana history back to life, Border Farm and Live Oak Belgians are using Commerce Agritourism Grant funds to invigorate the state’s tourism industry while honoring its deep-rooted authenticity and history.
To learn more about these grants, visit commerce.mt.gov. Read about more Agritourism Grant recipients in Commerce’s Q3 Newsletter: Commerce’s Agritourism Grant Program Brings Real Montana Experiences to Life.
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