MAXIMIZING MONTANA’S AGRICULTURE OPPORTUNITY

The 2026 summit aims to focus on designing a strategic plan to increase the Montana markets for Montana-produced food from their current state of 3% to at least 33% in the coming decade. Montana residents spent $5.2 billion on food in 2021, yet only $158 million (about 3%) was spent on food produced in the state1. Increasing that share to 33% would redirect hundreds of millions of dollars into Montana’s economy each year. Local food spending has a strong ripple effect: for every $1 spent, an estimated $0.47 of additional economic activity is generated.

According to the USDA, farmers can retain up to four to five times more of the food dollar when selling through local channels.
These gains would largely benefit rural communities and small to mid-sized producers, keeping more money and meaningful work rooted in Montana.

Institutional markets have the potential to generate significant economic returns. For example, if just one-third of the $76.6 million spent annually on MT school meals came from Montana producers, it would represent over $25 million in additional local food sales each year.

Increasing local food consumption complements Montana’s existing reach into global markets. It diversifies farm income and strengthens food security by creating shorter, more adaptable supply chains. During COVID-19, local markets like CSAs and food hubs proved more resilient and accessible than national distributors, helping communities access food when store shelves were empty.

Summit Themes include:

• Healthy Soil: Supporting regenerative and climate-healthy agriculture ensures long-term productivity, land stewardship, and food security.

• Resilient Markets & Economy: Growing local and regional markets creates good jobs, boosts farm income, and builds a more self-reliant and shock-resistant food economy.

• Healthy Food & People: Expanding access to Montana-grown whole foods supports farmers, reduces food miles, and improves our health when included in our diets

• Strong Communities: Investing in local food systems strengthens rural economies, fosters social connection, and builds resilient, place-based infrastructure

Day 1 – Invitation for an Invocation - Reflecting on our relationships with each other and our connection with the landscapes 

• Using the 6 R's to get to know each other and our landscape relatives (Respect, Relationship, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility, Representation) 

• Breakout Exercise 1 – Signs of Health – Discuss varying ways of knowing a place or system is healthy. 

• Discuss LCD Phase II modelling of opportunistic areas for conservation action to update and improve. 

Day 2 – Caring for our lands and relatives – Discuss and outline an approach to coordinate actions that support the conservation or our collective values on the landscape. 

• Breakout Exercise 2 – Discuss threats to our grasslands, shrublands, forested vegetation, and whitebark pink? 

• Breakout Exercise 3 – Discuss cultural, ecological, and social conservation strategies needed to reduce threats? 

• Breakout Exercise 4 – Discuss specific managements actions that advance the conservation strategies and where on the landscape they could occur? 

Day 3 (half day) - Coordinating the Crown of the Continent Landscape Conservation Design Vegetation Working Group next steps – working groups meet in small groups to coordinate continued shared stewardship. 

• Refine, organize, and supplement Breakout Exercises with additional information 

• Establish working group leaders/chairs and schedule your next working group meeting 

• Outline goals, objectives, and potential products the working groups want to achieve (e.g. begin developing an action plan for the strategic and management actions, identify where signs of health information from exercise 1 can be applied to monitoring the action plan, identify key actors and partners to lead strategies or specific management actions, etc.) 

If you want your ground to stay productive when the rain doesn’t come, this workshop is for you.

Join Ray Archuleta and Alejandro Carrillo for a hands on, two-day deep dive into regenerative ranching from a real world, producer perspective. You will learn how to build soil that captures and holds moisture, grows more grass, and supports higher stocking rates without increasing inputs. We will cover practical ways to improve nutrient cycling, reduce salinity, and manage disease and pest pressure while improving animal health. This is about producing more with what you already have, lowering feed costs, and building a more resilient and profitable operation.

Under Your Boots: Better Soils for Better Profits

If you want your ground to stay productive when the rain doesn’t come, this workshop is for you. Learn how to build soil that captures and holds moisture, grows more grass, and supports higher stocking rates without increasing inputs. We will cover practical ways to improve nutrient cycling, reduce salinity, and manage disease and pest pressure while improving animal health. This is about producing more with what you already have, lowering feed costs, and building a more resilient and profitable operation.

Join National Grazing Lands Coalition for an exciting bus tour through the stunning landscapes of Sioux Falls, SD, as we explore innovative grazing techniques while journeying through three states: South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota. This unique collaboration with the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition, the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, and the Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association offers participants a chance to learn about sustainable land management practices and witness firsthand the diverse ecosystems that define the region.

The tour will stop at scenic locations that highlight the beauty of grasslands and the importance of conservation, making this not just a tour but an educational experience for nature enthusiasts and land stewards alike. This two day event, includes a welcome reception and the chance to network with like-minded individuals from across the country. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with experts and discover the remarkable landscapes in each state!

Early bird registration through April 30 - $485. General registration through Sept 7 - $525.

And check out Montana’s own, Bob Lee, in the video of 2025 NatGLC bus tour in Washington state to get a preview of what to expect at 2026’s tour!

From September 22-24, 2026, more than 250 visitors will make their way to the Hi-Line for the 2026
Montana Angus Tour, hosted by the North Central Montana Angus Association. Seedstock producers,
ranchers, industry leaders and Angus enthuisiasts will gather on the Hi-Line to experience the
unbeatable hospitality, wide-open views, and down-to-earth lifestyle that make the heart of Montana
so special.

Held by Western Sustainability Exchange at 4 Diamond Ranch, this two day, hands-on workshop will be led by renowned soil health educators Ray Archuleta and Alejandro Carrillo. ⁠
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Over two days, you'll get hands-on with:⁠
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🌱Live demonstrations - rainfall simulation, slake tests, infiltration checks, and soil temperature comparisons across bare, tilled, covered, and grassland soils⁠
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🌱New soil testing tools - Haney, PLFA, and genetic soil tests, and what each one can tell you about your ground⁠
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🌱Grazing and infrastructure planning - building a grazing plan that fits your livestock, terrain, and soil health goals, plus sessions on animal genetics, drought management, and fencing/water infrastructure⁠
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🌱A real, useable toolkit - worksheets and a 30/90/365-day action plan you leave with, not just notes⁠

Cost: $200 / person

Held by Ranchers Stewardship Alliance.

Grow Your Ranch. Grow Your Markets. Grow Your Future.

An increasing number of people are actively seeking out food options that are not only good for the planet but also benefit the well-being of farmers and ranchers, and local communities.

Regenerative agriculture is perfectly poised to meet these evolving consumer preferences. In fact, a recent survey conducted by The Hartman Group reveals that a whopping 68% of U.S. consumers prioritize regenerative agriculture practices when making their food purchases. With more and more individuals tuning in to the benefits, the movement is gaining momentum at an unprecedented rate. 

This conference brings together ranchers, food companies,industry leaders and agriculture enthusiasts to build real market opportunities for regenerative agriculture. Through hands-on sessions, networking, and practical insights the conference helps producers connect with buyers, explore value added opportunities, and grow more profitable, resilient operations.

A kick-off day plus two full days of sessions, connection, and honest conversation about where regenerative markets are headed. This isn't your typical stuffy, windowless conference. Main sessions happen indoors, but breakouts move outside to a covered area where there's actual fresh air and room to roam at Columbus' freshly completed fairgrounds. Over 200 ranchers, organizations, agencies, and ag companies will be there. Read on to learn more!

• GENERAL ATTENDEE REGISTRATION (plus Ranch Tour and Pitchfork Fondue dinner registration add-ons)

• EXHIBITOR BOOTH REGISTRATION 

• SPEED DATING COMPANY REGISTRATION

A conference hosted by the Montana Grazing Lands Coalition designed to empower land managers with new, innovative solutions while highlighting the impacts of sound grazing lands stewardship and collaborative conservation led by ranchers.

Registration opens June 1!

Interested in sponsoring? Reach out to info@montanaglc.com for more info on opportunities.

Advanced level of 406 Grazing Academy where participants will take a deeper dive into grazing systems, water development, plant ecology, and economics of grazing.

For More Information: www.mtrangelands.org

Celebrate women stewards in the International Year of the Rangelands and Pastoralist at the 23rd Southern Alberta Grazing School for Women at the Cassils Community Center near Brooks, Alberta.

For more information email mmuller@cowsandfish.org.

Join the National Bison Association the foot of the Rocky Mountain Front, for a bison conference that brings our community together to learn, connect, and celebrate the herds we steward.

Registration Includes: 

• Friday dinner

• Saturday snacks, bison lunch, bison dinner

• Free shuttle bus Saturday to and from conference hotel to Deep Creek Ranch

• Access to all meetings, educational forums and herd tours

Stage Stop Inn

1005 Main Ave. North 

Choteau, MT 59422 

406-466-5900

• Group rate for “Bison Conference” $175/ Night

• Last Day to Book: Friday, June 19, 2026

The Schedule

Friday, July 17th

4:00 PM –  Registration open at the Stage Stop conference hotel 

5:00 PM – Leadership and Bison Presentation

6:00 PM – Supper 

7:00 PM – Musical Guest and Social Time

Saturday, July 18th 

8:00 AM – Shuttle bus loads at conference hotel

9:00 AM – Conference Welcome and Overview at Deep Creek Ranch

10:00 AM – Regenerative Ranching

11:00 AM – Bison Body Condition Scoring

12:00 PM – Lunch

1:00 PM – Bison Herd Tour

2:00 PM – Bison Working Facilities

3:00 PM – Ranch Hacks  

4:00 PM – Bison Producer Panel

5:00 PM – Bus returns to Stage Stop conference hotel

6:00 PM – Social Hour followed by Bison Supper at Stage Stop conference hotel

NOTE: The schedule is subject to change as more great aspects are added to the lineup.

Registration Deadline: July 3, 2026

Scholarships available for this event. Click HERE to apply. 

From Pasture To Plate: The Ranchers Role In Feeding America

How today’s successful ranchers deliver profitability, environmental value, and nutrient dense beef - now and for the future.

Experience the MRC Field Day — an immersive event bringing together the land, livestock, and leaders driving innovation in ranching. Each year, ranchers, partners, and innovators gather in Dillon, Montana, to learn, collaborate, and celebrate the future of agriculture through our annual Field Day.