Bucket #5: Local Food and Agriculture
Snapshot: Western Montana is predicted to be much less affected by climate change than many other
food producing regions of our nation. This will put an increased demand to locally produce the food we
consume. We must thus take immediate steps to secure our future food security from anticipated climate
change by assisting our local food producers in planning and implementing practices to meet these
challenges. To strengthen our ability to use local food, we need to invest in enlarging our distribution
centers and promote the building of local food processing plants. As the effects of local climate change are
expected to be relatively mild, we must find ways to protect our remaining agricultural land from the
development pressures caused by the expected deluge of climate refugees. In sum, it is strongly
recommended that strategies be implemented to educate our populace concerning the importance of this
problem, to assist farmers in increasing their efficiency of food production, to enhance our ability to use
local food products, and to protect our remaining agricultural land from future development.
Summit #2 Facilitators: Jim Cusker (CFAC:
Community Food and Agriculture Coalition,
OLC: Open Lands Committee), Bonnie
Buckingham (CFAC). Group members: Amy
Pavlock (Western Montana Grower’s
Cooperative), Bray Beltran (Five Valleys
Land Trust), Jean Zosel (Garden City
Harvest), Mark LoParko (UM: University of
Montana), Neva Hassanein (UM), Eva Rocke
(UM), Steph Larsen (Center for Rural
Affairs), Andy Hayes (CFAC, OLC)
Top strategies identified:
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Create a multi-pronged education and messaging strategy to target producers, consumers,
institutions, and youth by stressing the probable impact of climate change on our future food
security and provide options for minimizing adverse effects
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Enhance existing distribution centers and plan for and build food processing facilities enabling us to
meet the expected increase in demand for locally grown food products and to ensure our future
food security

Promote the use of land use planning tools and policies which:
o Preserve our agricultural lands to improve the food security of western Montana
o Keep wildlife habitat connected and protect our riparian areas
o Guide development away from sensitive areas
o Provide predictability in land use planning
Next steps for these proposals:
1. Comprehensive Education Strategy
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Send messaging to producers to assist them in understanding the differences between normal
weather fluctuations and long term climate changes
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Provide education to food producers informing them of ongoing scenarios as reflected in climate
change science that will keep them better informed of agricultural crops, varieties, and methods
most suitable for our area. For example: familiarize producers with the results of current research
on draught-tolerant seed varieties by coordinating with resources such as the MSU Bitterroot
Experimental Station.
Offer education and incentives to irrigators to improve irrigation methods to conserve water, and
also to reduce sediment, fertilizer, pesticide, and herbicide runoff into waterways.
Establish a consumer base for local foods by developing the message and distributing it to the
general public.
Cooperate with local schools in educating students of expected climate change effects on our local
food security.
2. Expand Local Food Distribution and Establish Food Processing Facilities
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Coordinate with the University of Montana, local hospitals and schools to expand their use of local
foods
Create or expand facilities to source and distribute local foods
Encourage CSAs, markets, urban gardens, etc. and provide support incentives for these projects
Analyze the need and start planning for local food processing plants to include a mobile animal
slaughter unit
3. Promote the Use of Land Planning Tools
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Back policies in the county revision of subdivision regulations which will more effectively mitigate
the loss of agricultural land to development
Build support for and pass a new Open Space Bond
Review other proposed tools for preserving agricultural land which may enhance our future food
security
Other Strategies Discussed:
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Ensure water sustainability by studying the possibilities of organizing a water trust and water rights
reallocation to coordinate water use across the region.
Promote Conservation Stewardship Program and reward conservation practices through available
federal programs.
Involve Extension and NRCS as well as other existing agencies to further our goals.
Investigate providing health care and other support for labor workers in our local food system.
Challenges:
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Identifying and recruiting key leaders and players to work specifically on each of the top strategies
Building community relationships to further the advancement of our goals
Hopes: Show quarterly progress for advancing each of the major goals.
Contact Person: Bonnie Buckingham at [email protected] and Jim Cusker at
[email protected]