Stakeholder Survey for the 3rd Governor's Summit on Local Food and Agriculture

The 3rd Governor’s Summit on Local Food and Agriculture: Maximizing Montana’s Agriculture Opportunity is October 23-24, 2026 in Helena. Save the Date!

The Governor’s Summits on Local Food and Agriculture bring together Montanans from all sectors to assess the current state of local food and farming, identify opportunities to strengthen the food system, and develop networks and action plans that support future growth.

Governor's Food and Agriculture Summits are held every 10 years in Montana. The 2026 Summit - only the third event in 30 years - is hosted by Grow Montana Food Policy Coalition, in partnership with the Montana Department of Agriculture and the Governor’s Office, and will focus on designing a strategic roadmap to increase Montana markets for Montana-produced food from its current 3% to at least 33% by 2033 (the 33x33 for Montana Initiative).

Input from this survey will inform regional meetings to be hosted around the state in early 2026 to continue mapping assets and identifying needs and pinchpoints. Together, the survey and these meetings will help create the Summit agenda for developing an effective strategic roadmap at the Summit to get to 33x33.

Estimated time to complete: <10 minutes!

THANK YOU for taking the time to share your thoughts!

Name:*

First NameLast Name

Business / Organizational Affiliation:*

Email:*

example@example.com

Phone Number:*

Please enter a valid phone number.

Did you attend a previous Governor's Summit on Local Food and Agriculture?

Yes, 2007Yes, 2016No

Are you familiar with the "33x33 for Montana" initiative to get 33% MT-sourced on all Montana plates by 2033?

YesNoI would like more information

Please select the role most closely aligning with your role in Montana's food system:

If you selected "Other" above, how would you best define your role?

In what part of the state are you located?

What do you think is currently working well to increase the sale and consumption of Montana-sourced foods for Montanans?

What do you think is missing or a barrier to increasing the sale or consumption of Montana-sourced foods for Montanans? If you currently sell to out-of-state markets and are interested in selling in-state, what are the barriers keeping you from doing that?

Of the potential solutions to known barriers listed below, please rate how effective you believe the solution would be to increase sale and consumption of Montana-grown foods in Montana (1 - Least effective to 5 - Most Effective).

	1	2	3	4	5
Increase processing / storage infrastructure
Increasing delivery networks and regional distribution capacity (more trucks going to more places in MT)
Develop more cooperative processing, distribution, growing, and purchasing groups
Run in-state marketing campaigns for Montana food and crops - for individual consumers & families
Run in-state marketing campaigns for Montana food and crops - wholesale buyers
Implement policy changes to Federal, State, or local regulations
Policy changes to incentivize the purchasing of Montana foods by retail stores and wholesale buyers
Incentivize making value-added products with funding mechanisms
Increase reliable purchasing of Montana products from institutional buyers
Invest in creative solutions to extend the growing season
Support farmland preservation
Provide additional support for new and beginning farmers to access farmland
Consumer education about how to use, cook, and preserve Montana foods
Consumer education about the benefits of local food
Consumer education about what grows in Montana and when it's in season

Are you/your organization finding success with a solution to increase the amount of Montana grown and sourced foods on Montanans' plates? Please share details below.

The 3rd Governor’s Summit is a powerful, once-a-decade opportunity to create a strategic roadmap to get to 33% Montana food on all Montana plates by 2033. What would be beneficial to you and your work to discuss or collaborate on at the Summit? What do you wish you had / was available / or someone was doing (to support your work or so you didn’t have to)?

What questions or considerations have we missed in this survey that would better our understanding of the current landscape of foods grown, processed, distributed, marketed, sold, and consumed in Montana - and opportunities for moving the needle toward 33x33?

Check here if you would like to receive updates about the Summit, regional pre-summit meetings, and more ways to be involved in its planning.

Yes! I'd like to receive updatesNo thank you

Thank you for participating in the survey and for doing your part to build a self-reliant and resilient food system in Montana!

- The 2026 Governor’s Summit Planning Team