Abundant Montana’s annual Local Food Guide is a free, full color, magazine-style publication highlighting Montana’s expansive local food offerings. It includes farms, ranches, restaurants, retailers, farmers markets, breweries, wineries, cideries, distilleries, and more. Plus, check out the annual Farmers Market Guide, Grow & Tell stories highlighting Montana food businesses, seasonal recipes, and the Seasonality Guide!
This is the ultimate guide to eating locally in Montana.
You can read the 2026 Local Food Guide online here. And you can find a print copy near you using this map.
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2026 Local Food Guide Sources:
- PG 1 | Why Local Food Matters, Inside Front Cover:
- 97% of the food Montanans eat is imported AND In the 1950s, 70% of the food Montanans ate was from Montana. In 2021, it was only 3%.
- Highland Economics, LLC. (2022, September). Economic value and impact of local food in Montana. Grow Montana Food Policy Coalition. https://growmt.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Economic-Impact-of-Local-Foods-8.5-%C3%97-11-in-1-combined.pdf
- 97% of the food Montanans eat is imported AND In the 1950s, 70% of the food Montanans ate was from Montana. In 2021, it was only 3%.
- PG 17| Beginner’s Guide to Sourcing Montana Food:
- Farmers selling locally keep 60 cents or more of every dollar vs. only 14 to 17 cents if selling out of state.
- United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Why Local Food Matters. Agricultural Marketing Service. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Why%20Local%20Food%20Matters.pdf
- Farmers selling locally keep 60 cents or more of every dollar vs. only 14 to 17 cents if selling out of state.
- PG 18| Beginner’s Guide to Sourcing Montana Food:
- Fruits and vegetables are at their peak nutrient density when they are fully ripe.
- Mesenburg, M. (2013, October 17). Why local food is better for you. Rodale Institute. https://rodaleinstitute.org/blog/why-local-food-is-better-for-you/
- Fruits and vegetables are at their peak nutrient density when they are fully ripe.
- PG 20 | Bringing it Home: Far Out Feeds Opens Montana-Sources Animal Feed Mill:
- Montana being among the country’s leading grain producers
- Montana Department of Agriculture. NASDA. (n.d.). https://www.nasda.org/state-department/montana-department-of-agriculture/
- Montana being among the country’s leading grain producers
- PG 20 | Bringing it Home: Far Out Feeds Opens Montana-Sources Animal Feed Mill:
- Montana exports about 80% of its grain out of the country.
- Kosto, A. (2021, August 20). Montana Wheat on the Move. Montana State University. https://www.montana.edu/extension/broadwater/blog-article.html?id=21379
- Montana exports about 80% of its grain out of the country.
- PG 23 |Seeds of Change:
- In the 1930s, 99.5% of farmers planted with seed they’d saved. Today, it’s less than 10%.
- Schiffman, R. (2014, December 10). An insurance policy for climate change? How seed banks are protecting the future of food. Yes! Magazine. https://www.yesmagazine.org/climate/2014/12/10/insurance-policy-climate-change-seed-banks-future-of-food
- In the 1930s, 99.5% of farmers planted with seed they’d saved. Today, it’s less than 10%.
- PG 23 | Seeds of Change:
- Today, four multinational companies, Bayer, Corteva, ChemChina (Syngenta Group), and BASF, control over 65% of global proprietary, or intellectual property (IP)-protected, seed sales.
- Hubbard, K. K. (2019, January 11). The sobering details behind the latest seed Monopoly Chart. Civil Eats. https://civileats.com/2019/01/11/the-sobering-details-behind-the-latest-seed-monopoly-chart/
- Today, four multinational companies, Bayer, Corteva, ChemChina (Syngenta Group), and BASF, control over 65% of global proprietary, or intellectual property (IP)-protected, seed sales.
- PG 23 | Seeds of Change:
- The most recent study on seed variety loss shows that the US lost 93% of its food crop seed varieties between 1903 and 1983.
- Piña-McMahon, S. (2021, November 12). Gone to Seed. Mad Agriculture. https://madagriculture.org/journal/gone-to-seed
- The most recent study on seed variety loss shows that the US lost 93% of its food crop seed varieties between 1903 and 1983.
- PG 24 | Seeds of Change:
- Seed saving has always been a vital practice for Indigenous peoples. But when European settlers forcibly separated them from their ancestral lands through harmful policies like the Indian Removal Act in the 1830s, they also separated them from their seeds and the knowledge surrounding them. Some varieties of seeds became endangered or were lost entirely. Through careful stewardship of cultural knowledge and the sharing of stories between generations, many seeds have been revived, becoming symbols of sovereignty and resilience.
- Cosier, S. (2021, November 30). For thousands of years, indigenous tribes have been planting for the future. NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/thousands-years-indigenous-tribes-have-been-planting-future
- Cosier, S. (2021, November 30). For thousands of years, indigenous tribes have been planting for the future. NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/thousands-years-indigenous-tribes-have-been-planting-future
- Seed saving has always been a vital practice for Indigenous peoples. But when European settlers forcibly separated them from their ancestral lands through harmful policies like the Indian Removal Act in the 1830s, they also separated them from their seeds and the knowledge surrounding them. Some varieties of seeds became endangered or were lost entirely. Through careful stewardship of cultural knowledge and the sharing of stories between generations, many seeds have been revived, becoming symbols of sovereignty and resilience.
- PG 27 | Labor of Love (Jane Kile):
- On average, farm workers in the United States earn around $16.62 per hour, about 52% of the average hourly wage for all workers in the United States.
- Costa, D. (2023, October 5). The Farmworker Wage Gap. Economic Policy Institute . https://www.epi.org/blog/the-farmworker-wage-gap-farmworkers-earned-40-less-than-comparable-nonagricultural-workers-in-2022/
- On average, farm workers in the United States earn around $16.62 per hour, about 52% of the average hourly wage for all workers in the United States.
- PG 28 | Local Unlocked:
- According to the USDA Economic Research Service, nearly 80% of U.S. consumer food dollars were spent at wholesale points of sale in 2021, including restaurants, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco
- Bureau, U. C. (2024, November 21). Economic Census Data Tables and FTP files by year. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/tables.html
- According to the USDA Economic Research Service, nearly 80% of U.S. consumer food dollars were spent at wholesale points of sale in 2021, including restaurants, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco
- PG 31 | Together, We’re Building a Healthier Montana:
- From ages 10-19, a child gains 15-20% of their final adult height and 40-50% of their final adult weight and bone mass.
- Spear, B. A. (2002). Adolescent growth and development. (Research). Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102(3), S23+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A84143953/HRCA?u=anon~bd1baeae&sid=googleScholar&xid=48e6812d
- From ages 10-19, a child gains 15-20% of their final adult height and 40-50% of their final adult weight and bone mass.
- PG 31 | Together, We’re Building a Healthier Montana:
- Beef provides crucial nutrients, including essential vitamins and minerals, that support the growth and development of children
- Sheffield, S., Fiorotto, M. L., & Davis, T. A. (2024). Nutritional importance of animal-sourced foods in a healthy diet. Frontiers in nutrition, 11, 1424912. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1424912
- Beef provides crucial nutrients, including essential vitamins and minerals, that support the growth and development of children
- PG 48 |Fun Fact:
- 58 million acres (62%) of Montana’s land is used for agricultural production.
- Haynes, G., Schumacher, J., Peterson, J., & Hayes, K. (2020, December). Economic Impact of Agriculture | Statewide Report. Montana State University. https://www.montana.edu/extension/agimpact/reports/statewidereport.pdf
- 58 million acres (62%) of Montana’s land is used for agricultural production.
- PG 53 | Fun Fact:
- Montana’s growing season lasts an average of 135 days.
- Summary of Montana Growing Conditions. Western Agricultural Research Center | Montana State University. (n.d.). https://agresearch.montana.edu/warc/guides/summary_of_Montana_growing_conditions.html
- Summary of Montana Growing Conditions. Western Agricultural Research Center | Montana State University. (n.d.). https://agresearch.montana.edu/warc/guides/summary_of_Montana_growing_conditions.html
- Montana’s growing season lasts an average of 135 days.
- PG 73 | Fun Fact:
- 2026 was named the year of the woman farmer. Montana is home to 17,830 female farmers and ranchers, which accounts for 40% of Montana’s producers!
- International Year of the Woman Farmer. Food and Agriculture Organization. (n.d.). https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/
- Top Montana Agriculture Facts from the 2022 Census of Agriculture . Farm Flavor. (2024, May 23). https://farmflavor.com/montana/top-montana-agriculture-facts/
- International Year of the Woman Farmer. Food and Agriculture Organization. (n.d.). https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/
- 2026 was named the year of the woman farmer. Montana is home to 17,830 female farmers and ranchers, which accounts for 40% of Montana’s producers!