What Can The Montana Farmers Union Do For You?
Author: Samantha Ferrat, Montana Farmer's Union
Montana Farmers Union has fostered a team of ambassadors to cultivate community by bringing members together to share ideas and needs of their respective communities. Four ambassadors and our membership director make up the ambassador team. Ambassadors live in Sand¬ers, Liberty, Broadwater and Rosebud counties, and their membership areas include sur¬rounding counties.
Ambassadors work within the framework of Montana Farmers Union – a grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the agricultural way of life. Our membership is made up of folks who support rural communities and family farms and ranches. We believe that no farmer or rancher should stand alone, and we are fighting for the issues that will preserve agriculture and rural communities for the next generation. MFU is founded upon three pillars: Cooperation, Education, and Legislation.
Legislative priorities are guided by our policies, and policy is decided by our members.
Since 1993 our education programs have provided Montana youth with an understanding of the cooperative business structure and how to work co¬operatively. Plus, our innovative programs give awareness of agricultural issues and issues facing food production and consumption. In addition, our Arrowpeak summer camp in the Highwood Mountains is focused on building leadership, AG education and of course, fun! MFU offers financial as¬sistance to individuals and youth organizations, such as 4-H and FFA, through grant opportunities and scholarships.
Another MFU mission is to develop Montana Producer Co-Ops that are owned and democratically controlled by their members, not by investors. Cooperatives provide rural com¬munities with economic security. Co-ops create jobs, income and opportunities while setting the bar high for other types of busi¬nesses. Being owned largely by people who live and work in the communities they serve gives cooperatives a different perspective.
The first Missouri Head¬waters area event was held in June at the GranTree Inn, Bozeman. Members gathered for refreshments, MFU updates and an interactive ideas share exercise. We are working on a plan for the next Missouri Headwaters regional membership gathering to be held in Helena in late summer.
Stay tuned for more details!
Join MFU’s growing com¬munity of folks who support agriculture and rural com¬munities. Visit our website for more information at https://www. montanafarmersunion.com or contact one of the members of the ambassador team.
Samantha Ferrat, Broadwater/ Missouri Headwaters area sfer¬rat@montanafarmersunion.com
Carissa McNamara, Sanders/ Flathead area cmcnamara@ montanafarmersunion.com
Gwyneth Givens, Liberty/ Highline area ggivens@mon¬tanafarmersunion.com
Eleanor Ferrone, Rosebud/ Treasure area eferrone@mon¬tanafarmersunion.com
Rachel Prevost, Membership Director rprevost@montana¬farmersunion.com
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PhotoCredit: Courtesy of Montana Farmer's Union
Image 1 Caption: MFU chief of staff Matt Rains giving an update on the Montana Premium Processing Cooperative in Havre during the June Missouri Headwaters local gathering held in Bozeman.
