Montana Farmers Union is pleased to announce five recipients of its new Regenerative Farming Implementation Grants.
The grants are each for $1,000 and are offered with the support of General Mills as part of Montana Farmers Union’s first ever Regenerative Farming Cohort. The cohort, in its first year, includes roughly 40 individuals and farms who learn about regenerative farming practices and how to implement them through farm tours, interactive webinars, and access to professionals and resources.
“I am very excited to be able to offer these regenerative farming implementation grants to our Regenerative Cohort members. Transitioning to this soil conscious farming method sometimes requires stepping out of what have become conventional farming methods and can be intimidating and expensive,” said Jodi Koterba, MFU’s Education Director who is leading the cohort. “This gives members a little incentive to push the needle toward soil friendly practices.”
The new grants will be used to help recipients implement one of the six regenerative principles on which MFU’s Regenerative Farming Cohort program focuses: cover the ground, limit the disruption of the soil, increase biodiversity, keep the living roots in the ground as much as possible, incorporate animals into the rotation, and know your context to adapt.
This year’s award recipients are:
- John Ferrat, Toston: Interseeding multiple hay species,
- Pam Gerwe, Whitefish: Cover crop seed for distribution,
- Ellen Mering, Kalispell: Fencing for grazing sheep,
- Kayla Miller, Busby: Goats to graze and manage weeds, and
- Jodi Milton, Joliet: Aerator for improving moisture.
Learn more about the Regenerative Farming Cohort and how to join at www.montanafarmersunion.com.
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Montana Farmers Union
