Local businesses receive funding

Three businesses in Sanders County have received grant funding, which was awarded by the Montana Agriculture Adaptability Program (MTAAP). Governor Steve Bullock and the Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA), announced on June 26 in a press release from the governor’s office that over $1 million in grant funding was received by over 100 businesses in Montana.

According to the press release, the grants are devised to administer relief to small and medium-sized food and agriculture businesses in response to the COVID-19 crisis. “Agriculture drives our economy in Montana, and the COVID-19 crisis has shed new light on the importance of our local food systems,” said Governor Steve Bullock. “The adaptability grants directly support producers and value-added food and ag businesses affected by the pandemic. From Missoula, to Two Dot, to Scobey, Montanans across the state are finding innovative ways to strengthen and expand our access to local foods at a time when we need it the most.”

Among the businesses who received funding, three were local businesses in Sanders County. Clark Fork Meats in Plains, Flatiron Outfitters in Thompson Falls and Paradise Gardens in Paradise. All three received $10,000, the maximum amount of funding for the awarded grants. The funding for this project were derived from the federal relief dollars made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, according to the governor’s office.

Businesses applying for the grants were required to show how the financial aid would make an “immediate impact to their operating in adapting to COVID-19,” the press release said. “Projects aimed to increase community resilience to pandemics and other economic disruptions, while also bolstering food security. In many cases, businesses are pivoting their plans to accommodate local markets through new equipment, storage, and certifications to provide direct sales to consumers.”