1. Producer
Montana farmers and ranchers raise crops and livestock.
Our food system
The Problem
Montana produces food for the nation and the world, yet long supply chains, concentrated processing, and limited local infrastructure can leave both producers and families vulnerable.
Our Food Chain Has Grown Too Long
Food often travels hundreds or thousands of miles between the farm or ranch and the family table. Every additional link—from processing and packaging to warehousing and transportation—adds distance between the people who raise food and the people who depend on it.
When one major link is disrupted, the effects can spread quickly: producers lose market access, stores face shortages, prices rise, and families have fewer choices.
See How We Can Shorten It2. Processing
Food may travel far from Montana for processing and packaging.
3. Distribution
Large systems move products through warehouses and long routes.
4. Consumer
Food returns to stores and families—often at a higher cost.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Highly Concentrated Beef Processing
The four largest meatpacking firms handle 85% of all steer and heifer purchases, leaving producers dependent on a small number of buyers.
Source: USDA Economic Research ServiceThe Farm Share of a Food Dollar
In 2024, farms received 11.8 cents of every dollar consumers spent on domestically produced food. The other 88.2 cents went to post-farm activities.
Source: USDA Food Dollar, updated 2026Montanans Face Food Insecurity
An estimated 1 in 8 Montanans—including 1 in 6 children—experience food insecurity, while rural distance can make fresh, affordable food harder to reach.
Source: Montana Food Bank NetworkThe food dollar
Most Consumer Spending Happens After the Farm Gate
The farm share is the gross return to farms from the commodities used in our food. The marketing share covers processing, transportation, storage, wholesaling, retailing, and food service.
Why this matters in MontanaWhen processing and other food-system businesses are located closer to producers, more economic activity can remain in local communities and the supply chain can become more resilient.
11.8¢
farm share of
every $1 spent on food
every $1 spent on food
What a Fragile Food Chain Costs Us
Farmers and Ranchers
Fewer buyers and distant processing can limit competition, raise transportation costs, and reduce producers’ share of the consumer dollar.
Montana Families
Higher costs, limited grocery access, and disruptions can make dependable access to nutritious food more difficult.
Rural Communities
When processing, distribution, and food businesses leave town, communities lose jobs, services, and local economic activity.