Home

Membership

CFAC members envision Missoula's food future in April 2009.

Membership in CFAC is about being part of the movement to build a healthy local food system. You're invited to join us at the table. CFACmembers are finding solutions to western Montana's broken food system. As a result of our collective efforts, CFAC has helped put local food on the public agenda -- including farmland conservation, our local food economy, and the health of our children.

As our membership numbers grow, our collective power to create meaningful change grows too. Join CFAC and help expand the grassroots movement for a sustainable food system rooted in the community.

Join CFAC Today!

Food Access & Markets

farmtoschool CFAC has created a number of new markets for local foods with the goal of building economic opportunities for local farms, ranches, and food-related businesses, as well as increasing food access for all income levels.

Missoula Farm to School has connected Missoula schools with Montana growers to bring the healthy benefits of local food to the school lunchroom. Farm to School has also provided hands-on educational opportunities that teach students about ways to eat that are healthy for their bodies, their community, and the environment.

The Electronic Benefits Transfer program at Missoula's farmers markets enables folks to spend their food stamp dollars on fresh food, thus keeping more money in the community and putting good food on all tables.

Land Link Montana

The next generation of producers is eager to start farming and ranching, and they're looking to grow and raise the full range of the community's dietary needs: meats, fruits, veggies, grains, and dairy. They face several challenges in securing land and starting viable businesses.

Many owners of agricultural land--including retiring farmers and ranchers--want to lease or sell their land to a new farmer, but they do not know how to find the right person for their land and situation.

Land Link Montana is a farm and ranch transfer program in 7 western Montana counties to help connect landowners and land-seeking producers. If you are in one of these camps, we'd love to hear from you.

Farmland Conservation

Farm and ranchlands are the foundation of our food system. Yet, the most productive soils are often the most susceptible to development pressures. In the past 25 years, Missoula County has lost 3 football fields of working farmland every day. CFAC members are working at multiple levels to ensure future development patterns do not continue the these trends. Read more about these efforts here.

Be sure to sign our petition to Missoula's County Commissioners and City Council to conserve the best farm and ranchlands for current and future generation. Only 8% of Missoula County has agricultural soil.

Community Food & Agriculture Coalition

CFAC is a multi-stakeholder coalition that addresses community needs related to food and agriculture in a comprehensive and creative way. The dedicated involvement of citizens, public officials, and people with a range of interests, such as farmers and anti-hunger advocates, is essential to securing the health of our local food and farming system.

To build a community-based food and farming system, CFAC works in the following areas:

Grow markets for local foods. Western Montana is gobbling up locally produced food in schools, universities, restaurants, farmers’ markets, and grocery stores. CFAC has been working to create new markets and ensure fresh, local food is accessible to families of all income levels. Our programs include: Farm to School, EBT (food stamps at farmers’ markets), and Buy Fresh Buy Local (restaurant initiative). What we’ve learned is that the market’s appetite for locally produced food often exceeds the supply, creating new business opportunities for agricultural enterprises.

Develop farm and ranchland conservation strategies that comprehensively protect the agricultural lands that are most viable for farming & ranching; provide predictability to developers, planners, policy makers, and residents; and respect the interests of agricultural landowners and the equity built in their land.

Help beginning farmers and ranchers get started. Land Link Montana is a farm and ranch transfer program that CFAC is piloting to help aspiring producers find suitable land and establish viable tenure arrangements.

Please join us in setting the table for a food and farming system rooted in community. CFAC seeks to involve all citizens in decisions that affect their food system. We are invite you to help us research, design, promote, and advocate for community solutions to food access, sustainable agriculture, and regional self-reliance. We all need to eat; please get involved.

What's New @ CFAC?

Capturing Missoula's Foodshed 2012 Calendars on sale now!

You don't want to miss out! Calendars are $10 or 5 for $40. Pick up yours today! Plan ahead - they make great Holiday gifts for your friends and family!

Proceeds from the sale of this beautiful calendar support our mission to conserve land and expand the local food system, from field to fork.

To order your copy, click on the link below, or you can come into our office at 117 W. Broadway. You can also find the calendars on sale at the Good Food Store, Office City, The Bird's Nest, Fact & Fiction, Butterfly Herbs, UM Bookstore, and other retail outlets.

===================================

The campaign to Conserve Missoula's Farmland continues to grow. With the support of 1,355 petition signatures and 33 endorsing organizations and businesses, CFAC introduced our comprehensive farmland conservation policy to Missoula's County Commissioners and City Council. The diverse list of endorsements (pdf) is quite telling of the community-wide support behind our multi-pronged approach to protecting our agricultural legacy and community food security. Let us know if your organization or business would like to sign on.
Check out our new map of the 30 subdivisions on farmland that CFAC members have commented on.

Today's featured subdivision: Alexandra Estates (outlined on the right) threatens to permanently convert 100 acres of prime farmland (shown in red) to residential uses -- the single largest loss of prime farmland of all 30 subdivisions we have reviewed. But Missoula's County Commissioners have to approve the proposal first, and Montana's State Law mandates that impacts to agriculture must be considered and should be mitigated.

Our Land Link Montana program continues to enroll farmers and ranchers looking for land as well as landowners looking to sell or lease to, mentor, or partner with an incoming producer. In December, we will be touring agricultural communities across western Montana to meet with landowners and help them enroll in the program. If you would like to learn more about this tour or request that we come to your town, please contact us.
Click here to listen to a commentary about Land Link on KUFM.

Membership

Food Access & Markets

Land Link Montana

Farmland Conservation

Capturing Missoula's Foodshed 2012 Calendars on sale now!

You don't want to miss out! Calendars are $10 or 5 for $40. Pick up yours today! Plan ahead - they make great Holiday gifts for your friends and family!

To order your copy, click on the link below, or you can come into our office at 117 W. Broadway. You can also find the calendars on sale at the Good Food Store, Office City, The Bird's Nest, Fact & Fiction, Butterfly Herbs, UM Bookstore, and other retail outlets.

To order your copy, click on the link below, or you can come into our office at 117 W. Broadway. You can also find the calendars on sale at the Good Food Store, Office City, The Bird's Nest, Fact & Fiction, Butterfly Herbs, UM Bookstore, and other retail outlets.

Email Newsletter

Upcoming Events