Better Together: Western Montana Growers Cooperative. Strengthening Local Food Systems

We were an early supporter of Western Montana Grower’s Cooperative because it empowers local farmers through shared ownership and strengthens Montana’s regional food system. WMGC has grown into a vital, farmer-led distribution network that brings fresh, local food to schools, hospitals, and communities across the state. - High Stakes Foundation

High Stakes Foundation founder, Mary Stranhan was a farmer in Arlee for years, so she has first hand understanding of the obstacles and opportunities of local agriculture. In western Montana, small farmers have long faced the challenge of distributing fresh, local food in a market dominated by industrial agriculture. In 2002, Mary funded a study to determine the Western Montana economic impact of a growers cooperative. The results were clear, and in 2003 the Western Montana Growers Coop (WMGC) was founded to bring independent farms together to share resources and reach more consumers. WMGC has expanded to 29 unique farms from the Flathead, Jocko, Mission and Bitterroot Valleys strengthening Montana’s local food system by providing fresh, quality products from their farms.With both wholesale and CSA options available, WMGC provides a vital link from local farmers, ranchers, and food producers to markets around the state and our region. WMGC supports farmers by providing sales and marketing services as well as warehousing and logistics. This allows farmers to focus on producing delicious, high-quality food while saving costs through cooperation with other producers.

WMGC supports a broad range of customers, including grocery stores, restaurants, K-12 schools, universities, healthcare facilities, and directly to individuals. WMGC's work to aggregate local products from nearly 100 producers makes it much simpler for buyers to support local farms and ensures that products are consistently delivered as fresh as possible. Since 2020, WMGC has worked closely with a number of organizations on food access programs to supply fresh, healthy, and delicious food to vulnerable populations.

WMGC was able to build a cold storage and distribution facility near Missoula, solving a major logistical hurdle for individual small-scale farmers. With better storage and transportation, local WMGC produce now reaches schools, hospitals, and grocery stores more efficiently, keeping Montana-grown products in our communities.

Beyond infrastructure, WMGC also launched an educational initiative for new farmers, providing training in sustainable agriculture, soil health, and climate resilience. These workshops ensure that future generations of farmers have both the skills and community needed to succeed.

With regional support including the High Stakes Foundation, WMGC has become a model for how cooperatives can create food security while supporting local economies. WMGC opened its doors 22 years ago working with about 7 farms and a handful of customers. WMGC now serves nearly 100 producers, 250 wholesale accounts, and over 560 CSA customers. WMGC's team has worked hard to develop regional partnerships with other food hubs and distributors to rethink what's possible around local food distribution. Farmers earn fair prices, consumers get access to fresh, healthy produce, and communities grow stronger. In a world where local food networks are more vital than ever, WMGC proves that small farms can thrive when they work together. It is a model for us all– collaboration, connection, community.

High Stakes was instrumental in the Coop getting off the ground by helping the Coop access a delivery truck, a warehouse, and office space in Arlee. This critical infrastructure made it possible for WMGC to grow slowly before having to take on any other substantial debt. High Stakes was again supportive when WMGC finally outgrew the facility in Arlee and made the move to Missoula. The team at High Stakes continues to support WMGC in its growth by providing support and industry guidance around issues such as commercial truck insurance. WMGC would not be what it is today without the support and guidance from many partners, including High Stakes Foundation. – Dave Prather, General Manager

Mission: ​​The goal of the Western Montana Growers Cooperative (WMGC) is to provide consumers within our region with a wide range of fresh, quality products from independently owned ranches, farms and food processing operations. 

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