Gov. Gianforte Wraps up First 56 County Tour

• November 09 2021

LINCOLN, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte this morning wrapped up his first 56 county tour as governor with a stop in Lincoln. Since launching the tour in May, the governor has met with Montanans in each of the state’s 56 counties.

“Getting out of Helena and into our communities to visit with Montanans is my favorite part of my job, but also the most important part,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Talking with folks in every corner of the state and learning firsthand about the challenges they face and the successes they enjoy help me do my job better. As we continue leading the Montana comeback, I’ll keep working in our communities to make Montana an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

Gov. Gianforte has logged thousands of miles meeting with Montanans including parents, students, veterans, leaders of Tribal Nations, law enforcement officials, first responders, health care professionals, child care providers, nonprofit leaders and volunteers, farmers, ranchers, small business owners, and local leaders, among others.

At the tour stops, the governor talked with Montanans about a wide range of issues important to them, including jobs and the economy, child care, housing, health care, the drug epidemic, crime, value-added ag, forest management, drought, the pandemic, and Tribal matters, among others.

Recap of Governor Gianforte’s 56 County Tour

Activities listed below are not a complete list of the governor’s events, but rather represent one tour stop per county. The governor has visited many counties more than once.

Anaconda-Deer Lodge County: Toured the Anaconda Fire Department and honored the first responders’ commitment to serving their community.

Beaverhead County: Spoke with the Class of 2021 at Montana Youth Challenge Academy, a community-based program that leads, trains, and mentors young people between 16 and 18 years old, at the University of Montana Western, Dillon.

Big Horn County: Toured One Health Bighorn, which offers comprehensive substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment services, and contributed his governor’s salary from the first quarter of 2021 to the federally qualified health center, Hardin. (pictured below)

Blaine County: Toured Bear Paw Meats to discuss increasing beef processing capacity and adding value to the local ag supply chain, Chinook.

Broadwater County: Toured Hahn Ranch, a diversified, family-owned agricultural corporation that strives for high volume, highly efficient livestock and crop production, and proclaimed May as Beef Month in Montana, Townsend.

Butte-Silver Bow: Toured the Montana Resources facility and impoundment area of Berkley Pit, met with miners and operators, and received an update on their operations, Butte.

Carbon County: Received incident command briefing for Robertson Draw Fire, Belfry. (pictured below)

Carter County: Held town hall with local leaders and residents at Wagon Wheel Café, Ekalaka.

Cascade County: Visited Pasta Montana as part of the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Value-Added Roadshow, Great Falls.

Chouteau County: Toured Diamond D Bar Processing, a family-owned and operated custom butcher shop, to discuss increasing beef processing capacity and adding value to the local ag supply chain with the small business owners, Geraldine.

Custer County: Kicked off the world-famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale with an opening prayer for the rodeo and attended the parade. (pictured below)

Daniels County: Toured Granrud's Lefse Shack and Handran’s Home Center to discuss the impact of the continued closure of the U.S.-Canada border on communities along the Hi-Line, Scobey.

Dawson County: Held town hall at the Glendive Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.

Fallon County: Met with legislators, local leaders, economic development officials, Baker.

Fergus County: Toured Allied Steel and discussed impact of the BIG Jobs Act, or Business Investment Grows Jobs Act, which tripled the exemption under the business equipment tax from $100,000 to $300,000, providing relief to about 3,500 Montana businesses, Lewistown.

Flathead County: Received a tour and met with staff of GL Solutions, a company that relocated to Kalispell from Bend, Oregon.

Gallatin County: Received a tour of and briefing on the Bozeman Municipal Watershed Project, a forest management project to help protect municipal watersheds and municipal drinking supply infrastructure.

Garfield County: Received a tour of new section of Garfield County Health Center and met with staff to thank them for their dedicated service, Jordan.

Glacier County: Presented the first Blackfeet Nation flag, which flew over the Tribal Flag Plaza at the Montana State Capitol, to the Tribal Council, Browning. (pictured below)

Golden Valley County: Visited Diamond S Cattle Company, a family-owned and operated ranch, which used a grant from the Montana Ag Adaptability program to increase the ranch’s storage capacity and sell more meat directly to consumers during the pandemic, Ryegate.

Granite County: Gave commencement speech at Drummond High School graduation ceremony.

Hill County: Met with leaders of MSU Northern, Havre.

Jefferson County: Toured Discovery Kidzone, a family-owned preschool and daycare center that serves over 300 children with 48 educational professionals on staff, and promoted grant funds available to support child care providers and stabilize Montana’s child care system, Clancy. (pictured below)

Judith Basin County: Visited with the Judith Basin EMS team, toured their ambulance barn, and recognized the first responders’ commitment to serving their community on National First Responders Day, Stanford. 

Lake County: Met with parents and providers at Fun and Fancy Free Learning Center about the child care challenges they face and discuss the administration’s efforts to stabilize Montana’s child care system, Polson. (pictured below)

Lewis and Clark County: Toured Hi-Country Snack Foods Inc. to tout “Made in Montana products” and adding value to the local ag supply chain, Lincoln. 

Liberty County: Toured Liberty Medical Center, discussed rural health care, and thanked health care professionals who treated and cared for passengers and staff injured as a result of the Amtrak derailment near Joplin on September 25, Chester.

Lincoln County: Hosted roundtable on the impact of the extended closure of the U.S.-Canadian border on families, businesses, and communities in Lincoln County, Eureka.

Madison County: Joined the executive director of the Montana Heritage Commission for a tour and discussion on Virginia City’s economic development plan.

McCone County: Held town hall focusing on drought and the modernization of the state’s drought response plan, last updated in 1995, Circle. (pictured below)

Meagher County: Visited with Meagher County Emergency Dispatch center staff, who are all volunteers, and honored the first responders’ commitment to serving their community, White Sulphur Springs.

Mineral County: Toured Idaho Forest Group’s timber management and mill expansion projects, St. Regis.

Missoula County: Received an update from officials at the Missoula Cybersecurity Center on their progress in implementing programming for job creation and workforce development, Missoula. 

Musselshell County: Toured Selltec Prep, Montana’s only full-service prep-and-ship center for Amazon and eBay, and met with employees, Roundup.

Park County: Honored fallen servicemen by hiking B-47 Ridge with relatives of the fallen airmen, leaders, and local residents and participating in ceremony in which a granite plaque that will be placed at the crash site was unveiled, Pray.

Petroleum County: Held roundtable with local ranchers, outfitters, and NRCS Montana officials focusing on drought and the modernization of the state’s drought response plan, last updated in 1995, at Winnett Bar and Grill.

Phillips County: Held roundtable with local ranchers focusing drought-related challenges in eastern Montana at C Lazy J Ranch, the owners of which were the 2020 recipient of the Leopold Conservation Award, Malta.

Pondera County: Promoted Come Home Montana campaign at Olson’s Drug, a neighborhood pharmacy owned by Brandon and Loren Utterback who, after leaving the state to gain experience in their field of work, decided to come home to Montana and purchased Olson’s Drug in 2015, Conrad.

Powder River County: Toured Olivarez Honey Bee Shop whose operation has been significantly impacted by drought, to learn about their business and discuss the modernization of the state’s drought response plan, which was last updated in 1995, Broadus.

Powell County: Visited Thomas Herefords, which has operated since 1957, to discuss the ranchers’ superior land management and livestock production, Gold Creek. (pictured below)

Prairie County: Hosted roundtable discussion with local officials, business owners, and agricultural producers focused on drought-related challenges in eastern Montana and the modernization of the state’s drought response plan, last updated in 1995, Fallon. 

Ravalli County: Toured Summit Career Center, met with students, and discussed importance of workforce development and trades education, Stevensville.

Richland County: Held town hall focusing on boosting economic development, expanding entrepreneurship, and increasing access to child care, Sidney.

Rosebud County: Held roundtable discussion focusing on boosting economic development with legislators and local leaders, Colstrip.

Roosevelt County: Toured Bainville Meats and met with employees about increasing beef processing capacity and adding value to the local ag supply chain. (pictured below)

Sanders County: Hosted roundtable discussion with local leaders and residents on the impact of this year’s wildfires on their community, Thompson Falls. 

Sheridan County: Toured the new, innovative, high-tech pulse crop processing plant, which will increase receiving and processing of grower pulse crops by 60 percent, at Columbia Grain, which supports over 150 local producers in the area, Plentywood.

Stillwater County: Toured Sibanye Stillwater mine and discussed the importance of responsibly developing our abundant resources and creating more good-paying jobs, Columbus.

Sweet Grass County: Hosted roundtable discussion with Sweet Grass County commissioners, state legislators, and local leaders, Big Timber.

Teton County: Toured Molson Coors grain elevator to kick off the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Value-Added Roadshow which spotlights Montana food and agriculture businesses, Power.

Toole County: Visited Mark's Tire and Alignment Inc. to discuss the impact of the continued closure of the U.S.-Canada border on communities along the Hi-Line, Shelby.

Treasure County: Toured DS Ag seed fertilizer facility and held town hall focusing on drought conditions and the modernization of the state’s drought response plan, last updated in 1995, Hysham.

Valley County: Visited with parents and providers at Scottie Daycare Center to discuss challenges associated with access to child care in our rural communities and the importance of addressing child care deserts, Glasgow.

Wheatland County: Received a tour and met with staff at Cream of the West, a food supplier making healthy, hearty 100% whole grain cereals and other all-natural food products from Montana grains since 1914, Harlowton.

Wibaux County: Met with Wibaux County High School students to talk about civics education and state government, Wibaux. (pictured below)

Yellowstone County: Met with health care providers at Billings Clinic, thanked them for their dedication and service, particularly through the pandemic, and announced the state’s new, innovative health care workforce recruitment program. 

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