State of Montana Newsroom
Gov. Gianforte Visits Value-Added Agriculture Businesses on 56 County Tour
BELGRADE, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte yesterday continued his 56 County Tour, visiting with Montanans in Stillwater, Park, and Gallatin counties who are adding value to Montana ag products.
“One of our greatest sources of pride as Montanans is the world-class products grown, raised, or made here in the Treasure State,” Gov. Gianforte said. “It’s great to see families innovating, creating products, and keeping Montana’s agricultural tradition alive for the next generation.”
Gov. Gianforte visiting Amaltheia Farm in Belgrade
Beginning the day in Columbus, the governor visited Sunshine Bee Apiary, a family-owned operation producing honey and other bee products since the 1980s. Owners Lance and Patty Sundberg led Gov. Gianforte on a tour of their production facility, explaining how honey and beeswax is bottled or transformed into creams, candles, and other Montana-made products.
Gov. Gianforte visiting the Sunshine Bee Apiary in Columbus
Next, the governor traveled to Livingston to tour the Wilcoxson’s Ice Cream production facility that produces ice cream for local eateries and grocery stores throughout most of Montana and parts of northwestern Wyoming. To keeping the Montana tradition alive that began in 1912, owner Neil Schultz, a Billings native, recently purchased a majority stake from former CEO Matt Schaeffer.
During the tour, Schultz emphasized his commitment to keeping Wilcoxson’s a Montana-owned business while maintaining its time-tested recipes and production processes.
“I am proud to carry on the Wilcoxson’s tradition and continue using Montana milk to make ice cream families love,” Schultz said.
Gov. Gianforte visiting the Wilcoxson’s production facility in Livingston
Ending the day in Gallatin County at Amaltheia Organic Dairy, a family-owned farm producing organic goat cheese and fresh vegetables, Gov. Gianforte toured the goat barns and met the owners.
Visiting with owner Sarah Brown, the governor and Senator Shelley Vance, R-Belgrade, learned more about the farm that cares for about 200 goats who produce 125 gallons of organic milk per day and learned about the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and online sales.
Amaltheia recently received a 2025 Montana Department of Agriculture Growth Through Agriculture grant totaling over $94,000 to expand access to locally produced goat milk across the region. The grant is supporting equipment upgrades and distribution improvements, allowing the farm to grow while providing fresh, locally made dairy products to more Montana families.
“Through the Growth Through Agriculture grant, we’ve been able to expand our space to accommodate double the number of goats to milk at one time,” Amaltheia owner Sarah Brown said.
“Montana’s ag families are the backbone of our number one industry,” Gov. Gianforte said. “From honey to ice cream to organic dairy, these value-added businesses show how our farmers and ranchers are innovating while honoring Montana traditions. I am proud to see families leading the way and keeping our agriculture strong for generations to come.”
With more than 27,000 farms and ranches across the state, agriculture is Montana’s number one industry, supporting jobs, communities, and the Montana way of life.
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