Governor Gianforte Highlights Strong Rural Communities on Annual 56 County Tour

• June 03 2025

ROUNDUP, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today continued his fifth annual 56 County Tour as governor, meeting with small business owners, ranchers, and miners in Garfield, Petroleum, and Musselshell counties.

“Across Montana, we have exceptional community members and industry professionals making our state stronger,” Gov. Gianforte said. “From the Garfield County steering committee revitalizing the tourism industry, to the ranchers stewarding our lands, to the Signal Peak mine keeping the lights on across the world – our rural communities are preserving traditions and fueling our economy.”

Gov. Gianforte meeting with the Grow Garfield Steering Committee in Jordan

Starting the day in Garfield County, the governor met with the small business owners and community members who make up the Grow Garfield Steering Committee, the group established to discuss ways to improve the county’s tourism industry thanks to the support of a $1.25 million grant from the Montana Department of Commerce.

The Pilot Community Tourism Grant program, administered by the department, is awarded to Montana small towns looking to invest in revitalizing its Main Street and growing the tourism economy. Meeting with the committee, the governor heard of their plans for the investment.

Rolling out their new brand, “Big Sky on the Big Dry,” the committee is planning marketing materials and events to showcase all that the county has to offer for visitors, from fishing to bird watching.

Continuing the tour in Petroleum County, Gov. Gianforte visited the Brady Ranch in Winnett and highlighted the ag producers for their regenerative agriculture practices.

Gov. Gianforte visiting the Brady Ranch in Winnett

Established in 1914, the Brady Ranch remains family-owned and operated by the third generation. The ranch is comprised of state, private, and Block Land Management parcels where the family focuses on rotational grazing and rest rotations in riparian areas to promote new growth.

Preserving the legacy of Montana family farms and ranches is a top priority for the governor. To support them, the governor was proud to deliver the largest income tax cut in state history and raise the exemption on the business equipment tax, removing 5,000 small businesses off the tax rolls.

Traveling to Musselshell County, the governor visited the Signal Peak Energy coal mine to celebrate new federal orders from the Trump administration that support Montana’s coal industry.

Gov. Gianforte visiting the Signal Peak Energy mine in Roundup

As the largest underground coal mine in Montana, Signal Peak has shipped over 100 million tons of coal over its last 15 years in production. Visiting with President and CEO Parker Phipps, Montana Department of Environmental Quality Director Sonja Nowakowski, and local ranchers, the governor received an update on the status of their pending permit with the federal government.

Praising the work of DEQ for thoroughly and quickly reviewing recent permits, as well as for improved collaboration with the federal administration, Phipps said, “We’re thankful that DEQ was able to approve our permits in a timely fashion, because the Feds the last four years have not been able to do that in a timely fashion.”

Phipps added, “Before, we couldn’t get anyone in the federal agency to pick up the phone, we couldn’t get meetings with anyone in DC. To now, I’ve been back to DC multiple times since the Trump administration’s been in, and each time, someone from the Department of Interior has met with me.”

Since taking office, Gov. Gianforte has promoted an “all-of-the-above” energy approach, to encourage American-made energy produced from coal, natural gas, wind, solar, and hydropower. In April, the governor joined President Trump at the White House as he signed executive orders to require federal agencies to rescind any anti-coal policies

The governor continues his 56 County Tour today in Golden Valley, Wheatland, and Fergus counties.

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