Tester puts on Small Business Workshop in Bozeman

Dozens of farmers and ranchers gathered today at Montana State University for a Small Business Workshop put on by Sen. Jon Tester.

Representatives from the Montana Department of Agriculture and Livestock, the Montana Grain Growers, and the Montana Farmers Union were all in attendance. The goal of the workshop was to help expand job opportunities in farming and ranching. The workshop included several panel discussions as well as many smaller breakout sessions.

U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan delivered the workshop's keynote address, and discussed economic opportunities in farming and ranching, as well as accessing capital and foreign markets.

"I'm hearing a lot of optimism in Montana. I just chaired a workshop session on beginning farmers and ranches, lot of young people in the crowd, lot of optimists, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of connections were being made in the crowed today, so I'm going to leave Montana with a lot of hope," says Merrigan.

The workshop ended today with closing remarks by Tester.