Tester Secures $2.8 million for Butte-Based Sustainable Agriculture Program

Funding will comes from the USDA Rural Development program

In his continued effort to fight climate change and support Montana farmers, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he secured $2.8 million for the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s (NCAT) Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural America (ATTRA) Sustainable Agriculture program.

This funding, which Senator Tester helped secure through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, will support NCAT’s work providing resources and technical assistance that will help agricultural producers reduce input costs, conserve energy resources, and diversify operations by funding new energy generation facilities. The grant will also assist in expanding markets for agricultural commodities using sustainable practices.

“This year was the second worst crop on the farm since we took it over 45 years ago, and there’s no doubt it’s because of extreme weather patterns,” Tester said. “Funding sustainable agriculture and helping producers reduce costs and get their products to market is critical for the growth of our rural economies. I’m proud to support NCAT’s important work supporting farmers and rural communities in Montana and across the country.”

As the Senate’s only working farmer, Tester has been the Senate’s leading supporter of the ATTRA program and a strong advocate for agricultural producers.

In May, Tester secured $6 billion in relief for producers impacted by natural disasters through the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Emergency Relief Program. Senator Tester was the only member of Montana’s delegation to vote for the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act. This funding was awarded in addition to the $1 billion in disaster payments Tester secured in June of 2021 for producers with approved applications for USDA’s Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program and producers who had already received an initial payment through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+).