A new research facility in Montana’s Golden Triangle is hoping to help farmers grow better food.
Over fifty people stand in a windy field of dirt just south of Big Sandy. They’re listening to a man in a cowboy hat, with stalks of wheat tucked into the band.
“We're here actually to change the world and to change the way the world eats. But we don’t want to make it hard for them,” said Bob Quinn.
He spoke at the grand opening of the Quinn Institute earlier this month.
He’s probably best known for his organic agriculture research and bringing the ancient grain, Kamut to the US.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, organic food is the fastest growing sector of the US Ag industry. Quinn hopes his institute will expand research for farmers in the region.
“Instead of patenting and trying to squeeze more money out of the farmers and that sort of thing, we're going to make this available for everybody at no cost,” said Quinn.
Quinn has taken 700 acres of his farm to create the institute. The startup funding comes from Kamut International, the company Quinn started and has since passed on to family.
The institute is launching ten research projects this year. That includes studies on growing grains that survive better in the winter and partnering with schools to have local produce in lunches.
Another project is a collaboration with Missoula bakery Grist Mill to grow a hard white winter wheat that better handles a changing climate, and delivers the bakery a more marketable product.
Josh Poole, the institute’s research coordinator says by doing this work, in Big Sandy, they can directly help dryland farmers. More than 65 percent of the county works in agriculture.
“On farm research, though, and, helping farmers doing their own research instead of going to the university, getting the pipeline down to them, see what's going on in their own field, in their own system,” said Poole
The institute plans to expand education for non farmers on gardening and cooking local produce, and healthcare practitioners focused on healthy diets.
