Montana Grassroots

If you ask most direct-to-consumer producers what is the biggest problem they face, most would agree that it is access to markets.

Many retailers do not provide shelf space to local producers, and, if they do, it is cost prohibitive for most local growers. In some cases, the wholesale suppliers will retaliate against the retailer if they provide shelf space to local producers. This is just another example of how the U.S. cheap food policy has given corporations control of our food dollar. When large corporations can threaten retailers to only provide shelf space for their products or large retailers demand $1000s from producers to provide shelf space, this is a broken system.

During the COVID pandemic when retailers were rationing dairy, meat and produce while farmers were dumping milk, euthanizing livestock and plowing in vegetable fields, it demonstrated that we need to fix our system. Farmers Union has been leading the charge to educate consumers and leaders on the problem and how to fix it. Our Fairness for Farmers and Food security for US campaigns have been advocating for a more competitive marketplace and encouraging investment in local processing and providing access to markets. We have been advocating for the USDA to provide more opportunities for local producers to provide their products to our local schools, institutions and food banks.

Along these same lines, MFU is working on legislation to educate consumers and leaders on the issue of shelf space and market access. Sen. Jason Small is carrying a Montana Shelf Space bill that will incentivize retailers to provide shelf space to Montana producers. Her bill will reward retailers with an income tax exemption on Montana food products they sell and inventory and give us the opportunity to educate our leaders on the lack of market access our producers are experiencing.

There is no guarantee that this bill will pass. Nonetheless, during the process MFU can introduce yet another issue in our food supply chain.