Continues 56 County Tour in Custer County

MILES CITY, MT. – Continuing his 56 County Tour last week, Governor Greg Gianforte highlighted the contributions of value-added agriculture to Montana’s economy at the Tongue River Winery in Miles City.

“Across the state, Montana producers are finding innovative ways to add value to our world-class commodities and to our economy,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We’ll continue to invest in the ag industry and in operations across the state to help Montana producers stay competitive and expand market opportunities.”

Visiting the winery on Thursday, the governor heard from owner Bob Thaden on the history of the winery and their innovative practices.

In 2009, Thaden put his passion for wine making to work when he began construction on what now stands as the Tongue River Winery. Sitting on 3 acres of land in production just ten minutes from downtown, the vineyard can produce upwards of 25,000 pounds of Montana fruits and grapes which Thaden makes into over 1,000 cases of wine.

“If it won’t grow in Montana, we won’t ferment it. We want to make wine that represents Montana,” Thaden shared.

From chokecherries, to huckleberries, to honeysuckle, the winery carries blends of dozens of wines that feature the fruits grown on their land in Miles City.

Highlighting the importance of making a Made in Montana product, Thaden added, “People who visit Montana are looking for authenticity, and the more that we can capture something that represents a truly Montana product the more authentic it is for them and the more excited they are about taking it home and sharing it with others.”

Expanding value-added agriculture opportunities to allow producers to capture more of the value they create is a top priority for the governor and his administration.

Last February, the governor was proud to announce the state’s nearly $900,000 investment in innovative, value-added agriculture projects through the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Growth Through Agriculture program.