LEWISTOWN, MT. – On April 30th, Governor Greg Gianforte launched his fourth annual 56 County Tour as governor, meeting with Montanans in Meagher, Judith Basin, and Fergus counties.

“The best and most important part of my job is meeting with Montanans where they live and work,” Gov. Gianforte said. “It’s great to get our 2024 tour started and highlight some of the innovative small businesses and family farms that fuel our economy and communities.”

Kicking off the tour in Meagher County, the governor toured Delpine Farms in Martinsdale to highlight the state’s thriving agriculture industry. From pasture raised eggs, to a variety of vegetables, the family-run farm has a strong focus on soil health and providing fresh products to their surrounding communities in Meagher and Wheatland counties.

“For us, it’s about getting nutritious food back into the community. Working with local schools, locally-owned grocery stores, and through the Central Montana Food Hub — we’re making great progress in our community,” said Shauna Eagleton, owner of Delpine Farms.

Working with local producers, Eagleton established the Central Montana Food Hub which serves as an aggregator and online marketplace for locally grown and produced food. To learn more about the Central Montana Food Hub see here.

In 2020, Delpine Farms was the recipient of a Montana Department of Agriculture Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) grant to help expand their operation.

The GTA program was established by the Montana Legislature in 1987 to strengthen and diversify Montana’s agriculture industry through innovative agricultural business improvements and the commercialization and marketing of new, value-added agriculture products. This year, the governor announced recipients of the state’s $896,003 investment in innovative, value-added agriculture projects through the grant.

Continuing the tour in Judith Basin County, the governor highlighted the talented riders and riding program at the Diamond Dot Ranch in Hobson. Visiting with ranch owners and riders, the governor learned more about their involvement in showing and selling horses.

“I’m trying to put a spotlight on Montana’s ranch horses. When we go to these big shows, there’s over 50 horses mainly from states like Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico — but I believe that the real, great ranch horses are coming from ranches and working operations here in Montana,” said Faith Stevenson, Diamond Dot Performance Horses program instructor.

Stevenson continued, “We’re trying to put a horse out there that’s fancy enough to perform in the show pen and rugged enough to perform on the ranch as well.”

Ending the day in Lewistown, the governor highlighted a new business providing small engine repair in Fergus County.

Visiting with Jeremy and McKensie Gremaux, owners of J&M Small Engine Repair, the governor heard more about the shop that opened earlier this year and offers services to customers looking for repairs on small engines such as ATVs, dirt bikes, and lawnmowers.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. To support them, we reformed our tax code and cut back the thicket of red tape that for too long tied up job creators,” Gov. Gianforte added.

J&M Small Engine Repair was one of nearly 60,000 businesses created last year in Montana, surpassing the previous record set in 2022 by more than 6,000 businesses.

Delivering on his promise to help Montanans keep more of what they earn and encourage small business growth, Gov. Gianforte worked with the legislature to provide the largest income tax cut in Montana history, cutting the income tax rate for Montanans at every income level.