On July 28–29, 2026, in Great Falls, Montana, the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Rocky Mountain Regional Summit brought together 130 attendees from across Montana and Wyoming. Tribal producers, Tribal leaders, federal agency representatives, agricultural professionals, educators, and industry partners discussed opportunities, challenges, and innovations in Tribal agriculture. The event also featured a strong vendor presence, creating valuable networking opportunities and direct connections between producers and agricultural service providers.  

A highlight of the summit was the keynote address delivered by Ryan Lankford of Kimberlite Farms, who shared his experiences and insights on agricultural innovation, business development, and building resilient agricultural operations. His presentation set the tone for the summit by encouraging attendees to embrace new opportunities while staying grounded in the values and traditions that support Tribal agriculture, and by assuring Tribal producers that, though it is often difficult, it can be done.  

Throughout the first day, participants heard updates from federal and Tribal agriculture leaders, including representatives from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Presentations focused on conservation programs, farm loan opportunities, disaster assistance programs, and resources available to Tribal producers. Breakout sessions covered a wide range of topics, including Farm Bill developments, BIA rangeland policy updates, market expansion opportunities, invasive species management, organic transition strategies, livestock risk management, meat processing infrastructure funding, business planning, and foreign animal disease preparedness. 

The second day featured one of the summit’s most anticipated activities: the NRCS Rangeland Soil Health Demonstration Field Day hosted at the Little Shell site near Great Falls. Attendees participated in hands-on learning focused on soil health principles, rangeland management practices, grazing strategies, and conservation techniques. The field day provided producers with an opportunity to see conservation practices and soil health demonstrations firsthand.

The summit continued to reflect the growing importance of Tribal agriculture programs, food systems, and the next generation of agricultural leaders. Presentations on Farm to School initiatives featured successful examples, lessons learned, and opportunities to strengthen connections between Tribal producers, schools, and local food systems. The summit concluded with strong participation, meaningful dialogue, and new partnerships among Tribal Nations, producers, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and agricultural businesses.

With strong attendance and vendor presence, the Rocky Mountain Regional Summit demonstrated the continued growth and momentum of Tribal agriculture across the region while reinforcing IAC’s commitment to supporting Tribal producers through education, technical assistance, networking, and advocacy.