Montana Beef to School
About the Montana Beef to School Project
The Montana Beef to School Project is a three-year collaborative project between several
Montana beef producers and processors, schools and many stakeholders represented in
the Montana Beef to School Coalition.
The Montana Beef to School Project explores how to make beef to school programs successful and encourages the use of local beef in every Montana school.
The Montana Beef to School Coalition is now a working group of the Montana Farm to School Leadership Team. If you want to learn more and get involved, attend the group's meetings which are posted on the Montana Farm to School Leadership Team's webpage.
Moooooving Forward Together: Strategies for Montana Beef to School
Read the case study report Moooooving Forward Together: Strategies for Montana Beef to School for tips and tricks on how to bring beef into Montana schools and to:
- Discover the creative ways schools are working with producers and processors in Montana to procure local Montana beef.
- Bring tested beef to school strategies to your own community through lessons learned from case studies across six beef to school partnerships in Montana.
The report was authored by Carmen Byker Shanks and Janet Gamble of the Montana State University (MSU) Food and Health Lab, Tommy Bass and Joel Schumacher of MSU Extension, Aubree Roth of Montana Team Nutrition Program (MT Farm to School), Demetrius Fassas, and Mallory Stefan of the National Center for Appropriate Technology. An additional thank you to many report contributors listed on page two of the case study report.
Beef to School Resources
Getting Started
Get Started with Beef to School Flowchart
Frequently Asked Questions about Beef to School
Beef to School Guide - This is a great place to start. The guide also includes producer directory for Eastern Montana!
Montana Beef to School Pricing Guide
Beef to School Protein Guide for National School Lunch Program
Beef to School Video Transcript
Getting Started with Beef to School MontGuide (Extension Bulletin)
Procurement Templates
The following resources will help you in purchasing local beef.
Beef to School Procurement Decision Tree
Beef to School Informal Procurement (RFQ) Template
Beef to School Formal Procurement (RFP) Template
Presentations & Trainings
Webinar hosted by USDA Office of Community Food Systems and MSU February 2018
Strategies for Funding Beef to School - Webinar hosted by USDA Office of Community Food Systems - October 2018
Beef to School Strategies - Webinar Hosted by Office of Public Instruction and MSU - November 2018
Proteins for a Healthy Planet - Session at National Farm to Cafeteria Conference - April 2018
Montana Beef to School Supply Chains - Session at MSU Extension Annual Conference - October 2017
Webinar hosted by Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network March 2017
Beef to School Basics - Session at California Farm to School Conference - March 2017
Session at 2016 Montana Farm to School Summit
Session at 2016 Food Studies Conference
Poster Presentation at 2016 Farm to Cafeteria Conference
Beef to School Stories
These blog posts were published by NCAT Farm to Cafeteria Network.
Wrapping Up Montana Beef to School! - November 1, 2018
Beefing Up Your Resources - July 17, 2018
The Automatic Choice: A B2S Story from Big Timber - Oct 13, 2017
Solving the Beef to School Equation: Beef to School Coalition Meeting Reflections - May 25, 2017
Celebrating the March Harvest of the Month with Yellowstone Grassfed Beef: A Producer Profile - February 24, 2017
Beef to School Case Studies and More! - November 1, 2016
Beef to School Coalition Gathers: “Montana Beef in Every Montana School” - May 3, 2016
Winter Report from Lazy SR and Muddy Creek Ranches - January 26, 2016
Beef to School Fall Updates - October 15, 2015
It’s All About the BEEF TO SCHOOL! - July 7, 2015
Do you have questions about how to start a beef to school program?
Email Jay Stagg, Montana Farm to School Coordinator, at jay.stagg@montana.edu
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This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number SW 15-028 through the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number 140867026. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.
