MDA Business Enhancement Program
Complimentary support for MT food business product development
If you are a Montana food business seeking assistance with food product development, improvement, or testing, and your product utilizes Montana crops and/or meat/poultry*, you may be eligible for our free technical assistance/R&D support, via a program managed by Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA).
Our current service offerings include:
- Expert consultations on:
- Product recipe development/improvement with our culinary research chef
- Food product technical issues/troubleshooting with our food scientist
- Extruded product formulations and ingredient testing with our food extrusion unit manager
- Sensory testing for studying product marketability
To determine eligibility, please:
- Fill out our client intake questionnaire to tell us more about your product and how we can assist you.
- Contact your local Food & Ag Development Center (FADC) representative to determine your project’s eligibility for this program. You'll need to obtain FADC approval before we can work with you.
- When your FADC notifies us of project approval, we'll schedule a meeting with you (remotely or in-person) to determine the scope of work.
Note that we have 40 hours to assist your project. All project outcomes and proprietary information will belong to you.
Please email sensory@montana.edu if you have any questions regarding this opportunity.
*Crops or meat/poultry used in the product must be actively cultivated or raised in Montana and comprise at least 50% by weight of the finished product (excluding added water). Wild harvested or hunted products are not eligible.