Author: Press Room

At the halfway mark, Montana agriculture is in good hands

23 March 2021
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By Nicole Rolf and Rachel Cone, Montana Farm Bureau Federation

As we review the official first half of the Montana Legislative session, it’s safe to say the session is looking good for Montana agriculture. Of the 3,357 total bill draft requests, 1,121 have been formally introduced. Montana Farm Bureau has taken a stance and lobbied for or against 60 of those, based on the policy directives of our farming and ranching members. Many of the bills we have supported are already on their way to the Governor’s desk. There are no bills left alive from the first half that we have opposed, unless they have been amended in a way that either no longer makes them harmful or, in some cases, even makes them policy we could now support.

We return to Helena this week after a restorative transmittal break. This is the session’s ‘half time.’ Montana is a citizen legislature, which means many of our Representatives and Senators go home to tend to businesses, families and their communities during the transmittal break. With only 90 days every other year to do the legislative work of the people, legislators, lobbyists and legislative staff and volunteers put in long days to get the work done. We commend each of our elected officials for their commitment to this work and the time they dedicate away from their homes and families to make the process work.

While most of our efforts focus on bills intended to direct state policy or law, we also spent some of our time in the last week before transmittal break testifying in support of a number of resolutions. Resolutions are intended to send a message to Congress or the President to show the intent of a state’s elected body. Sometimes, we call these “Letters to Santa” with a laugh; but sometimes, Santa listens and responds to the requests. In fact, we’ve been told by Congressional staffers that these resolutions are quite helpful and directive.

Senate Joint Resolution 18: Resolution on state management of grizzly bears, sponsored by Sen. Bruce Gillespie (R), SD 9. Montana Farm Bureau Federation member policy supports.

This resolution expresses Montana’s desire and ability return management of the grizzly bear populations in our state to our state. Montana has established a strong, effective track record in managing grizzly bears and other species such as wolves, and developed an approved management plan for the Yellowstone distinct population segment that provides for the continued presence and genetic future of grizzly bears on the landscape. Our wildlife managers are much closer to the ground and understand the complexities and realities of our grizzly bear population far better than federal managers in Washington, DC, and it’s past time that responsibility was returned to Montanans.

Senate Joint Resolution 7: Resolution to remove Hidden Pasture Creek from Wilderness Study Area, sponsored by Rep. Jeffrey Welborn (R), SD 36. Montana Farm Bureau Federation member policy supports.

In 1993, the Bureau of Land Management recommended that Congress exclude the Hidden Pasture Creek Wilderness Study Area located west of Dell, Montana, from the wilderness system. However, more than 15,000 acres of this area has continued to be managed as de facto wilderness as a result of inaction to release the land from a WSA. The southern boundary of the ‘Wilderness Study Area’ is a county road that has historically been and remains today, the principle transportation route for those living and using the Big Sheep Basin for ranching and recreation and the business of the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Leaving this area a de factor wilderness through its classification as a Wilderness Study Area makes it difficult if not impossible for many residents of Southwest Montana to conduct business in the area, and there is no doubt it should be released back to the intended multiple-use management of the BLM.

Senate Joint Resolution 16: Urge support for Keystone XL Pipeline, sponsored by Sen. Steve Hinebauch (R), SD 18. Montana Farm Bureau Federation member policy supports.

Montana Farm Bureau members support the completion of the Keystone XL Pipeline for three primary reasons: first, its completion will significantly increase the tax base of our rural communities; second, it creates jobs in our rural communities and finally, it provides stimulus to our local economies. 

House Joint Resolution 7: Joint resolution regarding the St. Mary and Milk River project, sponsored by Rep. Casey Knudsen (R) HD 33. Montana Farm Bureau Federation member policy supports.

 This resolution urges Congress, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation to repair the funding allocation and authorize funding for the replacement and rehabilitation of the Projects. This infrastructure was built in 1903 and provides water for irrigation, consumption, recreation and tribal use across north-central Montana. The Milk River Project provides drinking water for more than 19,000 people along the Hi-Line and supplies irrigation water to more than 700 farms with the capacity to feed 1 million people annually.  When the Drop 5 structure of the Milk River Project in north-central Montana failed in May 2020, project beneficiaries paid 48% of the cost to replace the Drop 2 and Drop 5 structures and improve the Drop 1 structure. The total cost of rehabilitation is estimated to cost more than $200 million, with requirements that project beneficiaries (irrigators) pay for 74% of those costs. This is not a reasonable or sustainable cost for irrigators to carry. This resolution asks for the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation to assist in the rehabilitation and replacement of the structures and to reconsider the funding methods to make modernizing this structure sustainable for all water users.

Alzheimer’s Association 2021 Report: Highest Risk See Barriers to Care

23 March 2021
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Those Americans at highest risk for Alzheimer’s disease – people of color including Native Americans, Hispanics and Blacks – have the greatest concerns about receiving appropriate dementia care, according to two national surveys featured in the Alzheimer’s Association 2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report.

The 6.2 million Americans now living with Alzheimer’s disease also face the highest risk for contracting COVID-19 in 2020. That has proven to be true in Montana, where there were 168 more deaths from Alzheimer’s and dementia in 2020 than compared to averages over the past five years – a 17.8% increase.

Nationally, there were at least 42,000 more deaths from Alzheimer’s and other dementias in 2020 compared with averages over the previous five years – a 16% increase.  These are not deaths attributed to COVID-19, but to associated factors.

People living with Alzheimer’s are at greater risk because of the disruption in their routines.

Black Americans are twice as likely as their White counterparts to develop Alzheimer’s disease, while Hispanic Americans are 50% more likely than Whites. Both Blacks and Hispanics have a greater risk of developing hypertension and diabetes, known risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Further, over forty percent of Native Americans and half of Black Americans report having experienced health care discrimination, according to the surveys. One-third of Asian Americans (34%) and Hispanic Americans (33%) likewise report having experienced discrimination when seeking health care related to dementia.

Said Lynn Mullowney Cabrera, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Montana. “If these same people face obstacles in getting a diagnosis or proper care, it compounds the tragedy for these families.”

Additionally, a large number of non-White caregivers for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s reported facing discrimination when navigating health care settings, with the top concern being that health care providers or staff members do not listen to what they’re saying because of their race, color or ethnicity. The concern was especially high among Black caregivers (42%), followed by Native American (31%), Asian American (30%) and Hispanic (28%) caregivers. Only 17% of White caregivers expressed this concern.

For the first time, the annual Alzheimer’s Association Facts and Figures report included a special report, “Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America,” which examines perspectives and experiences of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native and White Americans in regard to Alzheimer’s and dementia care.

Nearly two-thirds of Black Americans (62%) surveyed believe that medical research is biased against people of color — a view shared by substantial numbers of Asian Americans (45%), Native Americans (40%) and Hispanic Americans (36%). Only half of Black Americans (53%) trust that a future cure for Alzheimer’s will be shared equally regardless of race, color or ethnicity.

Montana data

New disease-related statistics for Montana revealed the following:

* Number of Montana residents aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s: 22,000

* Estimated number of Montana residents living with Alzheimer’s in 2025: 27,000

* Statewide deaths from Alzheimer’s disease (2019): 326

Death certificates often list acute conditions such as pneumonia as the primary cause of death. As a result, people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who die due to these acute conditions may not be counted in this number although Alzheimer’s may have been the causative factor.

* Number of Montana residents serving as unpaid family caregivers: 16,000

* Total hours of unpaid care provided in 2020: 24 million

* The number of hours per caregiver in Montana is higher than the national average (28.9 hours per caregiver vs. 26.3 nationally). Family / friend caregivers in Montana provide 135 more hours of care (more than 3 full work weeks) per year than the national average.

* Total value of unpaid care: $425 million

USS Montana Launched in Virginia

19 March 2021
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The future USS Montana has been launched in Newport News, Virginia. The nuclear-powered fast attack submarine will be completed pier-side while crew training continues toward sea trials this year. The boat’s commissioning into the Navy fleet is likely in early 2022. Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that the 7800-ton Virginia-class submarine was launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.

Captain Michael Delaney, commanding officer of USS Montana, has visited the state multiple times with crew members.

“Our exceptional young sailors want all Montanans to know that in their training and the fulfilling of their operational responsibilities, they are energized by the support they feel from Big Sky Country,” said Delaney about the launch. “The same will be true when they are eventually deployed aboard the USS Montana in defense of our nation.”

Delaney said that crew members who have visited various parts of the state to get to know her people, history, culture, and economy have been tremendously impressed by the Montanans they’ve met.

“We’re all committed to making Montana proud as we work toward taking the state’s namesake warship to sea for the first time later this year,” said Delaney.

Montanans are actively supporting the commissioning and crew of USS Montana through the USS Montana Committee, a Montana nonprofit corporation with a number of responsibilities. Included are building a support relationship between the crew and Montanans for the boat’s 30-year service life and providing certain enhancements to the warship, including an onboard Montana history and culture display being developed with the Montana Historical Society.

The Committee will be doing informational presentations around the state this year with a unique submarine-sized ship’s bell cast as a replica of the one aboard the first and only other USS Montana, an armored cruiser commissioned in 1908. The bell will be presented to the boat and its crew at the future USS Montana’s commissioning.

According to Huntington Ingalls Industries, until launch USS Montana had been in a floating dry dock following transfer from a construction facility in October. The dry dock was submerged, and the submarine was moved by tugboats to the shipyard’s submarine pier for final outfitting, testing and crew certification.

“For our shipbuilders, launching USS Montana signifies five years of hard work, commitment and dedicated service,” said Jason Ward, Newport News’ vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction. “We look forward to executing our waterborne test program and working toward sea trials and delivering the submarine to the Navy.”

Through the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat approximately 10,000 shipbuilders, as well as suppliers from all 50 states, have participated in USS Montana’s construction since the work began in 2015. USS Montana is approximately 92% complete.

Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving

6 March 2021
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Landon’s Legacy is joining forces with two Jersey Mike’s Subs restaurants located at 315 Main Street and 1020 Shiloh Crossing Blvd. in Billings for the 11th Annual March “Month of Giving” campaign to fund local charities. During the month of March, customers can make a donation to Landon’s Legacy at these two Jersey Mike’s restaurants.

The campaign will culminate with Jersey Mike’s “Day of Giving” on Wednesday, March 31, when local Jersey Mike’s restaurants will give 100 percent of the day’s sales – not just profit – to Landon’s Legacy. 

On Day of Giving, local Jersey Mike’s owners and operators throughout the country will donate their resources and every single dollar that comes in to more than 200 different charities including hospitals, youth organizations, food banks and more. This March, Jersey Mike’s hopes to raise a record-breaking $8 million for local charities

.Throughout March, customers can make donations through the Jersey Mike’s mobile app or onsite. On Day of Giving, Jersey Mike’s will offer free delivery through the Jersey Mike’s app.

YOUR BOOTS ON THE HILL

5 March 2021
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By Nicole Rolf and Rachel Cone, Montana Farm Bureau Federation

New bills are arriving rapidly in the 2021 Montana State Legislative Session, and we’re here to bring you the highlights. We’re in the final push before transmittal deadline, which is the date when all non-revenue bills have to make their way into the second chamber. We’ll focus on two big issues in this column: meat labeling and bison bills.

House Bill 324: Generally revise certain labeling laws, sponsored by Rep. Frank Smith (D), HD 31 and Senate Bill 210: Revise laws related to country of origin labeling, sponsored by Sen. Tom Jacobson (D), SD 11. Montana Farm Bureau member policy opposes both.

These nearly-identical bills have been introduced in both chambers. These ‘placarding bills’ both come with the same fundamental flaws. They would require grocery retailers to put a sign or ‘placard’ in the proximity of beef and pork products to indicate the origin of the product. These bills offer retailers two option to label beef and pork product: “Born, raised, and processed in the USA” or “Imported/Origin Unlabeled.” Montana ranchers are proud of the meat we raised, and we would love to see it labeled for consumers. We want transparency and a chance to distinguish our American products.

These bills simply fail to achieve that goal. When retailers receive meat to sell, it is stamped with the USDA’s approval. The USDA certifies that the carcass was processed in a USDA-inspected plant and that it is certified for wholesomeness and food safety, but it does not indicate where the animal was born or raised. These proposed state laws have no way to force the USDA to provide that information to retailers. Without the federal infrastructures and systems in place to actually trace animal’s origins from the ranch, the retailer has no way to provide that information. To require this of local retailers in our state places an unfair and unrealistic burden on our grocery stores. Without the information they need to accurately label the product, many would be forced to label the meat “Imported/origin unlabeled,” which we believe would damage consumer trust and hinder our desire for transparency.

The fact is, these are state laws attempting to dictate federal regulations. Montana Farm Bureau members support Country of Origin Labeling that is compliant with WTO requirements, but these bills do not achieve that aim. Casey Mott, a rancher in Custer, Montana, and a Montana Farm Bureau state director, testified to the Senate Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation Committee in opposition of SB 210 on Feb. 18.

“I oppose this because, like many of the proponents of this bill, I raise cattle and I have the same problems as they do – the low prices, the market concerns, the consumer concerns. But unlike them, I don’t believe that this placarding bill is going to solve our problems,” Mott said. “In fact, I’m afraid it’s going to cause a lot more problems for us,” he continued, noting conversations with grocers concerned with a lack of information and infrastructure to provide that information.

McCone County rancher Wes Jenson agreed. “I do believe this puts undue pressure on the retail industry. It’s putting a requirement on our retailers to identify the origin, which at best would be difficult and most likely impossible. This would result would be a lack of confidence in our product,” Jensen said. Instead, Jensen said he believed that if ranchers want to market their products as Montana-grown, there are abundant opportunities already available to do so at their own initiative. 

“The free market system, I believe, is what has made American great and has made our industry great,” Jensen said. “I feel very strongly that putting the burden of an industry’s issues on the shoulder of the local retailer would be unfair and detrimental. I would ask you please oppose this bill.”

 House Bill 324 was tabled in the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 18. 

House Bill 311: Generally revise bison laws, sponsored by Rep. Marvin Weatherwax (D), HD 15, proposes that a state health certificate, permit or documentation not be required for bison leaving a national park destined for an Indian reservation. House Bill 312: Generally revise bison laws, sponsored by Rep. Marvin Weatherwax (D), HD 15, states that a certification from the state vet is not required if the animal is transferred to a tribal entity to quarantine.

Montana Farm Bureau member policy opposes both of these bills on the premise of disease management. Brucellosis and other zoonotic diseases are a high risk for wildlife, domestic livestock and the public. The Montana Department of Livestock mitigates the spread of this disease, and the state has worked hard to implement systems and practices to control and prevent its spread.

The Department of Livestock has an established quarantine facility near Yellowstone National Park where Park bison are held and tested to ensure they are brucellosis free before they can be transferred to new locations. This quarantine and testing facility is located within the state’s brucellosis Designated Surveillance Area, which is another step to ensure potential cases are not spread or established in new parts of the state. Once the bison passes state testing and quarantine, they are prepared to be transferred to a tribal entity. House Bills 311 and 312 would remove these preventative actions, which raises considerable and reasonable concern for livestock owners.

House Bill 318: Clarify definition of bison, sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Holmlund (R), HD38. Montana Farm Bureau member policy supports.

This bill clarifies that wild bison are defined as those animals that have never been reduced to captivity, have never been subject to per capita fees and have never been owned by a person. These are important clarifications that clear up any ambiguity between wild bison and bison as livestock.

House Bill 302: Require county approval to relocate bison, sponsored by Rep. Joshua Kassmier (R), HD 27. Montana Farm Bureau member policy supports.

This bill allows for additional local input before wild bison are potentially re-located. This proposal again ties back to animal health issues and provides another stop-gap to ensure animals have met the necessary health requirements before entering a new area, or even to completely stop the importation the commission determines a wild herd would not be tolerated in the area. In this case, local elected officials – county commissioners – would have a chance to weigh in on the importation of wild bison to their local jurisdiction, which our members support.

Will Billings Housing Inventory Rebound?

5 March 2021
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Lowell Cooke, Cooke’N Real Estate

Pending Sales Outpace New Listings in January

Same story, different month.  By my count in the Billings MLS, for areas 1-8 (Metro area-not Laurel), 157 homes went under contract in January, while there were only 138 new listings.  This means buyers are snapping up the new listings and buying the existing inventory.  The downward trend in the entire Billings MLS, which includes Red Lodge, Columbus, Bridger, Roundup, etc., reflects a 15.4% decrease in listings taken in January 2021 compared to 2020.  As of this writing, there were 111 active homes on the market in the Billings “Metro” area.  Compared to the entire Billings MLS, the number of homes on the market in January 2021 was 311, while there were 666 homes on the market January 2020, or a whopping 53% decrease.

Billings’ Low Housing Inventory-What Will It Take For It To Stabilize?

Having sold real estate through the disastrous mid 1980’s, where I can remember over 250 HUD repossessed homes on the market and a 30-40% decrease in home values, it seems odd to characterize our low housing inventory as a crisis.  It really isn’t but if you are a first-time buyer or a seller hoping to move up, it is certainly a reason to be frustrated.  I am not sure I can pinpoint a reason for the low inventory, but suffice it to say, if there is nothing to buy, sellers are going to be reluctant to sell.  This can only exacerbate the situation.  The options for a current homeowner considering selling, are to sell and try to find a place to live-say with your kids! Wouldn’t that be a table turner.  The other option would be to build.  I can see an increase in new home construction this year, which would add more existing homes to the inventory.  Problem is, completion is probably 6 months or more down the road.  Increases and shortages in building materials have strung out the completion timelines.  Since sales prices are at an all-time high, living with the kids might not be so bad!  Come on, take one for the team!

Other ways I have seen to add to the housing inventory-death, divorces and foreclosures.  Hopefully, these won’t be the answer to our shortage.

Appreciation, Average Sales Price and Closed $ Volume All Up In January

Now, for the dry stats.  In the entire Billings MLS, the Average Sales Price for homes closed in January was $310,204 compared to $274,569 last January.  The Year over Year, average sales price (average sales price of the total closed volume divided by the total number of sales in the last 12 months) has increased to $293,420 from $268,583, or $24,837 and a 9.25% appreciation rate.  Wow, 9.25% appreciation for the last 12 months!  Closed $ volume for January 2021 was up $5.6 million over last January, with roughly the same number of closed sales 181 this year to 184 last year.

Supreme Court to Consider Gun Case

5 March 2021
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The Supreme Court will soon consider whether to accept New York State Rifle & Pistol Association vs. Cortlett, which challenges New York’s carry laws. One of the legal briefs has the backing of nearly half of the Attorneys General in the US.

In their brief, primarily written by the offices of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Missouri AG Eric Schmitt, the AGs argue that the collective histories of the 23 responding states demonstrates that “subjective-issue handgun permit regimes, such as N.Y. Penal Law §400.00, are unconstitutional because they impose state-created, subjective conditions upon the exercise of a fundamental constitutional right.”

The Amici States emphasize two reasons that this case warrants the Court’s review. First, empirical data and the States’ experience with objective- issue regimes demonstrate that these subjective-issue regimes undermine the very public-safety purposes that they purport to advance. Citizens that receive permits are significantly more law-abiding than the public at large, and studies link objective-issue regimes with decreased murder rates and no rise in other violent crimes. Public safety is also increased at the individual level when citizens carry for selfdefense and respond to a criminal attack with a firearm; these defensive gun uses leave the intended victim unharmed more frequently than any other option and almost never require firing a shot.

ONEOK Reports 4th Quarter

5 March 2021
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ONEOK, Inc. a major Bakken oil company, announced fourth quarter results:Fourth Quarter 2020 Results, Compared With Fourth Quarter 2019:

* 11% increase in operating income to $538.7 million.

* 12% increase in adjusted EBITDA to $742.0 million.

* 24% increase in Rocky Mountain region NGL raw feed throughput volumes.

* 11% increase in Rocky Mountain region natural gas volumes processed.

* $1.04 per MMBtu average fee rate in the natural gas gathering and processing segment.

Full-year 2020 Results, Compared With Full Year 2019:

* Net income of $612.8 million, including $644.9 million of noncash impairment charges.

* 6% increase in adjusted EBITDA to $2,723.7 million.

* 18% increase in Rocky Mountain region NGL raw feed throughput volumes.

* 10% decrease in operating costs.

High Tech, Business Startups Looking Good in 2021

5 March 2021
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Following a booming year in 2019, Montana’s high tech businesses held their own in 2020, according to Christina Henderson, Executive Director of Montana High Tech Business Alliance. “Companies have been able to adapt with remote work,” she said, “which provided for a fast come back” after initial shut downs. The data is still coming in regarding 2020.

In 2019, the state’s high-tech firms grew nine times faster than other sectors and generated a new record of $2.5 billion in revenues, according to a survey conducted by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Bozeman’s Next Frontier Capital reported $150 million in venture capital investment in Montana companies in 2019, also a new record. Another survey will be conducted in 2021.

“In 2020 we identified 600 high tech firms,” said Henderson, adding that in Montana the industry pays twice the median wage at $65,000. Most of the companies are in central and western Montana  — in Bozeman, Missoula and the Flathead Valley. Henderson said, “It will be interesting to see how locations might shift due to the increase in remote work.”

There were a few high tech firms that failed to make it through the COVID business shutdowns, but “most were able to pivot quickly and rebounded.”

“For many tech companies, the shift to working from home or with new workplace safety protocols was smoother than expected. For some firms, growth continued or even accelerated,” said Henderson.

There were some noteworthy events in high tech in Montana in 2020:

 In August, Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT), a veteran-owned firm specializing in counter-drone technology and aerial surveillance systems was acquired by CACI International for $350 million. AVT employs 60 people in Montana and plans to keep its headquarters in Bozeman.

Montana’s robust biotech industry rose to meet the challenges of COVID-19, accelerating advances in virus testing, vaccine development and telemedicine. In July, Missoula-based therapeutics company Inimmune secured $22 million Series A investment from Two Bear Capital in Whitefish, in addition to over $30 million awarded in recent NIH research grants and contracts.

Henderson pointed out that “the new normal” of working from home will bring changes to the workplace culture. It’s a change that could benefit Montana and rural communities in being able to recruit new workers and entice former residents to return home bringing high paying jobs with them.

The reverse could also happen in that companies outside the state could attempt to recruit Montana workers, depleting local talent by offering pay above local market wages.

The New York Times, Bloomberg and Forbes have identified Bozeman, Missoula and Butte as potential zoom towns – zoom towns being “relatively affordable vacation destinations where populations are rising as remote workers relocate.”

A negative factor in the new trend is that “the new influx of residents is also driving up housing costs and adding to the stratifying growing pains of Montana communities.”

Henderson said, “The demand for tech talent in Montana remains strong, but there is a gap between the skills and experience of local workforce and the requirements of available roles…. Leaders in business, education and government will need to collaborate to help Montana’s workforce adapt to a tech-driven economy.”

The shift presents an opportunity for Montana companies to recruit skilled remote Times, Bloomberg and Forbes as zoom towns – relatively affordable vacation destinations where populations are rising as remote workers relocate. Montana’s outdoor amenities and relatively low cost of living have long made it attractive to tech workers, helping to fuel economic growth. But the new influx of residents is also driving up housing costs and adding to the stratifying growing pains of Montana communities. 3) Changing Career Pathways The demand for tech talent in Montana remains strong, but there is a gap between the skills and experience of local workforce and the requirements of available roles. New graduates and displaced workers are often eager to transition into tech jobs, but need support finding career pathways in the field. Leaders in business, education and government will need to collaborate to help Montana’s workforce adapt to a tech-driven economy.

Edible Arrangements Announces Two Montana Locations

5 March 2021
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Edible Arrangements, a specialty store featuring gifts and treats, announced it has signed an agreement for its second location in Montana with a franchise restaurant in Missoula. Plans are already set to open the first store in Billings, which is expected to open in March.

 The team that will manage the new store include Robert Zarbock, Azure Zarbock and Kimberly Schwindt.

 “After working many years as a franchise operator, I was looking for an opportunity to diversify my portfolio and bring a delicious new concept to my hometown,” said Robert Zarbock, a Billings native. “Edible was the perfect brand to partner with as its commitment to constant innovation and strong business model was a great opportunity from an owner’s standpoint. Also, as a huge health-nut the product is simply delicious giving consumers a way to indulge their sweet-tooth in a healthy manner. Azure, Kimberly and I are looking forward to joining the Edible team and extending the brand’s reach into Montana.”

Together the team brings a strong track record of business ownership and management experience to the table as they begin their journey with Edible. Azure and Kimberly will manage and operate the new store alongside Robert as franchise owner and investor. The team plans to hire local employees to help run the Billings Edible store. 

“We are excited that Edible is once again entering the state of Montana. Our strong business model consistently attracts experienced franchise operators like Robert and it is these partners that have helped the brand expand across the nation,” said Patricia Perry, vice president of franchise development at Edible®. “With more than 20 years of franchise experience, I am confident this dynamic team will be successful.”

Edible offers a variety of unique and inventive assortments of freshly made gifts with real fruit and gourmet chocolate. From bouquets to individual grab-and-go treats to bakery items, each product is made fresh and can be picked up in-store or delivered by Edible’s insulated trucks with contact-less delivery through its seamless e-commerce system.