The Montana Department of Agriculture’s Student Loan Assistance Program is now accepting applications. Established during the 2019 legislative session, this program provides student loan assistance to Montana’s college-educated youth pursuing careers in farming or ranching.
“Any time we can keep a family ranch in family hands, that’s a win for Montana agriculture,” said MDA Director Christy Clark. “The Student Loan Assistance Program aims to relieve some of the financial stress facing our young producers so that they can focus their energies on raising some of the world’s best ag products and carrying on Montana’s agricultural heritage.”
Qualified farmers and ranchers are eligible for student loan assistance through the program for up to five years. Applicants must be a Montana resident designated as the primary owner, heir, successor or assignee of a farm or ranch in Montana that obtained their associated or baccalaureate degree from a Montana college or university and have agreed to operate their farm or ranch for at least five years.
Applications are due May 23, 2022, and can be submitted through Amplifund at https://bit.ly/3xn2HTK. Full program guidelines are available on the department’s website at agr.mt.gov/Student-Loan-Assistance-Program.
