Stick to ag as strength, Lewistown officials told

LEWISTOWN — Agriculture was the predominant topic Tuesday as more than 100 Fergus County leaders gathered at the Pine Meadows
Golf Course for the Fergus County Economic Summit.

By BETH BRITTON
Tribune Business Editor

"Agriculture emerges as the primary strength of this area," said Charles Russell, an economist with Hebert Research, the Bellevue,
Wash.-company hired by the Fergus County Port Authority to conduct a study of the county’s economic base.

"The most promising scenario, given your location and current base, is agriculture," Russell said.

Hebert Research President Jim Hebert agreed, pointing to specific value-added ag projects that have worked in other areas of the country.

"A lot of what we’re doing here today is discovering what is here, and we need out-of-the-box thinking," Hebert said.

But Fergus County growth need not be limited to ag, Russell added. "Once you start developing a sound, stable industrial base, it will
serve as a magnet to other business."

Fergus County Port Authority Director Sandy Meeve said the yearlong study was paid for with a $20,000 Rural Business Opportunity
Grant. Hebert Research conducted 200 interviews with a wide range of countywide businesses to gauge the current business environment
and determine the expectations of business owners, she said.

"Economic development is a process that cannot take place in 12 months, and before you can do anything, you need to know where
you’re at," Meeve said.

According to the survey:

21.5 percent of business owners said the area’s scenic beauty is a primary benefit of a Fergus County locale. The region’s position as an
ag center and community support were two other frequent responses.

Attracting new employees and/or industries, expanding job opportunities for young adults, the economy and the drought were the top four
issues business owners listed as facing Fergus County.

63 percent of respondents said they think Fergus County is a better place to live than other counties in Montana.

27.5 percent of businesses surveyed said they expect to increase their number of employees in the next two years. Only 4 percent said
they expected a decrease.

65.5 percent of businesses surveyed said they would support national advertising touting tourism in Fergus County and Lewistown.

35 percent of businesses surveyed said they earn 50 percent or more of their revenue from senior citizens.

47.5 percent of respondents said they would like to see more clothing stores in Fergus County. Almost 15 percent said they would like to
see Wal-Mart come to town.

There was broad support for promoting Fergus County as a center for agricultural production and as a retirement community.

Now that the survey has been completed and the results are in the hands of community leaders, Meeve said that it is time to come
together and create a plan for the future.

"My number one desire for the summit was that the community would work together; if we don’t pull together as a group, we will lose it,"
Meeve said.

Participants seem ready to take action.

"I just hope we can get some new ideas out of this, ideas that will help us expand and grow a better economy," Fergus County
Commissioner Carl Seilstad said.

The drought is an issue that keeps coming up, but Seilstad said he wants to see the county expand its economy now instead of waiting
for drought conditions to improve.

Moore Mayor Gary Greenwood said one goal for the county should be to keep family farms and schools viable while helping the existing
industries succeed and expand.

"We really need to hold the businesses that we have," Greenwood said. "And we’re not alone in that."

Gov. Judy Martz praised Lewistown’s leaders for making the move to improve the regional economy.

"With people sticking their necks out and taking a chance, we will make a difference in this economy, but none of it works unless a
community pulls the chair up and buys into it."

Eddie’s Corner owner Joe Bauman said he attended Tuesday’s summit to learn more about the rail issue and how the region can expand
its agricultural base.

"We all know the trends in agriculture — there are fewer and fewer of those jobs," Bauman said. "Industrial-type jobs will have to be
created."

For Dick Krott, the executive director of the Helena-based Rocky Mountain Trade Corridor, the future for Lewistown businesses, and
businesses throughout Montana, lies out of state. Krott’s organization works with businesses to get goods across both the Canadian and
Mexican borders.

"There’s a market of more than 4 million people just a few hours to the north," Krott said. "If you don’t get in the game you’ll dry up and
blow away. Don’t sit around a table and study it anymore. Go out and do it."

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