Montana Student Loan Assistance Program Preserves Family Farms and Ranches

College-educated ag producers can apply for up to five years of student loan assistance

HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) 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.

“The Student Loan Assistance Program seeks to help relieve some of the financial stressors that our young farmers and ranchers often face,” said MDA Director Jillien Streit. “When we can encourage or help bring a kid back to the farm, that’s a win for Montana agriculture.”

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(s) from a Montana college or university and have agreed to operate their farm or ranch for at least five years.

Applications are due May 18, 2026, and can be submitted through WebGrants. Full program guidelines are available on the department’s website at agr.mt.gov/Student-Loan-Assistance-Program.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. For more information on department programs and services, visit agr.mt.gov.

–Montana Department of Agriculture