Intersections of Farming, Climate, and Health: Health Care Professionals Learn How to Promote “Food as Medicine”
Big Sandy & Havre, Montana – July 12th, 2025
Photos by: Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate
In the small farming community in southeast Montana, Big Sandy, healthcare professionals, farmers, and community members gathered on July 12th, 2025, for the first day of a two-day summit. Hosted by the Quinn Institute, Vilicus Farms, Abundant Montana, Farm to Crag, and Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, the event explored how sustainable and organic farming can foster healthier, climate-resilient communities. Sustainable agriculture aims to produce food in ways that are environmentally friendly, economically sustainable, and socially responsible. Sustainable farming can enhance soil health, save water resources, protect biodiversity, and help fight climate change. Organic agriculture, a subset, uses natural methods and avoids synthetic inputs like pesticides and fertilizers, which harm biodiversity and soil health.
Day One: Experiencing Regenerative Agriculture
The summit began with a three-hour tour of the Quinn Institute’s fields, led by their staff. The Quinn Institute, a rural-based research and education organization in Big Sandy, focuses on regenerative organic agriculture in the short grass prairie ecoregion of the Northern Great Plains. Josh Poole, Research Coordinator, shared part of their mission: “To heal the earth by growing food.” Unlike conventional agriculture, the institute, “We try to step away from a yield-centric mindset and focus on quality, nutrition, and health,” Poole explained.The tour showcased the institute’s practices and fields, including native corn fields, a no-till vegetable plot, and research on utilizing problematic weeds (Canadian thistle), alongside their Khmut khorasan wheat fields. Khmut, an ancient wheat variety, has been around for centuries and exemplifies its commitment to nutrient-dense, organic production. Discussions during the tour showcased how regenerative practices, minimizing soil disturbance, avoiding synthetic herbicides and pesticides, and fostering healthy ecosystems, benefit human health, the climate, and local biodiversity.
Poole highlighted the broader impacts of their work, rooted in food as medicine principles, “We hope to make a dent in alleviating the burden of chronic disease. The food-as-medicine movement often focuses on consumer choices, but we feel the farmer-producer side is being left out of that conversation.” He explained that the way food is grown and processed significantly impacts its nutritional value. For example, white flour production strips away the nutrient-rich bran and germ, resulting in a loss of up to 30% of nutrients. In contrast, the Quinn Institute’s four-step process that they utilize: selecting high-quality seeds, planting in healthy soil, harvesting at peak ripeness, and minimizing processing, ensures maximum nutritional retention.
Day one ended with a catered dinner from Farm to Crag. Farm to Crag is a nonprofit that focuses on encouraging food choices that create healthier climbers, thriving communities, and climate-resilient soils as a response to climate change. Executive Director and Physical Therapist, Esther Smith, is a health care professional who played a key role in planning this event. Smith shares, “At its core, health begins with the land and our climate. When we nourish our soils through chemical-free, regenerative practices, we cultivate nutrient-dense food that supports human health. That health, in turn, ripples outward, strengthening families, communities, and our environment.”
Day Two: Vilicus Farms and Financial Health
On the second day, participants traveled north of Havre, Montana, to Vilicus Farms. On the way there, participants passed fields of conventional agriculture marked by gray grain stubble, a visual example of heavy glyphosate and chemical use. Upon arriving at Vilicus Farms, attendees encountered a contrast: an organic dryland farm founded in 2009 by Anna and Doug Crabtree. Starting with just over 1,200 acres of Northern Great Plains prairie, the Crabtrees now steward nearly 12,000 acres, focusing on soil health, carbon capture, and biodiversity. Participants stood in a vibrant field of flax that had just finished blooming and explored pollinator strips filled with life, between 240-foot-wide crop strips, showcasing the farm’s commitment to ecological balance.
Anna’s presentation centered on the importance of financial health in organic regenerative agriculture. She drew this analogy: “You know you’re healthy if your blood is flowing without blockages; it’s the same with financial health.” She emphasized that farms like Vilicus need systems that ensure economic reciprocity, where value stays within the community rather than flowing out. “We need to move from the idea that agriculture is a lifestyle to a livelihood,” Anna said, advocating for investments in ecological health to support farmers’ financial stability. Vilicus Farms is currently working to establish a nonprofit institute to share its experiences, with a mission to “reimagine the relationship between agriculture, ecology, and economics on the Northern Great Plains.”
Anna also discussed the challenges of transitioning land to organic production, noting the mandatory three-year period before crops can be sold as organic. “It’s like rehabilitating a person after drug use or injury, it takes time.” Soils degraded by years of chemical applications often struggle to support diverse crops like broadleaves and forbs for pollinator habitats, as residual herbicides can persist in the ground. “When we took over this farm in 2017, it was in that gray, chemical-heavy state. Restoration doesn’t happen overnight,” she added, highlighting the patience and investment required for ecological recovery.
Aubondant Montana, a statewide nonprofit organization, is dedicated to promoting sustainable local food systems in Montana. Their mission is to ensure all Montanans can access healthy, locally grown foods. Coming in to address the decline of regional food production ( from 70% in 1950 to 3% today). At this summit, staff discussed their 33 x 33 concept, which states that 1/3rd of the food that Montanans eat will be grown in Montana by 2033.
Reactions and Cross-Disciplinary Connections
The summit fostered vibrant cross-disciplinary conversations, which Poole described as “very fun and inspiring.” On day two, Poole, now a participant, shared that Anna’s analogy ignited a new perspective for farming. Anna shared that “In a healthy person, you need blood flow to all parts of the body. In farming, you also need that flow, especially financially. When value flows out of farms and doesn’t come back, it creates necrotic” highlighting the need for systems that retain economic value in our local communities.”
Lori Byron, chairperson for Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, shared a pivotal experience that shaped her commitment to regenerative agriculture and gave her inspiration for planning this event. A few years ago, after watching the documentary 2040 at midnight while living in rural Eastern Montana, she ventured into a conventionally farmed field and dug 18 inches into the soil. “The soil was utterly sterile—no bugs, no fungi, no clumps of dirt. There was nothing,” she recounted. This realization that conventional farming’s reliance on herbicides, pesticides, and fossil fuel-based fertilizers sterilizes the soil has shaped her belief that food grown in such conditions cannot be good for human health.
Another powerful moment came from Crystal Manual, a local rancher, who shared her experience of getting a diagnosis of Graves’ disease and managing it through nutrition, eating large amounts of cabbage instead of surgically removing her thyroid, which would have required lifelong medication. A doctor in attendance apologized, saying, “We totally failed you as a person,” noting her initial misdiagnosis with asthma and the lack of thorough questioning. This exchange sparked frustration among attendees, further revealing the gaps in healthcare and the potential of food as medicine approaches.
Anna particularly valued the presence of Dr. Rivard, an emergency room doctor and co-founder of Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, which invests in organic farmers. “When he started that company in 2007, connecting food, agriculture, and medicine was unheard of,” Anna noted. “Watching him share his story with other medical professionals was really awesome.” Another participant, a physician assistant from a farming family, exemplified the summit’s impact. She sought to integrate food-as-medicine principles into her practice and left with new ideas on how to help her family make their food healthier.
Andrew, a participant from the Rocky Boy Reservation, also left a lasting impression. Both Josh and Anna appreciated his perspective, with Anna noting, “We’re not the first ones; other populations have been doing this work for much longer. We’re just using different languages now.” His proposal for a foraging walk to explore local medicinal plants: “organic, not sprayed, available in your own backyard” resonated with attendees, emphasizing collaboration across communities facing climate challenges. Anna’s reflections on food as medicine tied directly to the summit’s goals: “It starts with how we grow food and the intention behind it. Soil has a microbiome, just like your body. We need to collaborate with nature’s systems and listen to what our land and bodies need.” This perspective reinforced the interconnectedness of soil health, human health, and ecological balance.
Addressing Food Access Challenges
Poole expressed frustration at the disconnect between the high-quality crops grown in Big Sandy and the processed foods dominating local grocery stores, including those on the Rocky Boy Reservation. “You’re a plant nerd, excited about all this high-quality stuff growing in the fields, and then you go to the store and it’s devoid of that value. It’s pretty ethically wrong,” he said. In rural and reservation communities, access to fresh produce is often limited, with stores relying on highly processed foods or reselling produce purchased at retail prices from places like Walmart.
To combat this, the Quinn Institute is exploring options to empower local farmers and communities. One initiative involves exploring the establishment of a small-scale cleaning plant so farmers and residents of the Rocky Boy Reservation can process their own wheat locally, bypassing industrial blending that dilutes nutritional value. “Farmers used to eat their own wheat, but now it’s shipped away and comes back blended,” Poole explained. A tabletop mill could allow farmers to grind their own flour, but cleaning the grain (removing chaff, weed seeds, and debris) remains a challenge. A local cleaning plant could make this process accessible, with potential to expand the practice across the Highline region.
Rocky Boy Reservation: Supporting Food Sovereignty
The Quinn Institute’s collaboration with the Rocky Boy Reservation is a cornerstone of their mission. Bob Quinn, founder of the institute, has worked with the reservation for years, helping convert 500 acres to organic production for growing Khmut wheat. The reservation now has its own flour mill, allowing it to process Khmut locally and retain its nutritional and economic value. An ongoing project includes acquiring a pasta machine to produce their own pasta, further enhancing self-sufficiency.
The institute also runs a gardening program on the reservation, themed “Plant Your Own Pizza” this year. The program, running from March to October or November, teaches participants to grow their own tomatoes, peppers, onions, and basil. In the first session, 90 people attended, far exceeding the expected 20, demonstrating the community interest. Participants received tomato and pepper transplants to grow at home, along with ongoing guidance on garden maintenance. “It’s exciting to see that level of interest,” Poole said, acknowledging the cultural complexities of the work. “There’s a stereotype that reservation communities will teach us everything about plants, but much of that knowledge was stolen or exterminated. It can feel weird to be teaching gardening, but it’s also exciting to see people want to grow their own food.”
The lack of consistent access to fresh fruits and vegetables on the reservation underscores the importance of these initiatives. The Rocky Boy Reservation is a food desert and faces food insecurity. Many residents rely on a general store with limited produce or travel to buy overpriced goods. The gardening program empowers participants to grow and share their own food, fostering both health and community resilience.
Key Takeaway for Healthcare Providers
The summit’s core message, as articulated by Josh Poole, was clear: “Healthy soil and healthy farms make healthy people.” Lori Byron, chairperson for Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, encapsulated this interconnectedness, stating, “We come from the earth, we return to the earth, and the earth sustains us with food for our entire lives.” This perspective showcases the vital link between regenerative, organic agriculture and human health, urging healthcare professionals to advocate for sustainable food systems.
Healthcare professionals left with actionable steps to support organic and sustainable farming: writing letters to grocery stores to request local, organic food; supporting community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs; advocating to legislators for policies that support farmers; ensuring local food guides are available in every health clinic; encouraging patients to eat seasonal foods; and helping farmers take pride in their regenerative work. Attendees were also encouraged to participate in Abundant Montana’s upcoming conference in Fall 2026, titled “33/33: Increase Local Food by 33%,” to advance these goals further.
Anna emphasized the event’s success in fostering human connections: “We had over 50 people, including our farm crew, all engaged and supportive of organic agriculture. It starts with individual humans, not just large-scale change.” The summit sold out far beyond the anticipated 20 tickets, with Poole expressing deep gratitude: “I don’t think we had a single participant who was quiet the whole time. It was an ongoing discussion through all the farm tours and presentations.” The overwhelming turnout and active participation underscored the growing interest in bridging agriculture and health, offering a model for addressing chronic disease, food access challenges, and climate resilience through sustainable, community-driven solutions.
About the Author
Melody Irvine, Media Coordinator, Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate
Additional Resources
Apply Now: American Climate Leadership Awards 2026
Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report 2023