Co-op development center gets large federal grant

The Montana Cooperative Development Center will celebrate the award of a $291,652 grant with an awards ceremony Tuesday.

The award is the second large grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program. Last year Rural Development gave the center $299,400 in a joint grant with the Mission Mountain Cooperative Development Center in Ronan.

State Sen. Greg Jergeson pushed a five-year funding bill through the Legislature several years ago. The funding, $65,000 a year, expires this year. Future state funding will be up to the 2003 Legislature.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a...