Farmers test gluten-free grain market

With a second grant in hand, a new cooperative is testing the market for a specialty crop to grow on the Hi-Line and elsewhere in Montana.

Members of the Great Northern Growers Cooperative are raising gluten-free grains developed by Montana State University-Bozeman, and are commissioning a study to find out how marketable the grain is. The cooperative plans to market the grain to people with medical conditions that require a diet free of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

"We're extremely excited about the project," said co-op member Gary Iverson of Sunburst.

The cooperative, wh...