State officials tour mushroom farm; new labor force numbers

Director Christy Clark and Montana Department of Agriculture representatives met Thursday with SporeAttic, a gourmet mushroom farm in Bozeman, as part of a tour on the state’s agricultural diversity.

SporeAttic came to market in October of 2020. In the past three years, founder and owner Ben Deuling has become known for gourmet specialty mushrooms.

Just a year after running the farm, SporeAttic was producing and selling up to 500 pounds of mushrooms a week to local chefs, grocery stores and at farmer’s markets.

With focuses on efficiency, staff and expansion, they have been able to produce nearly 1,000 pounds of mushrooms a week that are delivered to customers around the Bozeman and Big Sky area, according to a news release from the Montana Department of Agriculture.

“Mushroom farming is a very DIY (do it yourself) venture,” said Deuling. “We have been able to build an amazing community here in Bozeman that is so supportive which has encouraged our expansion.”

SporeAttic partnered with Three Hearts Farm to build their mushroom cultivation facility that has been crucial to their success.

Clark spoke with Deuling about future expansion plans, current bottlenecks and the local appetite for these specialty gourmet mushrooms.

Clark said she is consistently impressed with the ag innovation across Montana.

“From mushroom farmers to large conventional operations, Montana has a diverse agricultural ecosystem, and our producers of all kinds continue to push the envelope,” she said.

Gov. Greg Gianforte and Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, said Friday the state’s total employment and labor force grew in the month of November, setting new state records for both, according to data compiled by state and by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Montana’s total employment grew by nearly 580 jobs, with more than 563,000 Montanans working. Since Gianforte took office in January 2021, more than 41,000 jobs have been created in Montana, his staff said.

Montana’s labor force grew by more than 1,400 workers in November, adding more than 11,000 workers since the start of the year.

Labor force growth slightly outpaced growth in total employment in November, leading to an increase in the state’s unemployment rate to 3.0%, up from 2.8% in October, state officials said. It marks the first month in two years that Montana’s unemployment rate reached 3.0%.

The state’s unemployment rate remained below 3.0% for the 24 months between November 2021 and October 2023.

The national unemployment rate in November was 3.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Lewis and Clark County’s unemployment rate for November was 2.6%, with current employment of 38,938, up 938 from 2022, according to information provided by the state. Broadwater County’s rate was 3.3%, with current employment of 2,835, an increase of 112 from 2022. Cascade County had 2.9% unemployment, with current employment of  39,073 and 619 more jobs than 2022. Jefferson County had a rate of 3%, with current employment of 6,155, an increase of 140 from the year before.

Meagher County had a 3% unemployment rate, with current employment of 998, an increase of 16 from the year before. And Powell County had an unemployment rate of 2.9% for November, with current employment of 3,309, an increase of 158 from 2022.

“More Montanans are working now than ever before, and the size of our labor force continues to set new records,” Gianforte said in a news release. “These positive trends continue for hardworking Montanans and employers alike.”

Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen said Friday there were 4,400 new business registrations filed with the state in November, up from about 4,000 in 2022, according to the Montana Business Economic Report.

Montana has had record new business registrations in each of the past two years, with more than 53,000 new businesses registering with the Secretary of State’s Office last year, Jacobsen said in an email. 

Through the first 11 months in 2023, some 54,000 new business registrations had been filed in Montana, meaning the state is on pace to again set a record in new business registrations.

“Montana businesses begin their journey by registering with our office and we’re honored to serve them along the way,” said Secretary Jacobsen.

She said that in recent years, Montana has been ranked the No. 1 state to start a new small business, and her office has eliminated some fees, looking for ways to reduce red tape and eliminate government deterrents.