What’s in It for Us?
You are what you eat is a phrase we have all heard and most understand, at some level. Reportedly first used in 1826 by a French attorney and writer Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, it was popularized in the United States in the 1940s by Victor Lindlahr, a physician and author of a book of the same name. It originally referred to the nutrient makeup of the foods in our diets.
Today, however, growing scientific evidence suggests it should include pesticide and herbicide residues, micro- and nanoplastics, and other usually undesirable contaminants on or in the food we eat. With these contaminants showing up in food, how are we supposed to know what to eat to be as healthy as possible?
There is not a single, easy answer, but in July 2025 a group of healthcare professionals and interested individuals gathered in northeastern Montana to learn some of the answers, starting from the root up. Sponsored by Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, the Quinn Institute, Vilicus Farms, Abundant Montana, and Farm-to-Crag, the Northern On-Farm Summit was the first in Montana to bring producers and healthcare professionals together to explore how sustainable and organic farming can foster healthier, climate-resilient crops and communities. After a successful inaugural event, organizers are hard at work planning a subsequent summit for 2026, with more details to be released soon on the Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate website.
Last year’s emphasis was on sustainable agriculture, which 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 mitigate climate change. Organic agriculture, a subset, uses natural methods and avoids synthetic inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers, which harm biodiversity and soil health.
Over two days at the Quinn Institute and Vilicus Farms, participants walked through fields of chemical-free crops, learned about the benefits and barriers to sustainable agriculture, and interacted with peers who shared their ideas and expertise in their respective health disciplines.
The summit started with Josh Poole, Quinn Institute research coordinator, sharing part of the institute’s mission: “To heal the earth by growing food. We try to step away from a yield-centric mindset and focus on quality, nutrition, and health.”
The tour showcased the institute’s practices and fields near Big Sandy, including research on utilizing problematic weeds such as Canadian thistle, no-till vegetable plots, and the propagation of native corn fields and kamut wheat fields. Kamut, an ancient wheat variety, has been around for centuries and exemplifies the institute’s 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.
On the second day participants traveled north of Havre to Vilicus Farms. Enroute they passed fields marked by gray grain stubble, a visual example of heavy glyphosate and chemical use typical of conventional agriculture. At Vilicus Farms, attendees encountered a stark 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 teeming with life, located between 240-foot-wide crop strips, showcasing the farm’s commitment to ecological balance.
All the organizations involved in the summit support a shift toward more sustainable farming practices. Abundant Montana is specifically dedicated to promoting sustainable local food systems in Montana to ensure all Montanans can access healthy, locally grown foods, regardless of the farming methods. (Turn to page 40 to learn more about Abundant Montana’s latest initiative to increase the amount of Montana-grown foods that residents of the state eat.)
Participants 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 the Third Governor’s Summit on Local Food & Agriculture slated for October 23–24 to advance these goals further.
Ultimately, participants deepened their understanding of the answer to why chose locally grown foods: They tend to be fresher and more flavorful, often healthier because they undergo less nutrient degradation and less processing. They support local economies and local businesses and producers. They tend to be safer than foods that mix products from many producers, which are more prone to contamination and harder to trace. They are also more environmentally sustainable, due to lower costs and emissions for transport and, depending on the farming practices used, can improve rather than degrade the environment.
For more information about this year’s Northern On-Farm Summit, visit montanahphc.org/farm-summits.
