Native American Made In Montana logo available

By Lailani Upham

HELENA — Enrolled members of tribes in Montana who currently live in the state may be eligible to use a new Native American Made in Montana (NAMiM) logo.

Eligibility requires an individual to be enrolled (including Little Shell) and to produce a finished product or serve that is created, made and produced in Montana, resulting an added value of 50 percent or more.

The original Made in Montana Program is part of the International Trade and Relations Bureau in the Business Resources Division of the Montana Department of Commerce. The goal is to assist Montana businesses in developing and marketing their products, not only in Montana, but nationally and worldwide.

The program has recently expanded to include the Native American Made in Montana logo.

The benefits enrolled tribal members can gain from registering their product to use the logo are: advertising and promotional campaign, online product directory or participating members, Sponsorship of the annual Made in Montana Marketplace, and help in a trade show assistance program.

The online product directory is a website that provides members a ‘place’ to market their products not only in Montana but worldwide. The listings for the product include descriptions, photos, contact information and a link to the company website if applicable.

The advertising and/or promotional campaign for a product includes billboards, certain magazine and newspaper ads, and building murals that are placed in-state and out-of-state to encourage buyers to choose Made in Montana products by searching for products with the logo and searching the website.

A sponsorship of the annual Made in Montana Marketplace by consultation on financing for the trade show held in Great Falls every spring. The trade show is known as a premier marketplace for Montana buyers and sellers to meet.

According to the Montana Department of Commerce there are over 1500 program participants that produce Montana products all the way from food and beverage producers to vehicle and machinery parts fabricators; software and online management companies to log home builders; fine artists to homey crafts makers; canvas tent makers to emergency rescue blanket manufacturers to name a few.

Montana Department of Commerce would like to point out that the program is not a certification program for companies but rather for their products.

For more information on registering a Made in Montana, Grown in Montana, or Native American Made in Montana logo, please call, (406) 841-2757, or visit the website at www.madeinmontanausa.com.