Montana State University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction

The American Indian Hall (AIH) is the first building in the state of Montana to be certified LEED Platinum under LEED version 4.1. It is the pinnacle of sustainable design and represents the integration of modern building design with Native American values, traditional ecological knowledge, and practices. AIH is designed to provide a place for Native American and Alaska Native students to feel at home while at MSU, as well as educate the community about Native American cultures. The interior includes Native American art, design and furnishings crafted from trees recycled on site to make room for the building. The building is surrounded by gardens and indigenous and medicinal plants, which were planted by MSU Native American staff and students and provide research opportunities for students. The building is heated and cooled by 24 geothermal wells and produces up to 62 kilowatts of solar energy through photovoltaic panels.

The Indigenous learning garden at AIH is tended by students, faculty, and staff, who are a part of the Montana Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative (MIFSI). MIFSI is a 501c-3non-profit intertribal collaboration of indigenous young professionals and elder-mentors. MIFSI is part of the Buffalo Nations Food System Initiative (BNFSI), and their mission is to collaborate with people across the state on local, regenerative, and culturally specific food systems that aim to protect, cultivate, distribute, and increase access to Indigenous foods through the exchange of knowledge, skills, and equipment.

Montana State University, in partnership with the City of Bozeman Solid Waste Division annually diverts more than 500,000 lbs of food waste from campus dining halls and kitchens from the landfill to become compost. The program began as a small research pilot with pre-consumer waste from the catering kitchens. The compost pilot diverted 32,000 lbs of food waste each year. The compost pilot served several graduate student research projects and provided an opportunity for the City of Bozeman to pilot a compost program before scaling their operation. The Compost partnership between MSU and the City of Bozeman allows MSU to host zero-waste events, emphasizes the importance of minimizing food waste in our dining halls and keeps organic material out of the landfill.

The Montana State University Culinary Services is an award winning team of staff. The Culinary Services team works to provide 10,000 meals every day in an environmentally friendly and inclusive way. The following programs are just a few examples of the exceptional initiatives taking place at MSU Culinary Services.

One of the most thoughtful things that Culinary Services does is host holiday and local celebration meals. Each October, Culinary Services hosts a Farm to Campus Dinner where nearly all of their local vendors, over 100 different Montana vendors, are featured during a delicious fall harvest meal. The vendors are invited to serve samples of their foods in our decorative farmers market display and see where their foods are served to thousands of MSU students daily. Additionally, on Oct. 10, the Culinary Services team prepares a special meal for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Edible landscaping across campus also works to support MSU’s Indigenous foods efforts.

Culinary Services doesn’t just feed students, they also share meaningful partnerships with the MSU and Bozeman community. Each year, they partner directly with the College of Agriculture to source student raised beef through the Steer A Year program. Private ranchers donate steers, and in return students from several courses conduct genetic testing and collect data on feeding, finishing and carcass grading to propose best practices. Each year the beef from 30 steers are served in the dining halls. Culinary Services also partners with the College of Agriculture to serve lamb raised by students. Agriculture Students manage the Red Bluff Ranch ewe flock, learn about proper nutrition, reproduction, economics, and health related to efficient sheep production, then, the lamb is served in the dining halls as a delicious and culturally authentic cuisine.

Culinary Services helps MSU fulfill part of its land grant mission by supporting agriculturalists and local food vendors throughout the state. Each summer the culinary staff travels to County Fairs located across the state to bid on pigs and goats raised by local 4-H and FFA members. They have supported over 100 young producers. Each fall, a Livestock Appreciation Dinner is hosted to celebrate MSU partnerships.

The MSU Culinary Services team also works with the Food Product Development Lab. The lab is made up of a group of MSU undergraduate and graduate students studying Food Science, who work with local food vendors on product development to improve the quality of their items. The lab offers the potential for Montana businesses to craft the highest quality foods, with the support of high-tech lab equipment.

While more information on local foods, food waste, and other sustainable dining practices can be found in other STARS credits, Culinary Services is a vital part of our campus operations that deserves to be recognized for their outstanding sustainability initiatives and partnerships.