The Sustainable Agriculture program and the Sustainable Energy program form the backbone of AERO. AERO's approach to program development is grounded in the conviction that communities are the best place to create the kind of change we envision. We believe, and our programs reflect that the best way to affect change is by empowering people in their own communities, to work towards sustainable solutions.

Current Sustainable Agriculture projects include promotion of local food production and consumption, indlucing the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign, the publication and distribution of the Abundant Montana directory, the support through grants of community projects across the state which are working to increase awareness of local foods, and to expand local markets, and the recent publication of a manual on how to start a local Farmer's Market.

Other projects include hosting Farm and Ranch tours across the state. Our intent with the tours is for farmers to get to talk with one another, network, and build on their capacity and leadership abilities as presenters; and to recognize their outstanding contributions to Montana's sustainable agriculture community. AERO also partnerships with educational and governmental organizations to conduct training workshops on organic agriculture and production systems.

Finally, AERO is a partner in the Montana policy coalition "Grow Montana" which was formed to remove the policy barriers to the processing, distribution and trade of local and Montana-grown food for local and regional markets.