Billings Gazette – BILLINGS, Mont.,

Billings-based All American Pharmaceutical and Natural Foods Corp. has received a $170,000 state grant to help pay for equipment upgrades as it expands into new markets.

The grant to All American was among $1 million awarded to Montana companies from the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund.

Gov. Steve Bullock and Meg O’Leary, director of the Montana Department of Commerce, announced the grants Wednesday.

All American, which manufactures and markets nutritional supplements, has operated out of the former Kmart building in the Billings Heights since 2006. The business has experienced steady growth, and last year it received authorization to sell baby formula in China.

Chinese authorities have turned to imported sources of baby formula in the wake of a 2008 scandal in which Chinese infant formula was contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine, according to Jeff Golini, owner.

All American’s expansion will result in the creation of 34 jobs. Big Sky Economic Development Corp. of Yellowstone County assisted All American in the grant application.

O’Leary said the grants will lead to the creation of 139 jobs.

The 2005 Legislature created the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund by transferring $20 million from the Coal Severance Tax Permanent Trust Fund. Grant awards are made from interest generated by the trust fund.

Other grants in the latest round of funding were:

Missoula County, $547,500 to LGT Sustainable Energy Systems Inc. in Lolo, for a renewable energy project.

City of Hamilton, $240,000 to Applied Training Resources Inc., to purchase a new building.

The following planning grants were awarded:

$26,250 to Prospera Business Network to assist Oracle Film Group of Bozeman for a feasibility study on the possibility of opening an animation feature film studio in southwestern Montana.

$26,250 to Bear Paw Development to assist the Port of Wild Horse in Havre to study the feasibility of converting the port to an international port of entry.

$4,750 to Prospera Business Network to assist Montana Maltings to study the feasibility of building a malt house in Manhattan.

$26,250 to Prospera Business Network to assist the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce for studying two Targeted Economic Development Districts in Big Sky.