Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 216
Bozeman —The Montana State University Pesticide Education Program, with assistance from the Montana Department of Agriculture, is offering a pest management tour for pesticide applicators at 10 locations across eastern Montana from Oct. 4-8. Those in the state’s Private Applicator Training District 4 need to earn six private applicator credits before Dec. 31 to avoid losing their certification, according to MSU Extension Pesticide Education Specialist Cecil Tharp. District 4 includes Carter, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, McC...
Bozeman —The Montana State University Pesticide Education Program, with assistance from the Montana Department of Agriculture, is offering a pest management tour for pesticide applicators at 10 locations across eastern Montana from Oct. 4-8. Those in the state’s Private Applicator Training District 4 need to earn six private applicator credits before Dec. 31 to avoid losing their certification, according to MSU Extension Pesticide Education Specialist Cecil Tharp. District 4 includes Carter, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, McC...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension has a new, free, color booklet available about identifying and managing pests and problems in ornamental trees and shrubs in Montana. The 240-page guide is intended to help MSU Extension agents, arborists and those in nursery and landscape trades identify and diagnose tree and shrub issues and to help with decisions for treatment based on integrated pest management concepts. “The first step in an (integrated pest management) approach is to correctly identify pests to determine how best to manage them...
Bozeman - Due to the extended drought in Montana, water availability in many areas has become severely limited. Reservoirs have dried up and are becoming covered in weeds. Montana State University Extension educators are cautioning livestock managers to evaluate weed feed and grazing land for nitrate toxicity during drought. "Due to the severe drought, weeds have become prevalent across pastures and many producers are limited in their cattle movement this year," said Custer County Extension Agen...
Bozeman - The Montana State University College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station have announced the dates for their annual agricultural field days, which will return as in-person events after being hosted virtually in 2020. “We are so excited to be bringing back our in-person field days this year,” said Darrin Boss, Department of Research Centers head and Northern Agricultural Research Center superintendent. “These events are always a highlight for all of us, because they offer one of our best chances to meet with...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension in Pondera County and Purdue Extension-Bartholomew County will offer a webinar series this month to help improve agricultural storytelling and communication skills. Adriane Good, MSU Extension agent in Pondera County, and Cora Carter, Purdue Extension educator in Bartholomew County, coordinated the series. “We noticed that many agricultural producers want to engage with the public and share their story but have difficulties doing so. This series aims to help producers with skills to communicate eff...
Bozeman — Ranchers wanting to hone their grazing management skills are encouraged to register for this year’s 406 Grazing Academy. The three-day, hands-on workshop is offered cooperatively by the Rangeland Resources Program in the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana State University Extension and MSU’s Dan Scott Ranch Management Program in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences in the College of Agriculture. Participants in the workshop will gain practical information designed to help make strategic decisions...
Bozeman - Montana Council on Economic Education, a partner program with Montana State University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics, recently recognized student teams from high schools around the state for their success in an annual business simulation game designed to promote financial literacy and business sense. The Big Sky Biz Sim by First Interstate Bank, which ran from early February through last week, is an in-class business simulation in which students make operating decisions for a business they devise to produce, s...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension will host a new series of meetings across the state geared toward comprehensive education on drought and its implications for Montana agriculture. The meetings are free and open to the public, no registration required. The series will begin on April 26 with a meeting in Sidney, and sessions will also take place in Miles City, Havre, Lewistown and Dillon. The first meeting in Sidney will also be live streamed via Webex. All in-person meetings will follow social distancing guidelines. The meetings a...
Bozeman - Montana State University Extension, in partnership with the MSU Alumni Foundation, will offer a five-part webinar series on estate and legacy planning. Thoughtful Thursdays will run from 10-11 a.m. beginning April 15-May 15. In the first session, viewers will learn how to pass property without probate while saving more money for their heirs. The Montana Legislature has provided payable-on-death designations, transfer-on-death registrations and transfer-on-death deeds, and according to Emily Standley, MSU Extension Fergus/Petroleum...
Bozeman - Montana State University Extension, in partnership with the MSU Alumni Foundation, will offer a five-part webinar series on estate and legacy planning. Thoughtful Thursdays will run from 10-11 a.m. beginning April 15-May 15. In the first session, viewers will learn how to pass property without probate while saving more money for their heirs. The Montana Legislature has provided payable-on-death designations, transfer-on-death registrations and transfer-on-death deeds, and according to Emily Standley, MSU Extension Fergus/Petroleum...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension recently published six new MontGuides covering a variety of topics to provide unbiased information for Montanans. As part of their outreach efforts, MSU Extension specialists and agents write MontGuides with information gathered during their research and outreach work throughout the year. The fact sheets are designed for all Montanans, including agricultural producers, home gardeners, families, landowners and other groups. New and existing MontGuides are located online at store.msuextension.org, w...
Bozeman - A statewide survey conducted by Montana State University researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic determined that food security — or having consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life — has decreased substantially among Montanans. At the same time, anxiety and other feelings of mental distress are on the rise. The survey results, released in December under the title “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Health of Montanans,” include the responses of 1,944 participants between April and September 2020. The research receive...
BOZEMAN – While ranchers were allowed to begin rerecording their Montana brands on Jan. 1, Montana State University Extension recommends they wait until reading its updated MontGuide on the topic. "Livestock Brands in Montana: An Important Component of an Estate Plan" can be found at https://store.msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT201805HR.pdf. Printed copies are available from county or reservation Extension offices. When a brand's owner dies, a key factor in determining...
BOZEMAN – Registration is now open for the 2021 Montana’s Next Generation Conference, which will take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning Tuesday, Jan. 12. The event is hosted by Montana State University Extension, Farm Service Agency, NACDC Financial Services, Marias River Livestock Association and the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. The conference will have all sessions broadcast and accessible for free online. Registration for the conference can be completed at mtnextgen.com. This year’s conference will cover crops, lives...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension has recently published free information about transfer on death deeds, or TODDs, which allow Montanans to give real property to loved ones without going through a probate process. Since Oct. 1, 2019, Montana residents have been able to file a TODD on real property, according to MSU Extension educators. Prior to that date, a beneficiary deed was used for this purpose. Beneficiary deeds filed prior to this date are still effective upon death. “With a TODD you can gift your Montana real property to a de...
Bozeman - Montana State University Extension agents, staff and supporters from across Montana recently received awards during Extension's virtual annual conference. Marc King, MSU Sweet Grass County Extension agent, received the 2020 Silver Buffalo Award in recognition of 26 years of exceptional service. The award, given by Montana's Joint Council of Extension Professionals, is MSU Extension's highest honor. King is known as a well-respected member of the Montana agricultural community and his...
Bozeman - An interdisciplinary Montana State University research team received a $944,000 National Science Foundation grant to study the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers and their impact on soil health and water quality, with a focus on central Montana. The goal of the project is to create a more complete picture of exactly how nitrogen moves through soil and groundwater systems using sensors embedded in the ground at various research sites, according to Stephanie Ewing, MSU's Department of La...
Bozeman — The 2020 Montana and Wyoming Malt Barley and Sugar Beet Symposium has been canceled due to COVID concerns. In its place, educational webinars will be offered at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, and Thursday, Jan. 14. The webinars are hosted by the Mountain States Crop Education Association, or MSCEA, which comprises agriculture industry representatives as well as Montana State University Extension faculty members. The webinar presentations on Jan. 13 will focus on malt barley topics. Howard Neibling, University of Idaho Extension water m...
Bozeman - Montana State University's Steer-A-Year program is seeking financial support as well as donations of steers and feed for the 2020-21 academic year. A student program in the MSU College of Agriculture, Steer-A-Year focuses on teaching students every element of the cattle management industry through hands-on experience feeding and managing cattle during the fall and spring semesters. Students care for the cattle through the winter and spring, collect data including feed efficiency and...
Bozeman - Celebrate Agriculture, an annual weekend-long event held each year by Montana State University’s College of Agriculture, has been scheduled to take place virtually Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14. The weekend, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019, will include many of the same elements as an in-person event, as well as some new virtual programming. Scholarship winners and donors will be honored, as will past recipients of the college’s Outstanding Agricultural Leader award, which has recognized more than 80 people sinc...
Bozeman - Montana State University Extension, in conjunction with Oregon State University, will offer a new agriculture business development course on direct marketing meat. The Western Meat School, Montana Edition, is an online or hybrid learning experience for farmers, ranchers, butchers and others. The six-week course will meet on Wednesday evenings beginning Nov. 4. It will cover key topics in production, processing and marketing to produce high-quality meat and then sell it to diverse market channels. It is not a processing or butchering...
Bozeman - Celebrate Agriculture, an annual weekend-long event held each year by Montana State University’s College of Agriculture, has been scheduled to take place virtually Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14. The weekend, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019, will include many of the same elements as an in-person event, as well as some new virtual programming. Scholarship winners and donors will be honored, as will past recipients of the college’s Outstanding Agricultural Leader award, which has recognized more than 80 people sinc...
Bozeman - Montana State University Extension has published free guidance on Montana Medical Care Savings Accounts, or MSAs. Extension has updated the MontGuide “Montana Medical Care Savings Accounts (MSAs) for the 2020 Tax Year” and is available at http://msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT199817HR. pdf. Paper copies are also available from county Extension or reservation offices. An MSA is an account used to reduce the cost of saving for medical expenses and long-term health care. According to Marsha Goetting, MSU Ext...
Bozeman - A new video from Montana State University Extension shows the impact and causes of soil acidification and offers Montana farmers management options to prevent, adapt to or correct acidic soil, which can lead to heavy yield losses. "Soil acidification is an emerging issue in Montana, where low soil pH has traditionally not been a concern," said Clain Jones, MSU Extension's soil fertility specialist and professor in the MSU College of Agriculture's Department of Land Resources and Enviro...
