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Bozeman, MT – Governor-elect Greg Gianforte has announced his appointment of Mike Foster to lead the Department of Agriculture. "Montana farmers and ranchers drive our state's number one industry, and deserve a leader who will work tirelessly to help them capture more of the value they create," Governor-elect Gianforte said. "With a robust understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by our producers and a strong commitment to meeting their needs, Mike Foster will serve Montana ag w...
While the arrival of new vaccines for COVID-19 should enable a return to in-person events, the sheer mechanics of their mass distribution mean that early 2021 events are still primarily virtual. That's certainly true for the 4th Annual MonDak Agricultural Research Summit, typically held late in the year, but now moved online and converted to a webinar series, beginning Thursday, Jan. 14. Webinars will be held on Zoom every other Thursday, with one Tuesday thrown in, and all will run from...
Washington - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) by Dec. 11. This program provides direct relief to producers facing market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. “With over 300 eligible commodities, from livestock and row crops to specialty crops and aquaculture, most farmers and ranchers are potentially eligible for CFAP 2,” said Richard Fordyce, Farm Service Agency administrator. “FSA offers sever...
Fargo, ND - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is temporarily restricting in-person visits for USDA Service Centers in North Dakota because of elevated rates of coronavirus community spread, but USDA employees will continue to assist agricultural producers with programs and services. USDA is using a phased, data-driven approach to determine which Service Centers are open for in-person appointments. Fieldwork, including conservation planning assistance, will continue with appropriate social distancing. “While many of our Service C...
Specialists from the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program of the National Center for Appropriate Technology are available to help farmers and ranchers apply for assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 2. The CFAP2 program has almost $14 billion available to help almost every form of agriculture business impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. More crops and agriculture operations are eligible under CFAP2 than under the first CFAP program earlier this year. Farmers and ranchers can apply d...
President Trump and USDA Secretary Perdue have announced a second round of aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Up to $14 billion will be used to help farmers devastated by the economic disaster caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost $10 billion from the first CFAP provided much-needed support to livestock, dairy, non-specialty and specialty crop producers throughout the country. Some farmers were initially left out of CFAP, and although the program was expanded to include more commodities, aid was only made available...
Washington - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing $1.68 billion in payments to agricultural producers and landowners for the 21.9 million acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which provides annual rental payment for land devoted to conservation purposes. “CRP is one of the many ‘tools’ that USDA offers to producers and private landowners to help best manage sensitive lands,” said Richard Fordyce, USDA’s Farm Service Agency Administrator. “Lands enrolled in this program conserve soil, improve water quali...
Bozeman – The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana has set a Nov. 17, 2020, application cutoff for agricultural operators to be considered for the next conservation program funding cycle. The cutoff date applies to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program-Classic (CSP), and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP-EQIP). “NRCS provides funding and technical assistance to help farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners implement conservation practices that pro...
Washington, Oct. 14 - Agricultural producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year. The signup period opened Tuesday, Oct. 13. These key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops, and more than $5 billion in payments are in the process of going out to producers who signed up for the 2019 crop year. “Although commodity prices are starting to show a g...
President Trump and USDA Secretary Perdue have announced a second round of aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Up to $14 billion will be used to help farmers devastated by the economic disaster caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost $10 billion from the first CFAP provided much-needed support to livestock, dairy, non-specialty and specialty crop producers throughout the country. Some farmers were initially left out of CFAP, and although the program was expanded to include more commodities, aid was only made available...
The 16th annual “Erase your Ewaste” event gets under way in Sidney this coming Friday from 3-7 p.m. at the Richland County Public Shop next to the Fairgrounds. MonDak area residents…not just Richland County…are encouraged to bring their obsolete or damaged electronic items for recycling in both Sidney and Fairview this weekend. “Let us help you with your fall cleaning,” Coordinator Heather Luinstra said. Organizers and volunteers will be following county public health guidelines for COVID-19, including wearing masks and social distancing....
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...
Changes in federal grazing and harvesting rules on prevented-planting acres could help North Dakota livestock producers in select counties replenish forage supplies, or at least offset shortages in perennial forage production, according to North Dakota State University Extension livestock specialists. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will allow producers to graze, hay or cut cover crops on prevented-planting acres beginning Sept. 1. Counties included in the change are: Barnes, Benson,...
The Montana Farm Bureau applauds Congressman Gianforte (R-MT) for his co-sponsoring of two important bills for livestock producers: The Requiring Assistance to Meat Processors for Upgrading Plants (RAMP-UP Act) and the Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions (DIRECT) Act. MFBF has been actively pursuing legislation and other actions that will improve cattle markets for producers in Montana and the rest of the country. “One huge problem in Montana is a lack of livestock processing capacity,” stated MFBF National Affairs Direc...
E-rase your E-waste organizers have announced they will be hosting their 16th annual fall collection event on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12 in Sidney. But like so many other activities, there will be a number of extra precautions taken to keep participants and volunteers safe given the COVID-19 pandemic, new program coordinator Heather Luinstra said. "We will be following county public health guidelines," Luinstra said, adding that volunteers will be wearing masks. "Members of the public...
Bozeman - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is standing up a new team that will lead a department-wide effort focused on serving beginning farmers and ranchers. To institutionalize support for beginning farmers and ranchers and to build upon prior agency work, the 2018 Farm Bill directed USDA to create a national coordinator position in the agency and state-level coordinators for four of its agencies – Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Rural Development (RD). Faith H...
Washington - USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that organic producers and handlers can apply for federal funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Applications for eligible certification expenses paid between Oct. 1, 2019, and Sept. 30, 2020, are due Oct. 31, 2020. “For producers producing food with organic certification, this program helps cover a portion of those certification costs,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “Cont...
Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that additional commodities are covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) in response to public comments and data. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline to apply for the program to Sept. 11, and producers with approved applications will receive their final payment. After reviewing over 1,700 responses, even more farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity for assistance to help keep operations afloat during these...
Fargo, ND – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is standing up a new team that will lead a department-wide effort focused on serving beginning farmers and ranchers. To institutionalize support for beginning farmers and ranchers and to build upon prior agency work, the 2018 Farm Bill directed USDA to create a national coordinator position in the agency and state-level coordinators for four of its agencies – Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Rural Development (RD...
Farmers and ranchers feed our state, our nation, and in fact, our world. You work long hours to provide essential resources for us all, and in these challenging times, I want you to know that USDA is here to support you and your operation through our Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP. Whether you farm one acre or many more, grow food for local markets or big supply chains, CFAP can help. We’re accepting applications through Aug. 28 and encouraging producers to apply now. In Montana, we have already approved 7,642 applications and d...
Farmers and ranchers feed our state, our nation, and in fact, our world. You work long hours to provide essential resources for us all, and in these challenging times, I want you to know that USDA is here to support you and your operation through our Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP. Whether you farm one acre or many more, grow food for local markets or big supply chains, CFAP can help. We’re accepting applications through Aug. 28 and encouraging producers to apply now. In Montana, we have already approved 7,642 applications and d...
Billings, MT - USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds producers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming that for the 2021 crop year a Fall Seeded Practice has been added for: 1) Irrigated Alfalfa Forage Seeding in all Montana and Wyoming counties; and 2) for Irrigated and Non-Irrigated Alfalfa Forage Seeding in all North Dakota and South Dakota counties. The Forage Seeding crop insurance policy insures newly established forage stands during the initial crop year of establishment. The final date to purchase or make changes to F...
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruptions throughout the U.S. red meat and poultry industry. As a result, consumers may find limited availability of some meat items at grocery stores, while meat and poultry producers may not be able to find a market for livestock and poultry ready to harvest. Plus, consumers may see higher prices for preferred meat products. "The function of the price system is to prevent shortages and surpluses," says Tim Petry, North Dakota State University Extension...
In a new arrangement with the Montana Department of Agriculture developed in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, individuals will be able to qualify for MT pesticide applicator points from the comfort of their couch or their pickup. The Montana Department of Agriculture has approved pesticide applicator credits for two upcoming live webinars being put on by the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, Sidney, with assistance from the Richland County Extension Office. “Due to COVID 19 we had to can...
While COVID-19 has prompted the cancellation of the annual onsite Froid Research Farm Field Day typically held in late June, two live webinars are planned to provide interested participants with important information on range and cropland weeds in the MonDak with a special emphasis on identifying and preventing the introduction of Palmer amaranth in Montana, a dangerous herbicide resistant crop weed that has recently made its way into North Dakota. The webinars were originally scheduled for successive Thursdays, but have now been moved to the...
