Sorted by date Results 426 - 450 of 946
More than two-thirds of the land area in the United States is privately owned, with 914 million acres in farms or ranches. These working lands include much of the country’s remaining open space and habitat, making them vitally important to the conservation of soil, water, and fish and wildlife resources. But, while private lands provide society with valuable benefits and aid in conservation of natural resources, maintaining these private working lands is not easy, particularly in this part of the country, according to Michelle Downey, a ...
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that USDA will accept over 300,000 acres in 43 states that were offered by producers during the recent ranking period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands enrollment with emphasis placed on small-scale livestock operations. Through the voluntary CRP Grasslands program, grasslands threatened by development or conversion to row crops are maintained as livestock grazing areas, while providing important conservation benefits....
R-CALF USA may be defined as a non-profit producer organization, but our work benefits anyone who eats meat and lives in an economy that includes agriculture. We’re more than a producer organization; we’re your organization! Recently USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed a set of rules to implement key provisions of the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (PSA). The Fair Practices Rules (aka GIPSA rules) are intended to facilitate competition in the livestock and poultry markets. First proposed in 2010,...
Beginning Jan. 20, Brian Haugen will serve as the Acting State Executive Director of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in North Dakota until the permanent appointment is made to that position. Brian Haugen, a Hawley Minn. native and a 1986 Animal Science graduate of North Dakota State University began his career with the Farm Service Agency in 1987 where he entered in the County Operations Trainee Program. Later that year he became a County Executive Director in Lakota, ND for the Nelson County FSA...
The USDA-Agricultural Research Service facility in Sidney is pleased to partner with the Richland County Extension Office to host an interactive forage analysis workshop to open the lab’s 15th annual winter BrownBagger series on Friday, Jan. 20th. This special kickoff presentation features Montana State University Extension Beef Specialist Rachel Endecott and will be held from noon to 1 pm in the Tech Transfer Room at the Northern Plains Agricultural Research Lab (NPARL) in Sidney, MT. The lab is located at 1500 N. Central Avenue. Dr. E...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that starting March 20, 2017, organic producers and handlers will be able to visit over 2,100 USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices to apply for federal reimbursement to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic or transitional certification. “USDA reimburses organic producers up to 75 percent of the cost of organic certification, but only about half of the nation’s organic operations currently participate in the program,” said FSA Administrator Val Dolcini. “Starting Ma...
Annie’s Project Some women in the agriculture world have heard of Annie’s Project. So what is it? A program for empowering women in agriculture to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information. Farm and ranch women are decision makers, so why Annie’s Project? This is a six-week course that is a discussion-based workshop bringing women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing and the legal...
The blowing snow and icy roads did not hinder the Bovine Connection's turnout in Culbertson on Nov. 29. After a five-year hiatus, the Bovine Connection returned to the area thanks to ag agents of Montana State University and North Dakota State University and several sponsors. More than 40 farmers and ranchers showed up to the Culbertson Saddle Club Barn, where five presenters from Montana and North Dakota shared information about the current cattle industry. "People are scared of getting out of...
The blowing snow and icy roads did not hinder the Bovine Connection's turnout in Culbertson on Nov. 29. After a five-year hiatus, the Bovine Connection returned to the area thanks to ag agents of Montana State University and North Dakota State University and several sponsors. More than 40 farmers and ranchers showed up to the Culbertson Saddle Club Barn, where five presenters from Montana and North Dakota shared information about the current cattle industry. "People are scared of getting out of...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) North Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Aaron Krauter, today announced that the deadline to submit ballots for the 2016 County Committee Elections has been extended to ensure farmers and ranchers have sufficient time to vote. Eligible voters now have until Dec. 13, 2016 to return ballots to their local FSA offices. Producers who have not received their ballot should pick one up at their local FSA office. “We’re extending the voting deadline to Dec. 13 to give farmers and ranchers a f...
One of the bonuses of my job (at least it’s usually a bonus) is that, because of the position, I get asked (sometimes told) to be a part of various groups. Generally speaking these groups have an agricultural focus and are looking for input. One such group that I am happy to say that I am a part of is the USDA ARS’ focus group. There are several duties that this group performs but the primary tasks are to educate the public in regards to what research is being conducted at the ARS, go to bat for them if asked to do so, and provide the res...
USDA encourages farmers and ranchers to make their voices heard by voting in the upcoming Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee elections. Beginning Monday, Nov. 7, 2016, USDA will begin mailing ballots to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 5, 2016, to ensure that their vote is counted. Nearly 7,700 FSA County Committee members serve FSA offices nationwide. Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office. One-third of county...
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Bruce Nelson announced that producers who file accurate and timely reports for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage can prevent the potential loss of FSA program benefits. Please pay close attention to the acreage reporting dates below for 2017. “In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to visit their local FSA office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline,” Nelson said. The following acreage r...
The 2016 Bovine Connection: Innovative Programs with a Practical Twist will be held Tuesday, Nov. 29th, at the Culbertson Saddle Club Barn. MSU Extension, NDSU Extension, and industry leaders formed the Bovine Connection. It focuses on benefitting cattle producers in northeastern Montana and northwestern North Dakota, providing livestock operators with current information, an opportunity to listen to experts in their field, and a great networking opportunity. From 9:00 – 10am Lisa Pederson , E...
USDA N.D. Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director (SED), Aaron Krauter announced that approximately 57,000 N.D. FSA farms that enrolled in safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill will receive financial assistance for the 2015 crop year. The programs, known as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are designed to protect against unexpected drops in crop prices or revenues due to market downturns. “These safety-net programs provide help when price and revenues fall below normal, unlike the p...
We now know the real reason country of origin labeling (COOL) was repealed was to help multinational meatpackers steal the good name and reputation of U.S. cattle producers and put it on beef from foreign-sourced cattle for duty-free distribution to Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement (TPP) countries, including the United States. They can do this because the TPP states the origin of beef is wherever the animal is slaughtered. Your reputation is worth billions of dollars, and our own USDA helped gift this incredibly valuable asset to...
Glendive, MT is home to a new pulse crop receiving and transportation facility, established by ITC International Inc. Based out of Canada, ITC International Inc. provides a diverse range of pulse crop products to 20 – 25 markets, and partnered with the Montana Department of Agriculture and Mid-Rivers’ Community Resource Specialist Kathy McLane, to establish the pulse crop facility which opened August 8, 2016. Additionally, they worked closely with MSU Extension, BNSF Railway, and local pro...
The 2016 Bovine Connection will be held Tuesday, Nov. 29th, at the Culbertson Saddle Club in Culbertson, MT, and they are looking for supporting sponsors. The Bovine Connection was formed by MSU Extension, NDSU Extension, and industry leaders and focuses on benefitting cattle producers in northeastern Montana and northwestern North Dakota. They provide livestock operators with current information, an opportunity to listen to experts in their field, and a great networking opportunity. This...
Jim Hagenbarth of Hagenbarth Livestock in Dillon has been named the 2016 Outstanding Agricultural Leader on behalf of Montana State University's College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. The public is invited to congratulate Hagenbarth at a Montana-made breakfast to be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, in MSU's South Gym of the Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center during the college's annual Celebrate Agriculture event scheduled for Nov. 11-12 at MSU. MSU Vice President of...
Glendive, MT is home to a new pulse crop receiving and transportation facility, established by ITC International Inc. Based out of Canada, ITC International Inc. provides a diverse range of pulse crop products to 20 – 25 markets, and partnered with the Montana Department of Agriculture and Mid-Rivers' Community Resource Specialist Kathy McLane, to establish the pulse crop facility which opened August 8, 2016. Additionally, they worked closely with MSU Extension, BNSF Railway, and local p...
R-CALF USA seeks a quick end to Beef Checkoff lawsuit. R-CALF USA’s lawsuit alleges the government, represented by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the USDA, is operating the Beef Checkoff in a manner that violates the U.S. Constitution. According to the lawsuit, the Beef Checkoff, which compels producers to pay $1 per head every time cattle are sold, is a federal tax that funds the private speech of the Montana Beef Council. The group states that the council’s private speech is objectionable because it promotes the message that there is...
Annual fundraising campaigns featuring bulk fresh fruit is a win-win for residents living in Richland County. Throughout the year, organizations like PEO, Kiwanis and 4-H take advantage of selling boxes of seasonal fruit including peaches, apples, pears, oranges and grapefruits to benefit their respective cause. According to the USDA, the daily recommendation of fruit needed each day ranges from 1 ½ to 2 cups of raw or cooked fruit. This recommended amount is dependent of an individual’s age, sex and level of physical activity. One of the be...
We don't often think of trees as weeds or "conflict" species, particularly in this part of the country, but Russian olive's rapid spread along the Yellowstone River and other riparian areas in recent years, has made it a pariah to many. Its dense canopy has displaced many native plants along the river and its long and prolific thorns have regularly impeded access to the water's edge by wildlife, livestock and recreationalists, alike. For others, the arrival of this cold-hardy, deep-rooted, ornam...
After collecting more than 10 Tons of e-waste this past spring, local E-rase your E-waste organizers are ready to do it all over again at their annual fall collection event to be held in Sidney Sept. 9-10. “We’re excited this year because we hit another milestone with our spring collection,” E-rase your E-waste Committee Chair Jackie Couture said. “Our May collection in Sidney and Fairview brought in more than 23,000 pounds of e-waste, enough to put us over the 400,000-pound mark for all the e-waste recycled here since this event first began i...
We don’t often think of trees as weeds or “conflict” species, particularly in this part of the country, but Russian olive’s rapid spread along the Yellowstone River and other riparian areas in recent years, has made it a pariah to many. Its dense canopy has displaced many native plants along the river and its long and prolific thorns have regularly impeded access to the water’s edge by wildlife, livestock and recreationalists, alike. For others, the arrival of this cold-hardy, deep-rooted, ornamental tree to the U.S. in the late 1800s, pr...
