Sorted by date Results 551 - 575 of 946
The Sidney ARS Dryland Farm Field Day set for this coming Friday morning, June 19th, has been awarded 2 private and 2 commercial pesticide applicator points for those participating, organizers noted this week. The event is co-sponsored by the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney and the Richland County Extension Service. The Sidney ARS Field Day is set for Friday, June 19th from 9 am -12:30 pm, at the dryland research farm located about 4 miles north of Sidney on the Culbertson H...
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that the nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins on Monday, June 15, 2015. “Through the county committees, farmers and ranchers have a voice. Their opinions and ideas get to be heard on federal farm programs,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “It is important for county committees to reflect America’s diversity, so I encourage all eligible farmers and ranchers, including beginning farmers, to get involved in this year’s elections....
A “drone 101 workshop” with flight demonstrations; on-farm energy audits; rainfall simulations; wheat stem sawfly, Canada thistle, cover crops and more are among the featured topics at the Sidney Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) 2015 Dryland Field Day set for Friday morning, June 19. And that’s not all! The day will also include a new software demonstration that allows ranchers to tag their alfalfa bales with a unique Relative Feed Value calculated for that specific bale. The half-day event is co-hosted by the USDA-ARS Northern Plains...
Both the dryland field days co-sponsored by the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney, MT will include a special hour-long “Drones 101” workshop designed to acquaint tour goers at both sites with the basics of the machines. Formally known as unmanned aerial systems (UAS), these small aircraft hold big promise for agriculture. Two models will be featured at the Sidney ARS Dryland Farm Field Day to be held on Friday, June 19th, as well as at the annual Froid Research Farm Field Day on Thur...
Bozeman, Mont., May 4, 2015—The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is making $235 million available through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. Pre-proposals are due July 8, 2015. The RCPP will competitively award funds to conservation projects designed by local partners specifically for their region. Eligible partners include private companies, universities, nonprofit org...
FARGO, ND — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that a major national conservation program that restores high-priority wildlife habitat has now surpassed 1 million acres with the recent enrollment of land in La Moure County, North Dakota. The initiative, known as State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE), is a part of the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a federally-funded voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so that e...
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency today announced that nearly 2,700 applicants will begin receiving disaster assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) for losses experienced from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014. The program, re-authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides disaster relief to livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs. Eligible losses may include exc...
Helena, Mont., Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in chickens in Judith Basin County. This is the first case of HPAI reported in domestic poultry in Montana and comes less than a week after the disease was detected in a captive gyrfalcon in Flathead County. Avian influenza is an infectious viral disease of birds that can cause high mortality rates in domestic flocks. Avian influenza viruses rarely cause clinical signs in wild waterfowl, although raptors and wild game birds (pheasants, quail, turkey, and grouse) may be...
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency today announced that nearly 2,700 applicants will begin receiving disaster assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) for losses experienced from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014. The program, re-authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides disaster relief to livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs. Eligible losses may include exc...
Montana’s verified wolf population declined by 73, 12 percent, last year while livestock depredations by wolves continued to decline, dropping about 46 percent from 2013. The minimum number of wolves counted by FWP at the end of 2014 was 554 compared to a minimum of 627 wolves counted at the end of 2013 according to Montana Fish Wildlife & Park’s annual wolf conservation and management report released Monday. Montana’s minimum wolf packs were counted at 134, compared to 152 last year, while breeding pairs increased to 33 from 28 counted last...
While native plants are adapted to thrive in our region, they don’t always provide the best forage for livestock or wildlife. But what if you could change that? What if you could convert bad forage to good? That’s the question Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist Lance Vermeire asked when studying purple threeawn, a decidedly less than nutritious native perennial bunchgrass that can readily invade disturbed areas or overgrazed pasture land. You can find out what he learned Friday, April 3, during the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Ag Researc...
BOZEMAN, March 26, 2015 – State Director Anthony Preite today announced that USDA Rural Development Montana is seeking applications for grants to support rural businesses and help create jobs. More than $28 million is expected to be available nationally under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program. Eligible applicants include public bodies, government entities, Indian tribes and non-profit organizations. “This USDA Rural Development funding will ensure continued investments in Montana’s rural businesses,” Preite said. “Too of...
BOZEMAN, March 26, 2015 – USDA Rural Development and USDA Rural Development Montana have launched new websites to enhance program accessibility and customer service. The new websites (www.rd.usda.gov and www.rd.usda.gov/mt) feature quicker and more intuitive access to programs, simplified site navigation, and information about services and staff contacts in Montana and every state office. The sites also provide easily accessible resources for loan and grant applications, eligibility information and program descriptions. “We invite the pub...
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2015 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 25 counties in North Dakota as a primary natural disaster area due to damages and losses caused by the combined effects of frost, colder than average winter, cooler than normal spring temperatures, excessive rainfall, ground saturation, frost, freeze, severe thunderstorms, hail, high winds, drought, weather-related insects, diseases and sprout damage that occurred from Jan. 1, 2014, and continues. Those counties are: Adams, Billings, Bottineau, Burke, B...
Helena, Mont., Following an official announcement by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Montana agriculture will now have $1.3 million in federal grant funding available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program. With the announcement of additional funding available, the Montana Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline to submit an application to April 22, 2015. “With this additional funding from USDA, Montana can continue to develop specialty crops grown in our state, expand their markets, and create jobs. Based o...
Helena, Mont., Governor Steve Bullock welcomed a Capitol full of people to celebrate National Ag Day with state legislators, the department of agriculture, state agriculture organizations, and agriculture advocates. The all-Montana meal with items such as beef brisket, baked ham, roasted lamb and potato salad with local potatoes fed hungry legislators. "It's a great day to celebrate National Ag Day in Montana, and remember all that farmers and ranchers do to ensure that we have abundant, safe,...
WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today provided farm owners and producers one additional week, until April 7, 2015, to choose between Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), the safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill. The final day to update yield history or reallocate base acres also will be April 7, 2015. “This is an important decision for producers because these programs help farmers and ranchers protect their operations from unexpected changes in the marketplace,” said Vilsack. “Near...
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a proposed rule to limit farm payments to non-farmers, consistent with requirements Congress mandated in the 2014 Farm Bill. The proposed rule limits farm payments to individuals who may be designated as farm managers but are not actively engaged in farm management. In the Farm Bill, Congress gave USDA the authority to address this loophole for joint ventures and general partnerships, while exempting family farm operations from being impacted by the new rule USDA u...
The Sidney Agricultural Research Service (ARS) lab’s newest scientist is featured in this Friday’s BrownBagger presentation where he will share his many years of experience working with potato in irrigated cropping systems. ARS Soil Scientist Ashok Alva’s talk, entitled “Nutrient and Irrigation Best Management Practices for Potato,” is set for Friday, March 27, at noon at the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney. The event is open to the public. Potato is an emerging alternative crop in this region and Dr. Alva...
USDA scientists frequently collaborate with scientists from other countries around the globe on shared problems. Recently, Sidney Agricultural Research Service Soil Scientist Upendra Sainju traveled to China to collaborate on ways to optimize nitrogen fertilization rates and straw/plastic mulching to conserve soil water and sustain winter wheat yields in the Loess Plateau in central China. He will discuss his visit and joint research in the latest BrownBagger presentation by the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory...
On Tuesday, March 31, the Richland County DES, USDA Northern Plains Agricultural Research Lab, Richland County NRCS Office and Richland County Extension Office will be joining forces to conduct a pipeline reclamation workshop. This workshop will begin at 9:00 AM and lunch will be provided. The theme for the workshop is 'reclamation,' and although there will be some education presented in regards to restoring ground to its original state after a pipeline has been constructed, the primary focus...
Bozeman, Feb. 3, 2014 – USDA Rural Development Montana is proud to announce that Montana Rural Water Systems has presented Steve Troendle, Community Programs Director USDA Rural Development Montana with their 2014 Distinguished Service Award. Co-workers have described him as a super hard worker with a great sense of humor. A genuinely caring person who treats everyone fairly and with respect, and who cares about doing the right thing, the practical thing, the sensible thing. A former s...
BOZEMAN, Mont.– USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Bruce Nelson reminds Montana farmers and ranchers that Monday, March 16th is the sales closing deadline for most non-insurable 2015 spring planted crops. The application deadline for the 2015 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for all non-insurable crops except for honey, perennial forage crops intended for hay and grazing, fall seeded annual crops, and value loss crops is March 16, 2015. The 2015 sales closing dates for basic NAP coverage and buy-up level o...
In 2011 the Missouri River recorded the highest flows on record since construction of the dams authorized by the Pick Sloan Plan. The subsequent flooding from Montana to Missouri has and will have significant impacts on the river system, its channel and surrounding ag and riparian forest lands. On Friday, March 6, at noon Dr. Mark Dixon, an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, will be discussing his research into the flood's impacts on the cottonwood...
BOZEMAN, Mont.– USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Bruce Nelson reminds Montana farmers and ranchers that Monday, March 16th is the sales closing deadline for most non-insurable 2015 spring planted crops. The application deadline for the 2015 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for all non-insurable crops except for honey, perennial forage crops intended for hay and grazing, fall seeded annual crops, and value loss crops is March 16, 2015. The 2015 sales closing dates for basic NAP coverage and buy-up level o...
