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Since Oct. 5, McKenzie and Williams County have battled fire, some only being fully contained in the last few days. Watford City, Mandaree, Ray, Arnegard, Tioga, and surrounding areas now face the devastation left behind on the over 22,000 scorched acres. Two men, Ed Coppersmith and Nicolaas van Eeden, lost their lives working to save livestock. Tioga and Ray producers were hit the hardest, some losing the majority of their herd. The livestock that were lost are yet to be totaled, and more will...
Richland County 4-H held the 2024 Keith Steinbeisser Memorial Livestock Judging at Dynneson Feedlot near Sidney on Sept. 29. Result Summary Novice Teams: 1st: Richland County Novice 2 Oliver Becker Gunner Forbes Aspen Nagle Mallory Van Every 2nd: Richland County/Miles City Novice Owen Vitt Peyton Denowh Jolee Dougherty Lawson Dice 3rd: Richland County Novice 1 TJ Germann Olivia Reimann Cassie Reimann Mya Verschoot Individuals: 1. Mya Verschoot 2. Peyton Denowh 3. Oliver Becker Reasons: Aspen Nagle Juniors Teams: 1st: Richland County Juniors 1...
Josh Pollari, a member of the Richland Aces 4-H Club and a sophomore at Sidney High School, is a very busy young man but he found time this summer to complete the lengthy application process for a NILE Merit Heifer. He submitted a 5- to 8- minute video, an essay, and the application in June and was notified in September that he was one of only 12 young people in the western United States to earn a heifer. The NILE Merit Heifer is part of the Youth in Agriculture program which was created by the...
Montana Farmers Union member Sarah Degn, Sidney, attended National Farmers Union’s Legislative Fly-In earlier in September. There, she advocated for family farms and ranches, heard from departments and experts, and met with Congressional members. Legislators in D.C. have a clearer understanding of agriculture in Montana, thanks to the Montana farmers and ranchers who spoke with leaders and Congressional members during the National Farmers Union Legislative Fly-In held earlier in September. During the Fly-In, more than a dozen Montana Farmers U...
BOZEMAN — Montana State University will host nearly 1,800 high school and middle school students from across the state Nov. 14-16 for the annual Montana FFA Ag Expo. The event includes leadership development workshops, education about career options with industry representatives, and tours of MSU research and academic facilities. Students will also compete in FFA activities, such as quiz bowls and livestock judging, which will be hosted both on campus and at the Gallatin County fairgrounds. The expo is the result of a partnership between the u...
SIDNEY, MT – Governor Greg Gianforte celebrated National 4-H Week with young Montanans in eastern Montana last week. “Our 4-H programs in rural Montana are raising the next generation of leaders and making our communities stronger,” Gianforte said. “I am always impressed to visit with young Montanans who are passionate about their projects.” During a visit to the Richland County Fairgrounds, the governor got an overview from over 50 4-H members on their projects and awards won at the Summer 2024 Richland County Fair and Rodeo. Serving n...
The Montana Historical Society (MTHS) recently welcomed Lund’s B Bar Angus Ranch, Wibaux County, to the Centennial Farm and Ranch register. Randy Lund and his siblings surprised their mother Ethel on her 90th birthday with the Centennial designation honoring her and the Lund family’s remarkable longevity on their land. She received the signature MTHS roadside sign, and a framed certificate signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte. “By honoring families who have owned their land for 100 years or more, we help preserve Montana’s strong agricultural roots a...
As frost begins to appear across parts of the Northern Plains, temperatures have been low enough to cause leaf burning and plant stress in many frost-sensitive annual and perennial forage plants. James Rogers, North Dakota State University Extension forage crops production specialist, highlights three main frost effects: prussic acid production, nitrate accumulations and bloat. "The most concerning of these frost effects is prussic acid which can develop in the sorghum family of plants," Rogers...
Due to a challenging spring planting season, corn has varying moisture levels between fields and even within fields. This may be due to replanted portions of fields, with the initial planted acres at about 15% while the replanted acres are still in the upper 20% moisture range. "One option is to segregate harvest as much as possible," says Ken Hellevang, professor emeritus and retired North Dakota State University Extension agricultural engineer. "Harvest the initial planted acres now, then come...
Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory (NPARL), Sidney, completed a study that shows the use of continuous cropping systems can better sustain crop yields while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in semi-arid regions. NPARL research scientists Upendra M. Sainju, Brett L. Allen, and Jalal D. Jabro evaluated the effect of three long-term (34-year project) dryland cropping systems on GHG emissions and crop yields in the...
Each fall, just a few weeks after the Richland County Fair & Rodeo wraps, the Richland County Rodeo Club starts knocking on doors, asking for the community's support for the Montana High School Rodeo in Sidney; and boy, does Richland County show up. The tremendous support for both the Pro and High School/Youth Rodeo in Sidney is unique and well-appreciated by the rodeo community. Sidney's event ran Aug. 30-31, with Kraken Oil & Gas, Tri-County Implement, the Cattle-Ac, Clark & Associates-Denver...
Fairview resident Rob Breuer just returned from Bozeman as part of REAL Montana (Resource Education and Agriculture Leadership). For Breuer and other members of REAL Montana Class VI, this was the first of ten seminars in their two-year educational program. Breuer said he was approached by his employer, AgWest Farm Credit Services, about applying for the class since others from the organization had done so and found it valuable. He agreed, with the goal of furthering his leadership skills and bringing them back to Eastern Montana to use in the...
This year presented a significant challenge for soybean producers due to cool and wet conditions causing prolonged iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) symptoms in North Dakota soybean fields, says Ana Carcedo, North Dakota State University Extension broadleaf crops agronomist. NDSU conducts annual research on soybean varieties to determine their tolerance to IDC. This information is crucial for farmers who deal with IDC in their fields annually. Choosing soybean varieties less susceptible to IDC is...
Tim Klasna and his son, Dylan, closed out another successful harvest this fall on their dryland farm 25 miles northwest of Lambert. They raise wheat, oats, and triticale (a wheat/rye hybrid forage or grain crop) to feed the cattle portion of their operation. Oats can be purchased from Klasnas by the bag or truckload. They bale the straw from their winter wheat and oat fields to bed their cattle, and save some of the triticale seed to plant the following year. Their combination of crop rotations work well to keep soil nutrients and quality...
This fall, 2024, the agricultural weed management group at Montana State University is conducting a survey of Kochia herbicide resistance in the northeastern corner of Montana. The objective of this study is to collect kochia seeds this fall and test them for herbicide resistance this winter. The study is seeking producers willing to participate in this screening. Do you have some fields with kochia populations? Would you like those kochia seeds tested for resistance? If so, you can get your name on the list by calling the Richland County...
A question we commonly get here in the Extension Office is, “What is hay worth?” The answer to this question usually is, it depends. The price of hay depends on multiple factors including cost of production and quality. Hay quality varies based on management, storage, and type of hay. Different forage types will be higher in protein or energy, and this greater quality is worth more than other forage that is low in protein or energy. Hay high in nitrates would be worth less than hay that is not. These quality factors can only be determined by...
Jeff Bieber, Fairview, is a life-long farmer and has been a seed dealer most of his adult life. His son, Justin, joined him in the business in 2015 when they added Pioneer corn, soybean, canola, sunflowers and forage products to their seed line. In 2022 he also brought in Westbred spring and winter wheat seeds. Now the duo is expanding even further with the creation of Texas Red Ag Services in an effort to better serve their customers. With a commercial seed treater, additional sales agent, new products, new partners, and a corn grain drier,...
BOZEMAN — Youth across Montana who would like to enroll in Montana 4-H are invited to do so during October. Montana 4-H is the youth development program of Montana State University Extension. It offers a range of choices and opportunities for youth to learn and grow, such as learning how to bake, knit and raise an animal, or learning about beekeeping, photography and robotics. In all, Montana 4-H offers more than 200 different projects and experiences that engage youth in learning. Montana 4-H is the largest out-of-school youth development p...
Have you ever wondered about the agronomic and environmental benefits of cover cropping? Or have you considered planting cover crops in your operation but are unsure where to start? North Dakota State University Extension will host cover crops field days at three locations on Sept. 10, 11 and 12. The dates, locations and links to detailed information are: - Sept. 10 in Minot at the North Central Research Extension Center - ndsu.ag/covercropsncrec - Sept. 11 in Dickinson at the Dickinson...
The profitability of any business is crucial, and livestock production is no different. With most revenue originating from the sale of calves produced, retaining non-pregnant cows in a cow-calf operation is hard to justify. Therefore, this time of year is traditionally pregnancy detection season. "Cattle producers have or soon will be removing bulls from their spring-calving cow herds, bookending another breeding season, and will need to identify which cows will calve next year before winter...
A *Calf Roll-Over Auction* will be held Sept. 18 at the Sidney Livestock Market Center at 1 p.m. for Randy Searer. Randy Searer started retaining water in April 2024. He wasn’t feeling his best and thought for the first time ever “hey, maybe I should see a doctor.” His first stop on his journey was to the emergency room at Billings Clinic. Here, through lots of visits, tests and a good team of doctors, he was diagnosed with end stage liver failure. Billings Clinic quickly hooked him up with a doctor and transplant center in Denver. On Tuesday,...
Now is a good time to be on the lookout for any suspicious pigweeds that could potentially be Palmer amaranth or waterhemp. Both species are very difficult to control and have limited management options, making prevention as well as early detection very important. Vectors of potential introduction of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp include contaminated seed, especially millet, farm equipment, sunflower screenings, bird seed, and more. Be sure to scout areas where these vectors could potentially introduce Palmer amaranth or waterhemp. Look for...
They’ve talked about it for years and now Ira and Amy Lake are taking the plunge into the restaurant business. “We’ve talked about it over the years, ever since the M&M closed. We wanted to get back into the restaurant business but with a smaller venue. Then we started wondering who was going to take over the sale yard. And here we are. This is ideal,” Ira explained. They hope to have the Cattlemen’s Cafe at Sidney Livestock Market Center open by Aug. 27. It’s a natural fit for Ira whose grandparents Martin and Myrtle Lake, then his parents...
Fall bird migration has begun, and now is the time to review and reimplement biosecurity protocols to reduce disease transmission from wild to domestic birds. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a disease carried by wild birds that can affect domestic birds. Avian influenza is caused by the influenza Type A virus (influenza A). The virus is shed in the feces and respiratory secretions of infected birds and is able to survive for weeks in cool, damp environments. Migration can be...
In between running a tractor, feed truck, or managing livestock while working on his parent’s farm and ranch operation, Corbin Steinbeisser manages to raise a quality 4-H steer, and helps his younger siblings with theirs, as much as they allow him to, that is. In his first year of showing, he won Reserve in Novice Showmanship with his market steer, so he certainly knows how to get one in the winner’s circle. Maintaining a reliable feed schedule and lots of time are his keys to a good animal to present at the Richland County Fair. The son of Jim...
