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A weed is defined as any plant that interferes with management objectives for a given area of land at a given point in time. Invasive weeds are one of the greatest threats to Montana’s environment. When these invaders are allowed to spread, they cause a reduction in wildlife forage, degrade fisheries through erosion and sediment buildup and reduce property values. Currently, Montana has approximately 7.6 million precious acres infested with state-listed noxious weeds, and several new and p...
The American Farm Bureau Federation and other members of the Coalition for Animal Health hosted an educational briefing for congressional staff on meat production, public health and the importance of antibiotics. The briefing focused on helping legislators understand how and why farmers and ranchers use antibiotics. Presenters included Dr. Scott Hurd, a veterinarian and epidemiologist at Iowa State University; Dr. Christine Hoang with the American Veterinary Medical Association; and Dr. Rich Carnevale from the Animal Health Institute. The risk...
According to research and feedback from the ranching community, there is an increased risk of problems or death to exposed newborns during situations of wind chill, rain or wet snow, high humidity (because it makes it more difficult for wet newborns to dry off), or a combination of these elements. Across the United States it has been estimated that nearly 100,000 calves die of cold stress each year. Because of this, the National Weather Service has researched and discovered that the normal...
The Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) is now taking applications for participants in the 2013 NILE Internship Program. The Internship program provides the opportunity to gain training and work experience in the livestock and equine industries as well as events based business through The NILE Stock Show and Rodeo. New this year is the opportunity for interns to earn financial scholarships through the NILE Foundation. Scholarships will be awarded to interns upon successful...
Weeds have long been a challenge to farmers attempting to efficiently produce food products and maintain profitability. At first the only options of controlling the moisture robbing pests were tillage and hand labor. Approximately 50-60 years ago the agriculture community was introduced to herbicides that would attack the weeds, mostly broadleaf, but not harm the crop. Since then, weed control practices have drastically changed. For most crops, farmers rely very little on tillage as the primary...
Come along on a cattle drive through the historic Brink ranch. Lay out your bedroll under a pine tree beneath the starry skies of Montana, as coyotes howl from the rimrocks, cattle graze nearby, and horses nicker softly and stamp their feet in the darkness. The spirit of the west comes alive in a unique new book, Montana Stirrups, Sage and Shenanigans:Western Ranch Life in a Forgotten Era, in stories of working cattle, horses, wildlife and western humor. In this old west epic with a modern touch, sisters Francie Brink Berg, Anne Brink Krickel...
The Richland County Senior Division Livestock Judging Team won first place for team judging at the Keith Steinbeisser Memorial Livestock Judging Contest held in Sidney March 16....
Emily Schaff of Sidney FFA Chapter was a 1st place winner of Prepared Public Speaking and a 2nd place winner for Extemporaneous Public Speaking. She will represent the 12 school, Big Muddy District, at the State Convention in Billings this April. Emily has been a multiple speaking winner for Sidney FFA for three years. Emily accompanied Travis Obergfell and Jimmy Topp in Job Interview event as well. Each placed in the top ten over 30 other contestants from the district. Garret Leland participated in the FFA Creed for Sidney FFA as an 8th...
Throughout my tenure as State Executive Director for the North Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA), I have met several small and beginning farmers and ranchers, military veterans and disadvantaged producers interested in making a living in production agriculture. For many, the high cost of purchasing land and equipment can be prohibitive, compelling newcomers and those struggling against odds to take risks to finance their dreams by relying on credit cards and personal loans with high interest rates. I am keenly aware, too, that the average age...
The annual Donkey Ball game will be held at Sidney High School April 11 starting at 6:30 pm. The event is a fundraiser put on by the Sidney FFA to support local FFA chapters. Four teams of FFA members and alumni will play a basketball game that’s a little different, they ride donkeys. One team from each of the Richey, Lambert, Savage, and Sidney FFA chapters will be participating. Tickets may be purchased from a FFA member from the attending chapters or purchased at the door....
University of Montana Research Scientist Erin Sexton recently was awarded the 2012 Conservation Achievement Award. At its Feb. 7 annual meeting, The Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society presented the highly coveted award to Sexton for her work in developing a long-term solution in protecting the Flathead Basin ecosystem. Sexton served as the transboundary coordinator for the state of Montana and is a research scientist at UM’s Flathead Lake Biological Station. During the past 10 years, Sexton has been a leader in protecting the i...
As the weather slowly gets nicer, the focus at Sidney Sugars is now on the next season. Although they are currently still in the middle of getting contracted acres all lined up, agricultural manager Russ Fullmer is predicting the acreage will be down. Considering last year was a dry one, Fullmer says they are in “a lot better seat than last year.” Fullmer is content with the amount of precipitation received over the winter. If the spring produces many powerful winds, some precipitation will be...
The Richland County 4-H Junior Leaders will be holding their annual dinner and dance on April 12. The dinner will begin at 6:30 with a choice of steak or shrimp catered by Leroy Strasheim. Following the dinner, there will be a dance with a dance from 8:30 until 10 pm. The event will take place at the VFW at 124 2nd Ave NE. Tickets are $25, which can be bought from 4-H Jr. Leaders or the Richland County Extension Office. Only 150 tickets are being sold, so get yours now. All proceeds will be...
The National Weather Service will be holding Skywarn Spotter classes in April and May. The course teaches volunteers to spot severe weather conditions such as flash floods, hail, lightning, thunderstorms and tornadoes. In an average year, 5,000 floods and over 1,000 tornadoes occur across the United States, threatening lives and property. The course covers the storm structures, safety precautions, how to identify a severe weather condition and how to properly report severe weather. The classes...
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will launch its “StrikeForce” initiative in 10 additional states, including South Carolina. The primary goal of the StrikeForce initiative is to increase partnership with rural communities and leverage community resources in targeted, persistent poverty areas. Vilsack noted that through the StrikeForce initiative, USDA will do more to partner with local and state governments and community organizations on projects that promote economic development and...
Laura Burkle and her colleagues captured 2,778 bees while retracing the muddy steps of a scientist who studied the interactions between bees and flowering plants more than a century ago. Occasionally stung, but considering herself lucky to have access to the rich historic records that guided her field work, the Montana State University ecologist and her collaborators have now published their results in the prestigious journal, “Science.” “It’s exciting,” Burkle said as the Feb. 28 publicati...
Senators want Canada to update trade policy, pay farmers a ‘fair price’ Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus want America’s top trade officials to make sure Canada gives Montana wheat growers a fair shake come harvest time this summer. Tester, a dryland farmer, and Baucus, a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and chairman of the Senate committee that oversees international trade, recently told U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk that Canadian officials are using outdated wheat gradi...
Living on or visiting a ranch/farm is an exciting and educational experience for our children and it is also a very special way of life for many of us in Richland County. Knowing the dangers and how to prevent accidents will ensure generations of new ranchers and farmers in our community. Children who live on ranches & farms need protection from the many elements that pose a risk of injury. These children live and play in a setting that often includes heavy equipment, specialized implements, large animals, grain elevators, chemicals and water...
The PBR’s Stanley Make Something Great Invitational presented by Cooper Tires comes to Rimrock Auto Arena April 5-7th They’ve been coming every year since 1996. The world’s best PBR bull riders will buck into Billings Rimrock Auto Arena, April 5-7th, with their 18th appearance for the Stanley Make Something Great Invitational presented by Cooper Tires. One of the most visited cities on the Built Ford Tough Series, the NILE welcomes the Top 35 bull riders in the world to Billings to face the rankest bucking bulls in competition today. They’ll be...
When Julie Lander’s kids got a market pig for 4-H in 2008, it started a whole new life for the family. The kids quickly got attached to their pig and begged their mom to keep it. Lander, being an animal lover, agreed to their plea. Soon they wanted more pigs, so Lander decided they should start raising them. After discovering a champion show pig breeder out of Iowa, it all took off. Lander, along with her kids Ryan, Randy, Riley and Allison, then became ‘4 Kids Farm Show Pigs.” They soon found o...
In recent years North Dakota crop producers have been offered at least one new active ingredient per year for weed control. For 2011 it was saflufenacil, commonly known as Sharpen. It has become a popular herbicide for use in chickpeas, field pea, small grains and other crops. Sunflower growers can use it as a harvest aid/desiccant. In 2012 Bayer released thiencarbazone. It is a relative of flucarbazone (Everest 2.0) and propoxycarbazone which is contained in Olympus and Rimfire Max. Thiencarbaz...
Pork production and waste management are among the topics that will be discussed. The North Dakota State University Extension Service and North Dakota Pork Council are sponsoring a swine education seminar Friday, April 12, at the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center. The seminar is for pork producers, Extension personnel, NDSU faculty and staff and anyone else with an interest in the swine industry. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Topics that will be covered and the presenters are: Update of the Pork Quality Assurance Plus program...
The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) is applauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposed rule to modify certain provisions of the country of origin labeling (COOL) program. USCA leadership says the proposed rule would modify the labeling provisions to require origin information about where each of the production steps occur and would remove the allowance for the commingling of muscle cuts. The rule was published in the March 11, 2013 Federal Register and can be viewed at www.federalregister.gov/public-inspecton. Com...
It’s that time of the year again where we need to begin thinking about flood season. As any snow on the ground begins to melt, the ground will become more saturated. If we experience a late season snowstorm followed by very high temperatures, rapid snow melt can also cause rivers and streams to begin to flood as they rise out of their banks. Any springtime rains would only exacerbate the situation. In addition, excessive spring rains and summertime thunderstorms can produce flash flooding. Of course not every year brings about a bad flood s...
Cattle producers need to set focused, systematic goals to capture more net dollars. When the discussion rests on the income side, marketing is the focus. Improved marketing to capture the monies available in the market is the key. Regardless of current net returns, the goal of increasing net returns in the cattle operation is always commendable. For those who are struggling with negative net returns, the increase should move the cow-calf operation in a positive direction and provide enough...
