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Moisture content of forage at baling has a direct impact on bale heating and subsequent forage nutrient content at feeding, says North Dakota State University Extension forage crops production specialist James Rogers. "Managing moisture content of forage at baling this year was a challenge," says Rogers. "For many it seemed that at the point hay was dry enough to bale, a rain shower would delay baling." Controlling moisture at baling can reduce damage to the hay by microorganisms. "Just like...
As the input costs of chemical applications are high, it is important to ensure chemical formulations remain accurate and effective by properly storing chemicals during the cold months ahead. In general, pesticides should be stored in a cool, dry place. They should be stored away from areas that have extreme temperature fluctuations, ignition sources, and away from feed, food, animals, and children. Pesticides should also always be kept stored in their original containers. It is always important to read the pesticide product label to determine...
During the week of Oct. 2-8, Richland County 4-H members, parents, volunteers and alumni will join more than 6 million people across the nation to celebrate National 4-H Week. The week is an annual celebration of 4-H during the first full week of October. The theme this year is Opportunity for All and focuses on the many ways that youth turn challenges into opportunities through their 4-H involvement. 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization – empowering nearly 7 million people across the United States with the skills to lea...
Twelve-year-old Ashlyn Thiessen had the Grand Champion Standard Market Chicken and Reserve Champion Bantam Ornamental Female under 1 year at the 2022 Richland County Fair. “I am very proud of all my hard work this year,” said Thiessen. She showed a market pair of Cornish Rock chickens, a Silkie Bantam, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, and a Dominique chicken. In addition to this, she also competed in dog and cat showmanship. Thiessen has been a member of the Three Buttes 4-H Club for over four years. “I decided to join because I thought it sounded lik...
Washington, D.C. - Montana farmers and ranchers are gaining a voice at the national level with the announcement of Sarah Degn as a Next Generation Advisory Representative on the National Farmers Union Board of Directors. Degn, who farms in Sidney and serves on the Montana Farmers Union Board of Directors, said she’s looking forward to bringing her perspective as a young farmer to the national board for a three-year term. “I’m excited to be a voice for other beginning farmers and making sure that their needs are addressed at a national level...
Agriculturists and researchers continue to develop technologies and strategies that decrease negative effects on crop performance and yield. Some examples of technology that is helping improve farming is precision agriculture, topography, and UAV. Precision Agriculture is a management strategy that collects and analyzes temporal and spatial data to support management decisions. It is known to improve resource use efficiency, productivity, quality, profitability, and sustainability of...
Fourteen-year-old William Head had a successful first year at the Richland County Fair. He is a member of the North Road Renegades 4-H Club and shows steer, market lambs, and breeding sheep. He had the 2022 Grand Champion market lamb, Grand Champion pen of two ewe lambs, Reserve Champion overall lamb breeding, Reserve Champion female lamb under one year, and Top of the Class market beef. “I was very proud of myself this year! It really encouraged me to push myself harder next year. I have worked very hard all summer with my animals and hard w...
The Richland County Farm Bureau is holding its annual meeting Sept. 15 at the Elks Lodge, Sidney. The county Farm Bureau will elect officers and directors, select voting delegates for the Montana Farm Bureau Convention in November, and discuss new policy that will guide the organization in the coming year. Farm Bureau leaders and staff will provide brief updates on agriculture issues and programs Farm Bureau is working on at the local, state and national level. The meeting’s guest speaker is nationally known Glen Bloomstrom, Faith Community E...
Bozeman - Montana State University's Steer-A-Year program is seeking donations of steers and feed as well as financial support for the 2022-23 academic year. A student program in MSU's College of Agriculture combining academic courses with hands-on, technical experience, Steer-A-Year involves students in multiple aspects of raising cattle. Students spend the academic year feeding and managing steers, caring for them through the winter and spring, collecting data on feed efficiency and weight...
“There is increased interest in planting winter wheat this year and for good reason,” says Clair Keene, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension agronomist. “With many prevent plant acres in the state, good soil moisture heading into the end of the growing season, severe drought in much of the Southern Plains and higher wheat prices than we’ve been accustomed to the last few years, 2022 is shaping up to be favorable for growing winter wheat,” says Keene. In addition to the positive market conditions, some other benefits of planting...
If you are preparing to plant winter wheat soon, it is important to consider green bridge control to prevent wheat streak mosaic (WSM). Wheat streak mosaic is a viral disease that impacts small grains, including spring wheat and winter wheat, as well as durum, barley, oats, and corn, among other crops. Symptoms of WSM include yellow streaking and mottling, which usually affects the entire plant. Early infections lead to plant stunting. Wheat streak mosaic impacts can range from insignificant up to 100% yield loss. This viral disease is...
The NDRA Championship Finals Rodeo will take place at the McKenzie County fairgrounds located in Watford City on Friday, Sept. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 24. The rodeo will start at 7 p.m. CT on Friday and 6 p.m. CT on Saturday. The event will have concessions and beer gardens, lots of vendors, and Junior Wild Pony Race (with buckle & prize money awarded to the champion). The Finals Rodeo will feature the top contestants in each standard event and pit them against the top stock in the state. Events that will be at the finals rodeo is bareback and...
Bozeman - As winter wheat harvest in Montana comes to a close, producers may be thinking about fertilizer decisions for upcoming winter wheat seeding. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur and chloride should all be considered in fertility programs, according to Clain Jones, Montana State University Extension soil fertility specialist and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences professor in the College of Agriculture. Phosphorous and potassium Phosphorus and potassium are immobile nutrients in the soil and tend to be...
Sustainable Oils LLC, a company headquartered in Great Falls, is known to be the world's leading camelina seed company for renewable diesel production. According to susoils.com, it owns an industry leading portfolio of property rights, including patents and production know-how, to produce its proprietary varieties of camelina as a nonfood based ultra-low carbon biofuels feedstock. Renewable diesel made from Sustainable Oils Camelina is a high-demand drop-in fuel that meets all specifications for...
The McNally family had a successful season at the Richland County Fair. Seventeen-year-old Cooper McNally had the 2022 Grand Champion market hog, breeding gilt, and he won the Champion of Champions title with his gilt. He was also titled 2022 Grand Champion Senior Showman for both hogs and beef projects and he won the Round Robin. His 9-year-old sister Brynlee had the 2022 Reserve Champion market hog, goat, and steer. She was also the 2022 Grand Champion Novice Pig and Goat Showman and Reserve Champion Novice Beef Showman. On top of this,...
Bozeman - A Montana State University doctoral student and Ph.D. graduate recently received honors for their research on precision agriculture in Montana. Sasha Loewen and Paul Hegedus in the College of Agriculture received Graduate Student of the Year awards from the International Society of Precision Agriculture. Both were recognized at the organization's annual meeting held at the end of June in Minneapolis. ISPA is a nonprofit professional scientific organization with a mission to advance...
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven announced a federal appropriation that will develop a partnership between North Dakota State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and Grand Farm around research development and educational opportunities in agriculture technology. This announcement occurred at an event held at NDSU. "Grand Farm is about leveraging North Dakota's global leadership in agriculture and the dynamic technology sector that we've built in our state to develop...
Farmers across the region have experienced significant losses due to the sky-rocketing grasshopper population. “The population levels this summer have met the USDA-APHIS projection and, in some areas, have greatly exceeded it. The late snowstorms and cool and wet weather this spring helped combat grasshoppers early on by 1) delaying their hatching, and 2) allowing the grass to grow and get a head start before the grasshoppers had finished hatching,” explained MSU Richland County Extension Agent Marley Manoukian. Grasshoppers thrive in dry wea...
North Dakota State University's soybean breeding program conducts research every growing season on the tolerance of soybean varieties to iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC). "If farmers had IDC in their fields this year, they should consider using the NDSU tolerance ratings generated in 2022 and previous years, to select soybean varieties for 2023, to minimize the chlorosis in their fields," says Hans Kandel, NDSU Extension agronomist. During the summer of 2022, NDSU's soybean breeding program...
As the time to harvest your annual forages draws near and because nitrate toxicity can be fatal for your livestock, it is important to understand the need for nitrate testing. Cereal crops are known to accumulate nitrates with oats being the top accumulator, along with wheat, barley, rye, triticale, spelt, and others. Other problematic crops include sorghum, sudangrass, millet, and corn. Many weed species can accumulate nitrates, as well, such as kochia, pigweed, lambsquarter, quackgrass, and Russian thistle. If you are growing any of these cro...
A Lower Yellowstone Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held July 26 at Joe’s Island on the south side of Yellowstone River, across from the Intake Fish Screens. Approximately 100 dignitaries and local residents from Montana and North Dakota attended plus proclamations were read from others. The ceremony was lead by Kayla Eckert Uptmor, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, followed by Tanya Trujillo, Asst. Secretary of Water and Science, Dept. of the Interior; Camille Calimlim Touton, Bureau of Reclamation commissioner; Col. Geoff Van Epps, U.S. Amy Corps o...
One of the most memorable things about the Richland County Fair and Rodeo is the beautiful and elaborate seed paintings or artistic backgrounds. Short of seeing them at the fair and, occasionally, in the odd business many do not know much about them. The backgrounds are just a piece of an entry into the Agriculture, Community, and Horticulture department. It is the Community Booth Exhibits class. Participants are to decorate their community’s booth. According to the 2022 fair book, the booths will be judged on the quality, number, and a...
Helena, MT – On Monday, July 24, the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) announced confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a Flathead County backyard poultry flock. This is the 10th HPAI affected Montana flock linked to a 2022 wave of HPAI infections in the United States traced to seasonal migrations of wild birds. Nationally, nearly 400 poultry flocks have been diagnosed with HPAI. “With over 2 months since our last case of HPAI in the state, we had hoped that avian influenza was behind us,” said Marty Zaluski, Monta...
The Richland County Fair and Rodeo is not too far away. All the rip-roaring fun that Richland County has been waiting for all year long will be Aug. 3–6 and it is right around the bend. Chase Rice is doing the Saturday night concert with special guest, Casey Donahew. According to www.iheart.com, Chase Rice grew up in North Carolina listening to Garth Brooks and other singers who reshuffled and updated country music into something more in line with pop in the 1990s. Rice first came into the public’s eye in 2010, when he was a contestant on the...
Madison Sparks, Sidney, started her 4-H journey as a Yellowstone Valley Trailblazer Cloverbud in 2012 and is now on her last year with the Forever Buds 4-H club. From a young age, she knew she wanted to be in 4-H because of the animals. “The animals definitely were a big part of why I wanted to join 4-H. I love to be around them,” said Sparks. Throughout her time as a 4-H member, she has shown steers, goats, pigs, alpacas, and rabbits. She has also participated in several indoor projects including photography, sewing, quilting, baking, cake dec...
