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Helena, MT - With support from the governor’s office and executive branch feedback, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is leading a comprehensive review of water management and administration as part of the Governor Greg Gianforte’s Montana Comeback Plan and Red Tape Relief initiative. “After almost 50 years of piecemeal adjustments to the Water Use Act, we believe it is time to review our current water administration and management so we can meet the water needs of the 21st Century,” said Anna Pakenham Stevenson, DNRC Wa...
Access to adequate, good quality water will continue to be a challenge for ranchers in North Dakota this spring, according to North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist, Miranda Meehan. Many ranchers in the region still depend on surface water sources, such as dugouts and stock dams to provide water to grazing livestock. Due to drought conditions in both 2020 and 2021, many livestock sources either dried up or were potentially toxic to livestock...
Oh no! Here we go again! After eastern Montana and western North Dakota farmers and ranchers endured the second largest grasshopper outbreak of the last 35 years in 2021, they're naturally nervous about what may be coming next, particularly given persistent drought in the region. And it appears everyone is rightfully on edge. Annual grasshopper surveys taken last fall by the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) indicate another bad year for grasshoppers, with more than 20...
MonDak Ag Days closed out their annual event with a banquet held Friday, March 4 at the Richland County Event Center. A prime rib dinner was served. Assisting with the banquet were the Sidney FFA chapter members shown (L to R): Advisor Kelly Alvstad, Allison Thiel, Corey Christensen, Rhett Rossol, Beau Rindahl, Victor Hoolsema, and Rafe Fulgham....
The 2022 MonDak Ag Days and Trade Show will be held Tuesday and Friday, March 3-4 at the Richland County Event Center, Sidney. Events begin on Thursday, March 3 with the opening of the Trade Show at 8 a.m. MT. Tyler Tjelde will present “Soybean Production in the MonDak” at 9 a.m. followed by Patrick Gilchrist’s “Water Outlook in 2022”. From 11 a.m.-12 noon, “Options for Burndown Not Named Glyphosate and Problematic Weeds that are emerging in and around Richland County” by Brian Jenks. Also from 11 a.m.,-2 p.m., 3 Pesticide Points will be avail...
BOZEMAN, Montana – Sharing resources that will help farmers and ranchers keep safety top-of-mind through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program is a priority of county and state Farm Bureau leaders across the nation. As part of this year’s ASAP commemoration, March 7-11 has been designated as Agricultural Safety Awareness Week. U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers will join Farm Bureau in promoting the week with its theme “Prepare. Prevent. Protect.” A different safety focus will be highlighted by Montana Farm Bureau and U.S. Ag Cent...
This year, Mondak Ag Days is back to an all in-person format, to be held at the Richland County Event Center on March 3-4. "The 2022 MonDak Ag Days will follow its traditional footprint and we are adding some pretty sweet door prizes to the banquet," Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture Executive Director Kali Godfrey said. The event features a trade show with several vendors showcasing the latest in agriculture related equipment and technology and provides educational opportunities...
The National Hard Spring Wheat Show was Feb. 9 at the ARC in Williston. Banquet speaker Jolene Brown shared hilarious anecdotes in educating the attendees about the complexities of working with family and passing property to next generation....
Bozeman, MT - Feb. 16 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is delivering on its promise to expand markets by investing $1 billion in partnerships to support America’s climate-smart farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. The new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities opportunity will finance pilot projects that create market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse gas benefits. USDA is now accepting project a...
GREAT FALLS – Montana producers head to Denver, Colo., Sunday to the 120th National Farmers Union Convention, where they will share state priorities as the organization forms policy for the year ahead. The group of delegates is: Eric Bergman from Fort Shaw; Joellyn Clark and Tom Clark from Fort Benton; Chad Doheny from Dutton; Gwyneth Givens and John Wicks from Ledger; Paul Neubauer from Havre; Cindy Palmer and Walter Schweitzer from Geyser; Phillip Prewett from Park City; Sarah Rachor from Sidney; and Erik Somerfeld from Power. “Our del...
Great Falls, MT – With support from the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee (MWBC), four wheat and barley varieties developed by Montana State University (MSU) Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology were approved for public release during the annual stakeholders meeting held at the beginning of the year. Montana wheat and barley producers see their crop check-off investments come to fruition at this highly anticipated meeting when the Varietal Release Committee decides to release Montana cultivars. This year, the committee voted to i...
Bozeman, MT - The American Farm Bureau Federation has sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, asking the Department of Justice to provide an update on its investigation into the meatpacking industry. The Department of Justice began an investigation after excessive volatility in the live and fed cattle markets caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. “With over 80% of the fed cattle market controlled by only four major packing companies, we are concerned about the control these firms have,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall wrote. “We...
The 69th Annual National Hard Spring Wheat Show is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 9 at Williston Area Recreation Center, 822 18th St. E., Williston. The event includes a vendor show, breakfast, agriculture specialist speakers, an awards lunch, and an evening banquet. At 7:30 a.m. the show will kick off with a free ag appreciation breakfast, followed by words from Williston Mayor Howard Klug, Wheat Show President Dusty Berwick, and Wheat Show Board. Throughout the day, several speakers will be...
Helena, MT – On Saturday, Jan. 1, the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) Brand Rerecord period ended. Brand Rerecord is a one-year period in which Montana brand owners renew their brands with the state to ensure an accurate record of livestock brands that are still in use. Brand Rerecord began in 1921 and occurs every ten years. As of Jan. 1, there were 55,567 brands recorded with the Department of Livestock. By Dec. 31, 2021, 47,663 brands were rerecorded. During the rerecord year, the Department of Livestock also recorded 1,000 new b...
Washington - Dec. 20 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is leveraging its authorities under the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to bring in new types of partners and ultimately expand opportunities in voluntary conservation for the Nation’s agricultural producers and private landowners. In direct response to feedback from state agencies, Tribes, non-profits and other groups, USDA has updated CREP’s rule regarding matching fund requirements, and invested in additional staff to work directly with partners for str...
Farmers can elect coverage and enroll in crop-by-crop Agricultural Risk Coverage-County (ARC-CO) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs within each Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm unit, or ARC-Individual for the entire farm, for the 2022 crop year, says Ron Haugen, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension farm management specialist. Although election changes for 2022 are optional, enrollment by signed contract is required for each year of the program. This is an annual decision that farmers...
The 52nd annual Sugarbeet Research Reporting Session will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the West Fargo Convention Center starting at 7:30 a.m. Researchers and Extension specialists from North Dakota State University (NDSU), the University of Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as from European research institutes and universities will provide updates on current sugarbeet research. "Each year the Sugarbeet Research and Education Board of Minnesota and North Dakota provides ge...
Farmers in the western Dakotas and eastern Montana will have the opportunity to hear nationally-known speakers address topics affecting agriculture in the region during North Dakota University (NDSU) Extension's Diversity, Direction and Dollars agricultural forum. It will be held Tuesday, Jan. 11 at the Roosevelt Grand Dakota Hotel, Dickinson. The forum will provide ideas for improving productivity and decreasing costs while providing high quality food produced in a sustainable manner....
NDSU Agriculture Communication Agricultural producers should do tax planning before the end of the year. "It is that time of the year again to think about year-end tax planning," says Ron Haugen, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension farm management specialist. "Generally, all or most of the government payments that farmers and ranchers received during the year must be reported as income in the year it is received," says Haugen. "When tax planning, it is best to start with year-to-date...
The weather this year has presented many challenges. A drought that started in 2020, a frost in late May and hot, dry weather during the summer had a huge effect on crop production. "Having the ability to irrigate during droughty weather conditions makes a difference in crop production," says Tom Scherer, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension agricultural engineer. To help farmers with their irrigation management, NDSU Extension is holding an irrigation workshop in conjunction with the...
Bozeman — Registration is now open for the 2022 Montana and Wyoming Sugar Beet and Malt Barley Symposium, which will be held Jan. 12-13 at Billings Hotel and Convention Center, Billings. The event is hosted by the Mountain States Crop Education Association, or MSCEA, which is comprised of industry representatives as well as Montana State University Extension faculty members. The first day of the event will focus on barley production. Presentations will cover topics including precision agriculture and disease, nutrient and weed management. F...
Dr. Jeff Mosley, MSU Extension, talked to a packed room in Grazing Management; Decisions After Severe Drought workshop at the Montana Farm Bureau Federation Convention, Billings, last week. In his presentation, Mosely explained that drought is an inevitable part of normal climate fluctuations in the semi-arid rangeland that exists in Montana. “The severe drought in 2021 makes it necessary to adjust grazing management not only for 2022 but into 2023, especially for pastures that will be grazed in spring and early summer of 2022 or 2023,” Mos...
Sidney's new Butler Ag Equipment shop has been up and running as of Nov. 1. The facility is located at the former B&B Rentals location, 34940 MT-23, near the intersection of MT-16 and MT-23. It is the company's first store in Montana and 20th location throughout the Midwest. "So far it has been great! We have been getting a lot of positive feedback from the locals, along with our customers, "Butler Machinery Company Service Manager, Colton Carlin said. The company offers a full line of AGCO...
Dr. Jeff Mosley, MSU Extension, talked to a packed room in Grazing Management; Decisions After Sever Drought workshop at the Montana Farm Bureau Federation Convention, Billings, last week. In his presentation, Mosely explained that drought is an inevitable part of normal climate fluctuations in the semi-arid rangeland that exists in Montana. “The severe drought in 2021 makes it necessary to adjust grazing management not only for 2022 but into 2023, especially for pastures that will be grazed in spring and early summer of 2022 or 2023,” Mosley s...
Great Falls, MT - In response to two reported cases of mad cow disease (BSE) in animals and now two potential cases in humans, Montana Farmers Union (MFU) is calling for an immediate suspension of Brazilian beef imports. In September, Brazil announced two cases of BSE were detected in June, a significant delay in reporting that jeopardized the health of Americans. This is not the first time that Brazil has delayed reporting cases of BSE. In 2012, 2014, 2019, similar incidents occurred. This week, Brazil may have found at least two humans with...
