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The Montana Farmers Union (MFU) held a meeting on Thursday, June 10, at The Rod Iron Grill to discuss topics such as The American Rescue Plan, a new Meat Cooperative, food resiliency and much more. Opening the meeting was MFU President Walter Schweltzer. After a brief rundown of recent events held by MFU and a bit of their history, Schwelter discussed food resiliency in Montana. According to Schweltzer, 50 years ago Montana raised and processed 70% of our own food. Today we only raise and...
This past weekend was all about beef, cattle, ranchers, education and fun. The "Rockin' Your Heart Weekend" took place June 4-5 and was sponsored by the MonDak Stockgrowers Association. A team roping event kick started the festivities on Friday at Richland County Fair and Rodeo. Participants were able to demonstrate their roping skills. With a chance to watch roping skills, live music, food and concession stands and the beer gardens, attendees from young to old had something they could enjoy. Al...
The 2021 McKenzie County 4-H Consumer Decision Making Contest was held on June 1 at NDSU Extension Office/McKenzie County, Watford City. Jaden Murphy, Williston, received a Grand Champion ribbon in Junior Division (10-13 year olds) and Gracyn Darrington, Arnegard followed with the Reserve. Nicolas Ellis, Arnegard, and Kyle Best, Watford City, were recipients of blue ribbons. Beginner Division (8 9 year olds) participants Gavyn Darrington, Arnegard and Tylee Thorne, Watford City, were awarded...
On Monday, June 7, the City of Sidney Council members will have the opportunity to give Sidney residents back some of their freedoms. In the first city council meeting of the summer, Jaymi Mozeak will be going before the council to request the current ordinances concerning livestock be eased to allow city residents to own and keep chickens on their property. She will also be presenting them with a petition signed by Sidney residents wanting chickens in town. Jaymi grew up on a small hobby farm i...
Three McKenzie County 4-H’ers participated in the 2021 Mouticounty Program Unit 1 4-H Communication Arts Event held on Tuesday, May 26 at Williston Research Extension Center. The goal of this event is to help 4-H’ers become proficient at making public presentations. Participants are developing communication skills and learning to gather and organize information, equipment and props. Kyle Best presented “Why Buy Local” video presentation in Junior Division and received a first place medal....
Sidney - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Executive Director Tammy Lyseng today announced that Richland County is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from Fire. ECP signup for fire begins on June 1, 2021 and ends on June 30, 2021. The approved ECP practices under this authorization include rehabilitation or replacement of fences that were destroyed or seriously damaged, debris removal, grading, shaping, releveling land, or similar land damaged by fire. ECP...
The 2021McKenzie County 4-H Project Expo and 4-H Communication Arts Events were held on May 18 at the NDSU Extension/McKenzie County Office, Watford City. The 4-H Project Expo event provides youth with the opportunity to plan, prepare and display an article, educational or food related project. Four-H members also verbally express themselves to a judge. At the close of the contest, ribbon awards were presented to each participant. Senior (13-18 year olds) Ethan Roffler was awarded a Grand...
The annual Speech and Demonstration Day event was held April 6, at Pella Lutheran Church, Sidney, MT. Speech and Demonstration Day is a local 4-H event, where 4-H members get to practice public speaking skills that build self-confidence and self-esteem. A demonstration gives the 4-H member the ability to teach others how to do something that they have learned, they present the step by step process to the audience and judges. Members are evaluated on understanding of subject matter, their public...
Livestock producers in 14 Montana counties are eligible to apply for 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on small grain, native pasture, improved pasture, annual ryegrass, and forage sorghum. LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or leased land or fire on federally managed land. County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought or if a federal agency prohibits producers from...
The Youth Pollinator Event for Alexander Public School 3rd and 4th graders was held at Lewis and Clark Trail Museum, Alexander, on May 12. Students attending the event helped plant crops; learn about wildlife and conservation, and how to create a pollinator habitat....
Bozeman - The Montana State University College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station have announced the dates for their annual agricultural field days, which will return as in-person events after being hosted virtually in 2020. “We are so excited to be bringing back our in-person field days this year,” said Darrin Boss, Department of Research Centers head and Northern Agricultural Research Center superintendent. “These events are always a highlight for all of us, because they offer one of our best chances to meet with...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension in Pondera County and Purdue Extension-Bartholomew County will offer a webinar series this month to help improve agricultural storytelling and communication skills. Adriane Good, MSU Extension agent in Pondera County, and Cora Carter, Purdue Extension educator in Bartholomew County, coordinated the series. “We noticed that many agricultural producers want to engage with the public and share their story but have difficulties doing so. This series aims to help producers with skills to communicate eff...
Great Falls - Montana Farmers Union appreciates the efforts of two state law makers whose work to amend HB 2, a budget bill, that will allow the state to explore more opportunities for meat processing as well as level the playing field for custom butchers. The two bills sponsored, by Rep. Brandon Ler and Sen. Ken Bogner, proposed significant changes to state and custom exempt meat inspection for sale of meats. The USDA threatened to refuse funding for meat inspection if these bills passed in their original form. Montana Farmers Union President...
The Montana drought-monitoring group will meet Wednesday, May 5 at 10 a.m. to seek local input on moisture conditions. These meetings are open to everyone interested, field staff, weather experts/observers, ranchers, farmers, property owners, outdoor enthusiasts, wildland firefighters. This is an opportunity to share what moisture conditions and drought impacts are like in your area. Join Zoom Meeting https://mt gov.zoom.us/j/87206171229?pwd=MUh3L3BTNUlyQ281SnRpWitNRzFldz09. Meeting ID: 872 0617 1229; password: 501439; Dial by telephone +1 646...
Bozeman — Montana State University Extension will host a new series of meetings across the state geared toward comprehensive education on drought and its implications for Montana agriculture. The meetings are free and open to the public, no registration required. The series will begin on April 26 with a meeting in Sidney, and sessions will also take place in Miles City, Havre, Lewistown and Dillon. The first meeting in Sidney will also be live streamed via Webex. All in-person meetings will follow social distancing guidelines. The meetings a...
Last year's Montana Farm Bureau Virtual Farm Fair was so well received that the state's largest agricultural organization is again holding their Virtual Farm Fair April 26-30. The Virtual Farm Fair features lively videos from Farm Bureau members' farms and ranches. Although the videos are directed toward a fourth-grade learning level, they are appropriate, fun and educational for all ages-even for parents. These farm-fresh videos offer corresponding activities and lesson plans. Monday, April 26...
Dependent on weather, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project will start filling and flushing the Main Canal on Wednesday, April 21 at 6 a.m. Please ensure that all children, livestock, and fences are out of the canals, ditches, drains and harm’s way. Please unlock any gate along canals, laterals and drains. Watch for live updates on Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project Facebook page....
The Montana Oilseed Advisory Committee is proposing a 0.5% checkoff for canola, camelina, flaxseed, mustard, safflower, soybeans, and sunflower crops. This checkoff means that growers can voluntarily have 0.5% taken off their sale price when they sell their crop and that half a percent will be used to benefit the overall production of oilseed crops and growers. If this checkoff is passed, then the Montana Oilseed Advisory Committee will help advise the Montana Department of Agriculture on how to invest those funds for market development,...
Helena - Governor Greg Gianforte issued an executive order that temporarily suspends hours of service regulations for certain carriers to facilitate and expedite the delivery of fertilizer to Montana’s farmers. Agriculture producers regularly face a compressed spring planting schedule due to late snowfalls and wet conditions which increase the demand for anhydrous ammonia and fertilizer across the state. Waiving hours of service requirements ensures that fertilizer haulers can meet the needs of the industry by delivering greater volumes in a s...
Washington, DC - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative - USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers - will reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs. USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new programs. The Department will also develop rules for new programs that will put a greater emphasis on outreach to small and...
What can producers expect as the economy recovers from COVID-19 and discussion begins on innovative agricultural policies leading up to a new farm bill? What about existing risk management tools? What support can producers expect in the next few years? Montana State University Ag Economist Dr. Vincent Smith, an internationally recognized expert on agricultural and international trade policy, shares his considerable insight into these questions in the final webinar of the 2021 MonDak Ag Research...
Conversations at the Capitol have taken a turn this week to focus on strategy for spending federal funding brought to Montana from The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The American Rescue Plan Act is the Biden Administration’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. The nearly $3 billion in funding is roughly equal to our state’s typical annual budget, so the legislators have a big job to do in strategically and thoughtfully distributing the money. They’re handling this money – marked as House Bill 632: Implement receipt of and appropr...
Bozeman - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking proposals to fund up to $75 million in new, unique projects under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program’s (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA) that take innovative and non-traditional approaches to conservation solutions at the local, regional and landscape scales. In making selections USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will prioritize projects related to climate smart agriculture and forestry. NRCS will fund up to 15 projects this year thr...
A statewide citizen science network is looking for volunteers for rain and snow reporting in North Dakota. These observers will measure rainfall, snowfall and snow depth as part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network. Observers also are encouraged to measure the water equivalent of the snow after it melts, although that is optional. "This is your chance to become part of the state's climatological history and contribute to an accurate flood potential forecast in...
National Ag Week, a time to celebrate agriculture, is March 21-27 with National Ag Day March 23. Agriculture remains the number-one industry for Montana, outpacing mining, tourism and forestry products along with oil and gas. Montana agriculture is diverse and known throughout the world for its wheat, beef, pulse crops and barley, plus the state’s farmers and ranchers produce plenty of other agricultural products including bees/honey, cherries, sugar beets, corn, canola, seed potatoes, dairy products, hogs, chickens/eggs and more. ...
