Sorted by date Results 891 - 915 of 1242
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service (USDA NASS) released the final 2012 Ag Census Report today, including information on agriculture in Montana. The full report can be found at agcensus.usda.gov/index . The USDA NASS takes a complete count of America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them every five years. The last survey was conducted in 2007. “Agriculture is a foundation of Montana’s economy with over $4.2 billion in agricultural products produced in 2012. This report allows us to exami...
USDA Montana Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Bruce Nelson reminds foreign persons with an interest in agricultural lands in the United States that they are required to report their holdings and any transactions to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. “Any foreign person who acquires, transfers or holds any interest, other than a security interest, including leaseholds of 10 years or more, in agricultural land in the United States is required by law to report the transaction no later than 90 calendar days after the date of the t...
March 2014 R-CALF USA may be defined as a non-profit producer organization, but our work benefits anyone who eats meat and those who live in an economy that includes agriculture. We’re more than a producer organization, we’re your organization! We won Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals! In this lawsuit, NCBA and its meatpacker friends are fighting to get rid of COOL. R-CALF USA along with others are interveners in the case to help protect COOL. During the oral arguments, a number of issues only raised by R-C...
Along came a spider and sat down beside her…but it definitely did NOT scare her away! Instead, Entomologist Laurie Kerzicnik has made a career of studying all things creepy crawly, with spiders emerging as her favorite subjects. Kerzicnik will share her enthusiasm for spiders with both students and local producers when she visits the USDA-Agricultural Research Service’s Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney Friday, March 21st, as the next speaker in the lab’s 2014 Winter BrownBagger Series. Dr. Kerzicnik’s present...
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Bruce Nelson reminds Montana farmers and ranchers that the sales closing deadline of March 17th for most non-insurable 2014 spring planted and forage crops, including grass for hay and grazing, is fast approaching. Application deadline for the 2014 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for all non-insurable crops except for honey and value loss crops is March 17, 2014. The 2014 sales closing dates have already ended for honey (Dec. 2, 2013) and value-loss crops (Sept. 2,...
The Montana Department of Agriculture announced that funding is available and applications will be accepted to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. After receiving funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the state will disburse $305,000 to successful applicants through a competitive grant process. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs, dried fruits, horticultural, and nursery crops, including floriculture. Eligible plants must be intensively cultivated and used by people for...
The Williston State College (WSC) Agriculture Ambassador Program is rounding out the year with a heavy emphasis on production. The Agriculture Courses are wrapping up soon for the semester to enable the students to get home and start preparing for spring work and/or to start work in the Agriculture industry before the busy spring season arrives. Last semester, some of the Ambassadors took some time to speak to elementary students about Agriculture. Their presentation was mainly to introduce the...
Beach, ND area farmer/photographer James Zielsdorf says he’s found “the missing link” for building soil quality on his farm AND he has the pictures to prove it! He’ll be sharing those pictures and his insights this Friday, March 7, beginning at noon at the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory (NPARL) in Sidney as part of that facility’s 2014 BrownBagger series. Zielsdorf’s presentation – “The Missing Link: What it looks like in Western North Dakota” – is open to the public and runs from noon to 1 pm. The lab is located at 1...
Across the country, county and state Farm Bureaus are making safety a priority through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program. As part of ASAP, March 2-8 has been designated as Agricultural Safety Awareness Week. This year’s theme is “Farm Safety: Your Only Passenger.” During this week and throughout the year, the Montana Farm Bureau is encouraging farmers to practice extra caution when working with tractors, especially with children present—and not to take extra riders.” “In farming communities, it’s important to remember one seat means onl...
More than 50 Montana farm and ranch youth now participate in the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Junior Agriculture Loan Program. Young people active in rural youth organizations like 4-H or FFA may be eligible for loans up to $8,500. The program has provided over 1,300 loans to young farmers and ranchers since its inception. The program is designed to help rural youth develop or expand livestock or agri-business projects like custom farming, marketing, and processing. The Department of Agriculture may finance up to 90 percent of a p...
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds producers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming that the spring sales closing date is March 15. The spring sales closing and cancellation date applies to spring planted crops, and is also the deadline for producers to notify their agent if they have planted winter wheat in a county with only spring wheat coverage. There are also important changes for organic producers this year. The five percent surcharge for all acreage insured under organic farming practices has been removed and a...
Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project held its annual meeting Friday, February 14 at the Sidney Elks Lodge with a delicious lunch catered by Kountry Catering and skillful emceeing by LYIP Board of Control president Richard Cayko. Rod Stephens and Lonnie Schipman were thanked for their many years of dedicated service and congratulated on their retirement while operator Terry Jensen was recognized for 30 years of service to LYIP. Bud Groskinsky was presented a book of historical LYIP photos, some...
Montana State University Extension’s Pesticide Education Program is offering a new MontGuide about pesticide performance and water quality. Poor water quality can significantly reduce the efficacy of many pesticide products. The MontGuide, “Pesticides and Water Quality,” explains why pesticide applicators should always test their water for turbidity, pH and hardness prior to using a pesticide mixture. Because pesticide mixtures are often composed of greater than 95 percent spray solution, a slight variation in water quality can have a signi...
In recognition of National Agriculture Week (National Agriculture Day, March 25,2014), WIFE (Montana Women Involved in Farm Economics) invites Montana’s school children to express their ideas on farm life by participating in WIFE’s twenty-eighth statewide calendar art contest. Winning entries grades K through 8th will be awarded a cash prize at the 1st place ($30), 2nd place (&20), and 3rd place ($10), levels in each grades division. Two Honorable Mention places in each grade will be awarded certificates. Only 25 pictures are used on the calend...
“The Northern Plains Resource Council believes that careful analysis of the just-released final Environmental Impact Statement will show that it is far short of demonstrating that the Keystone XL pipeline would be in the national interest,” said Darrell Garoutte, a Northern Plains member and rancher whose land would be crossed by the pipeline in McCone County, Montana. “The release of the final EIS means that it is now time for citizens, especially in the affected states with so much to lose, to speak up and let Secretary Kerry and Presi...
Montana, known around the world as having some of the highest quality beef genetics, is continually looking for new markets. This year, after receiving funding, the Montana Department of Agriculture meat and livestock marketing officer Marty Earnheart, Montana State University Interim Dean and Director of the College of Agriculture and Agricultural Experiment Stations Dr. Glenn Duff, and two Montana beef genetic industry producers are poised to travel to South Africa in late January to assess the South African beef genetics market. “Our high q...
Is your dream to travel the country and learn about the different aspects of the beef industry? The Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Research and Education Endowment Foundation is sponsoring the trip for one young Montana rancher to attend the 2014 Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC). “The Montana Stockgrowers Association Foundation is committed to investing in the development and education of leaders in the agriculture business, and the Foundation sees a positive return on the investment in the Young Cattlemen’s Conference delegates,” said Du...
The 36th annual GATE (Glendive Agri-Trade Expo) is quickly approaching – so mark your calendars and plan to spend an enjoyable weekend Friday, February 7th and Saturday, February 8th, 2014. Doors open Friday from 9AM-6PM Saturday 9AM – 4PM Join us for exceptional seminar speakers: Friday 11:00 AM Echelon Ag “Advanced Technology – Precision Ag Now & In The Future” Friday 1:30 PM Estate Planning “When the South Forty Needs a 1040” Saturday 10:00 AM Estate Planning “When the South Forty Needs a 1040” Saturday 1:30 PM 4-H is Great Raffle tick...
The 61st Annual National Hard Spring Wheat Show will be held Feb. 4-6, 2014 at the Grand Williston, Formally the Airport International Inn, Williston, ND. Monday, February 4th area 5th graders will be participating in a bread fair at 1 pm. Come and observe the student activities that afternoon. A new feature of this years’ event is NDSU’s “The Best of the Best in Wheat, Barley, Corn and Soybean Production”. This truly will be a great opportunity for area producers to learn more about traditional and emerging crops grown in this area. Additio...
While natural insecticides made up of disease-causing soil microbes have been successfully tested against pest grasshoppers in the lab and greenhouse, their success has not always translated to the great outdoors. Why not? Sidney Agricultural Research Service scientist Stefan Jaronski will answer that question during his special BrownBagger presentation this Thursday, Jan. 30, at the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory (NPARL) in Sidney. The talk is open to the public and runs from noon to 1 pm. The lab is located at 1500...
Voting delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation's 95th Annual Meeting approved resolutions that will provide the organization with authority from its grassroots members to push Congress toward the goal line on unfinished issues like the farm bill and ag labor. "Securing victories on those issues is critical to our competitiveness as individual farmers and ranchers, and to our nation's success as a food producer," said AFBF President Bob Stallman, who was re-elected to his eighth...
Montana State University Extension has a new research bulletin on glyphosate-resistant kochia. The guide outlines best management practices and herbicide recommendations for growers, and it is available from MSU Extension at no cost. “Glyphosate-resistant Kochia in Montana,” gives an introduction to kochia weed biology and helps readers understand the development and spread of the evolutionary weed, and the best practices to contain and manage herbicide-resistant weed populations. Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide, known as Roundup, or...
The Sidney FFA program was recognized for 75 years of Agricultural Education at the MonDak Ag Days Banquest held on January 9. FFA President, Emily Schaff, highlighted the club's notable happenings over the 75 year span....
Applications are being accepted for Montana Department of Agriculture grants and loans to provide economic assistance to agricultural producers, businesses, public and private organizations, educational institutions and local governments. To be eligible, entities must enter into activities that add value to Montana’s agricultural commodities, expand markets and increase financial returns to the state. “This grant and loan opportunity will promote business expansion and entrepreneurship by helping these businesses get much needed access to cap...
Richland County Ag Days will take place Thursday, January 9, 2014. Kick off the day with a KEYZ 660 breakfast and then go right into the educational sessions which will focus on agronomic topics and livestock production. There will also be a tour, whether actual or virtual. Thursday morning's speaker is Dr. Hanson, who will speak on "Farm Business Ownership, Family Succession and the Transfer of Business Management to the Next Generation". His talk will start at 8:30 a.m. and conclude about...
