Articles from the September 7, 2016 edition


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  • The Montana Department of Agriculture held a Roundtable Discussion in Sidney to Access Area Needs

    Meagan Dotson|Sep 7, 2016

    Agriculture Development and Marketing Officers Marty Earnheart, Treston Vermandel, and Steph Hystad with the Montana Department of Agriculture held a round-table discussion in Sidney on Monday, Aug. 22nd. The discussion, which was open to the public, is one of many being held across the state; the officers wanted to hear feedback from those involved in local agriculture to determine area strengths and needs. The purpose of the Agriculture Development and Marketing Bureau is to assist...

  • MSU Researchers Spread The Buzz About Bee Viruses

    Marshall Swearingen|Sep 7, 2016

    BOZEMAN -- Researchers at Montana State University have published an informational paper in a scholarly journal summarizing what's known about the role that viruses play in honey bee health. Co-authored by Michelle Flenniken, assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology in MSU's College of Agriculture, and two MSU graduate students, the article, "The buzz about honey bee viruses" was published Aug. 18 in the journal PLoS Pathogens, which publishes "outstanding...

  • Cutbacks Impact the WREC by About $200,000 Annually

    Meagan Dotson|Sep 7, 2016

    In February of 2016, it was determined that there would be a 4.05% budget cut impacting state agencies, including the Williston Research and Experiment Center (WREC); it was later determined in August that there would be an additional 2.5% budget cut. This is an approximate $200,000 annual loss for the WREC. The cutbacks are a result of oil and gas prices being down, as well as low commodity grain prices. “My plan is to continue with the research implemented this season to completion because w...

  • Russian Olive Removal and Restoration Workshop set for Sept. 12-13 in Miles City

    Sep 7, 2016

    We don’t often think of trees as weeds or “conflict” species, particularly in this part of the country, but Russian olive’s rapid spread along the Yellowstone River and other riparian areas in recent years, has made it a pariah to many. Its dense canopy has displaced many native plants along the river and its long and prolific thorns have regularly impeded access to the water’s edge by wildlife, livestock and recreationalists, alike. For others, the arrival of this cold-hardy, deep-rooted, ornamental tree to the U.S. in the late 1800s, pr...

  • High Tunnels Can Extend the Growing Season for Specialty Crops

    Meagan Dotson|Sep 7, 2016

    Horticulture Research Specialist with the Williston Research and Extension Center (WREC), Kyla Splichal has been working with the North Dakota Department of Ag Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The experiment consists of growing specialty crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, delphiniums, snapdragons, lisianthus, and dahlias in a high tunnel structure versus outside. The project was first discussed in late 2014 by Splichal with WREC, and Esther McGinnis, Extension Horticulturist,...

  • Registration Open for the 2016 Young Ag Leadership Conference

    Rebecca Colnar|Sep 7, 2016

    Registration is now open for the 13th Annual Young Ag Leadership Conference (YALC). This exciting, one-of-a-kind conference takes place September 30-October 2 at the Holiday Inn in Great Falls. YALC is a collaborative effort between ten of Montana’s agricultural organizations, offering attendees a chance to discuss current ag issues, take part in various workshops, meet with industry leaders and network with fellow young people who live Montana agriculture. Anyone ages 18-40 who is interested or involved in agriculture is encouraged to a...

  • Department's Hay Hotline Available for Producers Short on Hay

    Sep 7, 2016

    With severe and extreme drought expanding throughout the state the Montana Department of Agriculture wants to remind folks that the Hay Hotline is available to producers as an online tool to connect buyers and sellers of hay and pasture. The department maintains the Hay Hotline as a service to the agricultural industry, making it available with the expectation that all buyers and sellers will treat each other in an equitable and lawful manner. Visit the online tool at agr.mt.gov/agr/Producer/HayHotline/. The Montana Department of...

  • MSU Scientist, International Team One Step Closer To Producing Higher Quality Durum Wheat

    Denise Hoepfner|Sep 7, 2016

    Hikmet Budak, Montana State University’s first Montana Plant Sciences Endowed Chair, is among an international team of scientists that is now one step closer to producing durum wheat that boasts a higher protein content and grain quality. The 14-member team announced in a July 6 press release that it has successfully sequenced and mapped the genome, or complete genetic code of durum wheat. Durum wheat is a close relative of the widely grown bread wheat and is the source of semolina, the key ingredient in pasta. Using a sequencing technology d...

  • Photo Credit Acknowledgement

    Sep 7, 2016

    The photos provided in the August 2016 Ag Roundup on the front page (the photo above), page 4, and page 8 were taken by Dr. Clair Keene with the Williston Research and Extension Center....