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State health officials are raising awareness about the health risks associated with raising backyard birds. Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) epidemiologist Rachel Hinnenkamp said that while raising backyard birds has become an increasingly popular activity in the state, there are health risks to be aware of. She said live poultry can carry germs such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can cause humans to get sick with symptoms including diarrhea, stomach pain, fever, an...
BOZEMAN – The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) interviewed six dryland grain producers to compare the ownership and operation costs of disc drills and stripper headers with hoe drills and auger/draper headers. According to the NRCS economic report, switching to a stripper header and disc drill from a draper header and hoe drill resulted in an average savings of $4.40 per acre/year for the six producers interviewed in this study. While the initial investment is substantial, all produ...
As the United States takes steps to address climate change, renewable energy development (particularly wind and solar) has become a critical component in reducing the nation’s carbon emissions. But as with many things, these new energy options bring their own sets of problems….and opportunities. This is the message being shared by Dr. Steve Grodsky, assistant professor of natural resources and the environment at Cornell University and an Assistant Unit Leader with the U.S. Geological Survey’s New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Resea...
The wild pig population has sent a worrying ecological ripple through several parts of the United States and Canada. While Montana does not currently have feral swine, having management in place prepared to deal with their threat will likely prevent massive damage to our land, livestock operations, waterways and native wildlife. Landowners, livestock producers, public access hunters, and the general public all have a stake in the havoc that comes with an incursion of wild pigs. Jared Beaver,...
The all sheep and lamb inventory in the U.S. on Jan. 1 totaled 5.03 million head, down 2% from 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report indicated a year-over-year decrease of 2% in North Dakota, 3% in Minnesota and 9% in South Dakota. "U.S. lamb consumption was 1.1 lbs. per person per year for 2023, and has room for growth domestically and abroad," says Travis Hoffman, NDSU Extension and UMN Extension sheep specialist. "We have...
Bozeman – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that USDA is accepting applications for grants to help agricultural producers maximize the value of their products and venture into new and better markets. USDA is making the grants available under the Value-Added Producer Grants [lnks.gd] program. The grants help farmers and ranchers generate new products, create marketing opportunities, and increase their incomes through value-added activities. Eligible applicants include independent producers, agricultural producer groups, f...
Wild pigs/feral swine are swine that have either escaped or were released intentionally, creating free-ranging swine populations. Wild pigs/feral swine can be found in 38 states with an estimated population of over six million animals. Wild pigs/feral pigs are also found in Canadian provinces bordering Montana. Prolific breeders, they can produce four to eight babies per litter. Wild pigs/feral pigs are highly adaptable, but prefer habitats with an abundant supply of water and dense cover. They are aggressive and pose serious ecological,...
Helena – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has announced the results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, spanning more than 6 million data points about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them down to the county level. The information collected directly from producers shows a decrease in the total number of Montana farms. The data shows an increase in the number of new and beginning (operating 10 or fewer years on any farm) as well as young (under the age of 35) produ...
Helena – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has announced the results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, spanning more than 6 million data points about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them down to the county level. The information collected directly from producers shows a decrease in the total number of Montana farms. The data shows an increase in the number of new and beginning (operating 10 or fewer years on any farm) as well as young (under the age of 35) produ...
Wild pigs/feral swine are swine that have either escaped or were released intentionally, creating free-ranging swine populations. Wild pigs/feral swine can be found in 38 states with an estimated population of over six million animals. Wild pigs/feral pigs are also found in Canadian provinces bordering Montana. Prolific breeders, they can produce four to eight babies per litter. Wild pigs/feral pigs are highly adaptable, but prefer habitats with an abundant supply of water and dense cover. They...
Bozeman – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that USDA is accepting applications for grants to help agricultural producers maximize the value of their products and venture into new and better markets. USDA is making the grants available under the Value-Added Producer Grants [lnks.gd] program. The grants help farmers and ranchers generate new products, create marketing opportunities, and increase their incomes through value-added activities. Eligible applicants include independent producers, agricultural producer groups, f...
Washington - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year. Producers can enroll and make election changes for the 2024 crop year starting Dec. 18, 2023. The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15, 2024. On Nov. 16, 2023, President Biden signed into law H.R. 6363, the “Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024” (Pub....
Mark Voll and Teresa Tescher Voll own Dakota Badlands Beef, located in the Squaw Gap area. This family owned and operated ranch is located 20 miles southeast of Sidney. Mark and Teresa were asked how long they’ve been selling beef. “Selling our own beef has been a part of our operation for many years. A highlight of raising cattle is having repeat customers come back and tell you how much they enjoy consuming our beef”. As our son Tom and his wife Marley work their way into the ranch, this allows them another avenue to pursue down the road,...
In a squat 1,100-square-foot building on the outskirts of Helena lies a pile of enormous tongues. They are thick and leaden, stacked on a steel table like fish out of water. The bovines from which they came hulk nearby, cold carcasses hanging from cold hooks. Bearded men, their white coats covered in blood, rhythmically chop livers, punctuating the hum of industrial refrigeration. This small meat-processing facility, which a group of ranchers started under the name Old Salt Co-op, is one of...
Bozeman – Protein content in wheat and barley crops can influence everything from the plant’s effectiveness as livestock feed to the clarity of beer brewed with the crops. Research in Montana State University’s College of Agriculture is seeking to identify exactly which plant enzymes control this critical crop value. Andreas Fischer, Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology professor, is using recent funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to fill what he calls a foundational gap in...
With the continued presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in North Dakota, North Dakota State University Extension specialists continue to encourage biosecurity practices for bird owners of all sizes and around wild birds. North Dakota has had no positive domestic cases since April. However, with positive cases occurring currently in Canada, the risk of transmission will increase as fall migration continues. Hunters participating in fall season should be aware of the...
USDA-APHIS is the provider of the Rangeland Grasshopper Suppression Program. This is a cost-share program on private, state, and federal lands. Because of the high population of grasshoppers this year and specifically in August and September when they were laying their eggs, it is likely populations will again be high next spring and summer. We are meeting on Monday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. at the Richland County Extension Office to start the process for the cost-share program. This program requires 10,000-acre contiguous blocks of rangeland, which...
Helena – The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have partnered to announce the recipients of the state’s $3.071 million investment in projects through the Montana Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program. “The quality of Montana’s agricultural products and the producers raising them are unmatched,” said Montana Department of Agriculture Director Christy Clark. “These grants support vital research and outreach efforts that directly benefit Montana’s farmers and ranchers to diversify, innovate, and...
Bozeman – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making more than $3 billion in funding available for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024. As first announced in August, Montana private land managers interested in participating in Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs must apply by Oct. 27, to be considered for the current funding cycle. “We know that funding provided through the Inflation Red...
The Montana Department of Agriculture had the unique opportunity to partner with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) to conduct a horse genetics trade mission to Spain and Germany during the first week of September. MDA recruited Mahlstedt Ranch of Circle and Weaver Quarter Horses of Big Sandy to participate in the trade mission. The AQHA sent Tate Eck, International Activities Director, and the APHA sent a judge and clinician for the...
Bozeman, MT – The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana is accepting applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and Wetlands Reserve Easements (WRE). To be considered for funding in the current cycle, producers and landowners should apply by Oct. 27. “NRCS provides funding and technical assistance to help farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners implement conservation practices that improve their environme...
Grasshoppers have continued to wreak havoc in Richland County and the surrounding areas. They have damaged both cropland and rangelands, with varying severity depending on the area. Cropland grasshopper damage has varied from defoliation to loss of field edges to total crop loss. Crop yields can be more directly affected as grasshoppers begin clipping off wheat heads. Producers have had to apply multiple insecticide applications to attempt to slow the progression of damage. Unfortunately, the...
Bozeman – For agricultural producers around the state, forage plants are a key element of cattle grazing as well as helping maintain soil nutrition, preventing erosion and providing a food source for wildlife. Now, funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute for Food and Agriculture, or NIFA, will let a Montana State University scientist begin exploring how those crops respond to changes in water availability. Andrew Felton, College of Agriculture's Department of Land R...
Bozeman, MT, June 29 Agricultural producers in Montana who have not yet completed their crop acreage reports after planting should make an appointment with their U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) service center before the applicable deadline. “Many USDA programs require producers to file an accurate crop acreage report by the applicable deadline,” said Maureen Wicks, Montana State executive director. “Once planting is complete, call your local FSA office to make an appointment to report your acreage. Our FSA staff...
Bozeman, MT - Agricultural producers and landowners in Montana interested in conservation opportunities for their land in exchange for yearly rental payments can find many possibilities through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (Continuous CRP). This option offers conservation benefits similar to others, like General and Grassland CRP, but also offers unique flexibility and several program choices. “Creating sound conservation and climate-smart options for the agricultural community are top pri...
