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The hardy, performing Angus cattle raised on Regency Acres Angus look good wearing their work clothes – and get their jobs done. "Our environment here is quite brutal," says owner Russ Thiessen. "We believe that our cattle are unique in that if they can survive our extremes in weather and on our short grass, they can survive anywhere." The Thiessen family: Russ and Jill and their children, daughter Téa, who teaches math in Stanford, MT and Tyler, who is now the fifth generation on the ranch, ra...
Howard Rambur started his herd as a youngster with two crossbred Charolais heifers and a purebred Charolais bull. “I got a small loan from the local bank and was on my way to having my purebred business. Of course, I’ve been borrowing money ever since,” said Rambur, who raises purebred Charolais cattle near Sidney, MT. Even though his father was primarily a sugar beet farmer, young Rambur’s interest in livestock was piqued when he began working with cattle as 4-H projects. He wanted to own something different than Angus, and the powerful, white...
Stortz Angus Ranch has been in the cattle business since the early 1900s. Located against the rugged Big Horn Sheep Mountains of Lindsay, MT, the ranch has withstood the test of time through consistent breeding and prioritized selection decisions. With over 30 years of utilizing the top genetics in the Angus breed through artificial insemination, the cattle you see today are as good as they come. “We focus our efforts in making functional cattle that prosper in the rough terrain and extreme weather that we see here in eastern Montana,” com...
In November 2023, a delegation from the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project visited Washington, DC, to personally advocate for the preservation of our local communities, including farmers in the Yellowstone Valley, and nationwide. Making the trip were LYIP general manager James Brower and his wife, Stacey; Mark Iverson, Montana Irrigation District president; and Todd Cayko, North Dakota Irrigation District vice-president. The issue at hand is the cost of maintaining the newly constructed fish bypass, which is not owned by the irrigation...
After American Crystal made the decision to close the Sidney Sugars beet processing plant last spring, multiple companies reached out with ideas to revive the industry. But according to Jeff Bieber, one company really stood out from the rest and is now actively exploring a renewable energy plant near Fairview that would create biofuel from sugar beets. Greenwood Renewable Ventures (GRV), a Colorado company, was formed in September 2022 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pulse Energy Partners,...
By now, corn silage harvest has finished across North Dakota. In well-packed, covered corn silage piles, the fermentation process to preserve the silage will be complete after about three weeks. This means that most of this year's silage crop is ready to feed to cattle. While ranchers may be able to calculate the input costs or the price of selling the corn silage to another producer, it pays to consider the value of feeding corn silage to their own cattle. "Corn silage has significant value for...
Bozeman — Calendars featuring drawings by artist Don Greytak are available from the Montana 4-H Foundation as a fundraiser to support 4-H youth programs. The Montana 4-H Greytak 2024 calendar features the artist’s pencil drawings of agricultural life in Montana and has been a traditional fundraiser for more than 30 years. Calendars cost $15. They are sold by 4-H members and are usually available at Montana State University Extension offices across the state. They can also be purchased directly from the Montana 4-H Foundation online. Pro...
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...
The last few years have been extremely tough on our cows; extreme low temperatures during the past winter (2022-2023), continued drought and grasshoppers resulting in limited quantity and quality of forages, and high populations of flies caused additional stress to our cattle this past summer. These factors, and others, may result in cows not being in proper condition and in turn having negative implications on breed up. Beef cows prioritize and partition the nutrients and energy that they consume in a specific way: 1. Basal metabolism 2....
Soybean producers and crop advisers hunting for research-based soybean production recommendations should plan to participate in the Getting It Right in Soybean Production webinar on Tuesday, Dec. 19 starting at 8:30 a.m. The webinar is organized and will be conducted by North Dakota State University Extension and is supported by the North Dakota Soybean Council. This online-only meeting will be hosted on Zoom. "This soybean educational event will provide research updates and recommendations...
North Dakota leads the United States canola production, with Montana following in third place. Canola oil use extends far beyond the kitchen and includes farmed fish feed, especially salmon, and biodiesel. Omega 3 canola, a new and exciting breed is, per Nuseed's website "the world's first plant-based omega-3 and will help relieve the pressure on our oceans to supply this essential nutrient. One acre of omega-3 canola produces as much DHA as 10,000 one-kilogram fish. Nuseed is partnering with...
Livestock Judging Results Oct. 1 Novice Teams: 1st: Richland County Novice #1: Kenzie Nagle, Makena Balducke, Clancy Marshall, and Aspen Nagle 2nd: Richland County Novice #2: Brynlee McNally, Peyton Denowh, Kree McNally, and Oliver Becker Individuals: 1st: Kenzie Nagle / Richland County Novice #1 2nd: Makena Balducke / Richland County Novice #1 3rd: Clancy Marshall / Richland County Novice #1 Top Reasons: 1st: Oliver Becker / Richland County Novice #2 Juniors Teams: 1st: Custer County/Richland County: Layla Dice, Kamden Johnson, Ted Jeffers,...
Brynn Spinner, Three Buttes 4-H Club, recently donated her back-up hog to the Lambert school lunch program. She said that Scotty Huft, Badland’s Water Works, was so generous when he purchased her hog at the Richland County Fair that she did not need the money so she decided to donate the extra animal. Spinner is 13 years old and has been a 4-H member for two years, with hogs and horses as her projects. Her favorite parts are going to the fair, hanging out with friends, and raising hogs. At home with her mom Jessica, dad Jim and an older b...
A group of Richland County leaders met with Rich Garman, North Dakota Department of Commerce Economic Development and Finance director on Friday, Sept. 29. He had good news for the MonDak region. Five different industrial companies are looking into building a facility in northwestern North Dakota. Cerilon, a company based out of Alberta, Canada, whose facilities generate premium-quality, cleaner-burning transportation fuels, synthetic base oils, and specialized products, according to their website, www.cerilon.com. The company wants to put a...
With the Sidney and surrounding communities bereaved of their sugar beet industry, many farmers have looked to corn and soybeans to fill the gap. To soften the learning curve, Farmer’s Choice, McClusky, ND, is bringing their expertise in those products to Sidney. Duane Peters, Sidney, former Sidney Sugars agronomist, will represent Farmer’s Choice in Sidney. He wants local farmers to know that “we are here to help”. They have purchased the former Trans-Systems building at 1120 E. Main St. and will be open to the public soon. Farmer’s Choice is...
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...
Bozeman-The Montana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee encourages any voting Farm Bureau member ages 18-35 to compete in the Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet, which takes place Thursday, Nov. 9 during the MFBF Annual Convention in downtown Billings. The winner of the Discussion Meet will receive the keys to a new Polaris Ranger, and an expense-paid trip to participate in the national Discussion Meet held during the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention January 2024 in...
The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association (NDSA) awarded McKenzie County cattleman Keith Winter, a 49-year NDSA member, with the organization’s most prestigious award, the Top Hand Award, at the banquet during its annual convention in Watford City. The Top Hand Award recognizes Winter’s unselfish concern for the land, the country and the cattle industry. Winter joined the exclusive class of 26 ranchers who have received this elite award over the NDSA’s 94-year history when he accepted his bronze statue. The lifelong rancher and longtime grazing a...
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Fall is my favorite season of the year. Our outside environment becomes a feast for our eyes as leaves change from green to gold, orange or red and float in the breeze. We are greeted by farmers markets and store displays with colorful red apples. Many varieties of squash are available. Some are green, others are orange or gold, and their rinds may be smooth or bumpy. I always enjoy the grocery store squash displays that look like a still-life portrait that has come to life. I almost do not...
Kristi Schultz and Brady Pelton have been selected to serve a three-year term on North Dakota State University's Rural Leadership North Dakota (RLND) Council. In addition to providing overall program direction, council members also develop policies and procedures, advocate for the program, maintain appropriate fiscal policies, and assist with class selection. "The RLND Council serves to help steer the program towards the future and ensures RLND continues to prepare and develop effective leaders...
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...
As harvest wraps up it is time to consider your fall weed management plan. There are many factors to consider including what your next crop will be, what weeds you are targeting, and what your crop rotation is. During the fall, winter annual weeds like cheatgrass, tansy mustard, and marestail germinate and begin growing. A study out of NDSU found that early rosette is when marestail control is most effective. The rosette stage can often be found in fields in late September and early October depending on moisture and temperature. Herbicide optio...
Rural Leadership North Dakota (RLND) is a North Dakota State University Extension leadership development program designed to empower individuals from across the state, fostering their growth as leaders for rural communities and equipping them to navigate agricultural and rural policy and emerging trends that may impact North Dakota's future. Class X encompasses a wide array of talents and expertise, with members from various sectors such as ranching, farming, agricultural research, manufacturing...
Ahead of fall public meetings, the Draft Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System Annual Operating Plan for the 2023-2024 runoff season is now available for public comment. The Missouri River Water Management Division has made the draft 2023-2024 Annual Operating Plan available at: https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/MRWM/Public-Meetings/. The public comment period on the draft plan will close Nov. 30. The draft plan will be presented to the public in six meetings to be held in early November. Included in the plan is the possibility for test flows...
