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Press release HELENA — The Montana Alfalfa Seed Committee will meet remotely Tuesday, April 16, 2024, beginning at 1 p.m. to review applications and address general updates. Meetings will take place remotely via Zoom. To request more information to join the meeting virtually, people can email Dani Jones at danielle.jones@mt.gov. To view an agenda for the meeting, people can visit https://agr.mt.gov/_docs/grantsandloans-docs/alfalfaseedpgm/alfalfa seedcommitteemeetings/4-16-2024-Alfalfa-Meeting-Agenda.pdf online. The M...
Press release HELENA — The Montana Stockgrowers Association is half-way through its slate of listening sessions to seek input and ideas from producers on areas where the American livestock industry can be strengthened, including a session set in Chinook. The listening sessions are part of the organization’s Producer Profitability Initiative, a grassroots movement started and led by cattle ranchers who have a vision to create a sustainable future for the American livestock industry. The Chinook session is set for Monday, Apr...
Press release HELENA — The Montana Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for more than $1.5 million in Round #2 federal funding available through the ARPA Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program. The intent of the Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program is to advance Montana’s agricultural industry through targeted investments in value-added agriculture projects across the state. Grants will assist with the development of innovative agricultural business improvements to keep pace with a transforming agr...
Press release HELENA — Gov. Greg Gianforte held a roundtable discussion Monday to recognize Soil Health Week in Montana and raise awareness about how healthy soils can increase crop yields, improve nutrition, and strengthen food security. “Montana Soil Health Week serves as an opportunity to highlight our farmers, ranchers, and all producers working toward better soil health stewardship,” Gianforte said. “By being good stewards, we are creating opportunities for the next generation and cultivating a future where Montana...
Press release WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing up to $22 million in partnerships that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing lands. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting proposals through its Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative — GLCI — until Sunday, May 26, 2024. “Privately owned grazing lands cover nearly 30 percent of the national landscape, which means we have a tremendou...
BOZEMAN — U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Montana State Director Kathleen Williams announced Thursday that USDA is investing nearly $2 million in 26 renewable energy projects throughout Montana to lower energy costs, generate new income, and support Montana’s farmers, ranchers, and rural small business. “One way to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses retain more income for their families and communities is by helping them lower their operating costs — in this case, what they pay for ene...
Editor's note: This version corrects the caption with the photo of Hi-Line rancher Tammy Copenhaver speaking at the National Farmers Union convention. Family farmers and ranchers from Montana traveled to Scottsdale, Ariz., March 10-12 for the 122nd National Farmers Union convention. Delegates and attendees heard from nationally known speakers, administration officials, and each other during policy debate. Over the past year, NFU has increased membership by more than 12,600 mem...
HELENA — Agricultural producers with land enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program are invited to apply for enrollment in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ CRP Add-on Lease option. This option is designed to benefit producers while also providing habitat for upland game birds and other wildlife and also giving game bird hunters more places to hunt. The CRP Add-on Lease option is offered through FWP’s Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program and is available to private landowners, including landowners with land enrol...
Montana Farmers Union Several Montana Farmers Union members and locals received awards for their efforts on behalf of family farmers and ranchers during National Farmers Union's 122nd Anniversary Convention held last week in Arizona. The Liberty/Toole County, Flathead County and Teton County locals received leadership awards for their work engaging members on behalf of Montana Farmers Union and National Farmers Union, while Melissa Wacker, a Farmers Union Insurance agent in...
Press release PHOENIX — At the National Farmers Union Annual Convention Monday, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the finalization of a rule to align the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim with consumer understanding of what the claim means. Vilsack also announced USDA is awarding $9.5 million to 42 projects through the Local Meat Capacity grant program to expand processing options for the meat and poultry industry and new actions to ensure transparency and a fair and competitive market in th...
Press release The National Organic Program has posted a new Transitional Production Plan template on the Agricultuual Marketing Service website. This new public resource was developed under the Organic Transition Initiative’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program). The TPP template helps new crop producers who are transitioning to organic production to develop the supporting documentation needed to qualify for OTI services provided through the USDA’s Risk Management Agencyand Natural Resource Conservation Service. The...
WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday the finalization of Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act. The final rule will be effective 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. The final rule Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act (the Inclusive Competition Rule) establishes clearer, more effective standards under the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act for prohibited practices relating to discrimination,...
Press release The public comment period and oral comment registration are now open for the National Organic Standards Board Spring 2024 Meeting. Interested parties are encouraged to review the online meeting materials and provide feedback on topics included on the agenda. Meeting materials are now available online. They include the tentative agenda, proposals and discussion documents. Individual proposal documents are posted on the subcommittee web pages and as a single combined PDF on the NOSB Spring 2024 meeting webpage (...
BOZEMAN — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the general Conservation Reserve Program starting March 4 and running through March 29, 2024. This conservation opportunity gives producers tools to conserve wildlife habitat while achieving other conservation benefits, including sequestering carbon and improving water quality and soil health. “The USDA has a long track record of fostering and supporting the vital relationship between agr...
Press release BOZEMAN — Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2024 crop year have until March 15, 2024, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provide vital income support to farmers who experience substantial declines in crop prices or revenues for the 2024 crop year. In Montana, producers have completed 13,448 contracts to date, representing 54% of the more than 20,000 exp...
Press release WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched Monday a new initiative to help farmers cut costs and increase income using underutilized renewable technologies including smaller-scale wind projects. Through the Rural and Agricultural Income & Savings from Renewable Energy initiative, USDA is setting an initial goal of helping 400 individual farmers deploy smaller-scale wind projects using USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program. This goal is only possible bec...
Press release BOZEMAN — U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Montana acting state director Jake Ceartin announced Tuesday that organizations with capacity to provide assistance to agricultural producers applying for Rural Energy for America Program grants can now apply for funding to facilitate these efforts. “Agricultural producers are the backbone of rural and tribal economies in Montana but conceivably are at a disadvantage because they lack the capacity to access funding from programs like REAP,” Ceart...
MSU News Service BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension’s Pesticide Education Program and participating MSU Extension offices will offer multiple introductory training opportunities for pesticide applicators in February and March. Initial private applicator trainings Initial private applicator trainings are seven-hour trainings for individuals to learn more about pesticides while qualifying for a Montana private applicator license. A private applicator license allows individuals to apply restricted-use pesticides on...
Press release HELENA — Montana Stockgrowers Association is accepting applications for its Young Cattlemen’s Conference scholarship. The conference will take place May 30 to June 6, 2024, and applications are due March 15, 2024. The Young Cattlemen’s Conference is an opportunity for cattlemen and cattlewomen between the ages of 25 and 50 to visit segments of the beef industry across the nation with young cattlemen from other states. Facilitated by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, participants will travel with nationa...
Press release HELENA — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service — NASS — announced Tuesday 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 a...
Press release Montana Farmers Union members, farmers, and ranchers recently relayed the impacts of foreign policy on their day-to-day lives with Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Bill Russo, discussing the need to rebuild trade relations, opportunities for U.S. wheat in Canada, mandatory Country of Origin Labeling, food security and national security, immigration reform for ag labor, and concerns with foreign and corporate consolidation and ownership of our food and ag supply chains. Russo was keenly...
Press release SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday a new effort to train the next generation of conservation and climate leaders. As part of President Joe Biden’s American Climate Corps initiative, the Working Lands Climate Corps will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the country, now and in the future. Learn more at the online White House fac...
Natural Resources Conservation Service BOZEMAN - At the beginning of January, more than half of NRCS snow monitoring stations in Montana and surrounding river basins reported their lowest snowpack on record. "Well-above-normal precipitation was needed to begin a recovery from lack of snow, yet precipitation was mostly below normal across Montana last month," Eric Larson, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service water supply specialist, said Monday. The exception was the...
From USDA WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Jan. 29 that most farm loan borrowers will be able to make payments to their direct loans online through the Pay My Loan feature at https://www.farmers.gov in early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency to streamline its processes, especially for producers who may have limited time during the planting or harvest seasons to visit a local FSA office; modernize and improve customer service; provide additional customer se...
From Montana Farmers Union Aggregated Ag data being harvested from producers should be publicly available to avoid market manipulation, Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer told members of the Montana Legislature’s Interim Committee on Economic Affairs this week in Helena. The committee has been tasked with how ag data is collected and used after legislation was introduced during the 2023 Legislative Session. Protecting producers’ data is a priority issue for Montana Farmers Union. Montana should have a plan in...
