Agriculture

News from USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service WASHINGTON — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service today announced the availability of $500 million in funding to advance partner-driven solutions to conservation on agricultural land through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). RCPP leverages a voluntary approach to conservation that expands the reach of conservation efforts and climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships. Increased funding for fiscal year 2023 is made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, and this year’s funding opportunity reflects a concerted effort to streamline and simplify the program.  The ...

News from USDA BOZEMAN — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will cover up to 75% of the costs associated with organic certification, up to $750 per category, through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Montana Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages organic agricultural produ...

News from the Western Agricultural Research Center MONTANA — With warmer days in the forecast, our plants are waking up to the sunshine and soaking up the water left by the long winter we encountered this year. Apple blossoms are imminent at the Western Agricultural Research Center (WARC), along w...

News from the Montana Department of Revenue HELENA – The Department of Revenue recently mailed livestock per capita fee bills and reminds livestock owners they must pay their 2023 per capita fees by May 31. Livestock owners can pay online through the department’s TransAction Portal at htt...

BOISE, IDAHO – Greg Gardner received the Sustained Lifetime Achievement Award at the Society for Range Management’s 76th Annual Meeting in Boise, Idaho earlier this February. The Sustained Lifetime Achievement Award is presented by the Society for Range Management (SRM) to members for long-term ...

News from AgWest Farm Credit SPOKANE — AgWest Farm Credit has released its quarterly Market Snapshot reports covering the state of major agricultural commodities in its northern region. AgWest’s team of industry experts gather market information from various sources to deliver commodity-spec...

News from the office of Governor Gianforte BELT – To mark the fourth day of Montana Agriculture Week, Governor Greg Gianforte recently visited a multigenerational cattle ranch in Cascade County helping drive innovation in the ag industry. “To keep pace with a transforming industry, farms ...

The following is a weekly update of Montana Farmers Union involvement in the 2023 Legislature. MFU is the state’s largest and oldest grassroots farm advocacy organization representing family farms, and has worked more than 100 years on behalf of Montana farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The...

Montana lawmakers are eyeing changes to a loophole increasingly used to facilitate residential development. Opponents say the real estate and building industries are turning water appropriation on its head.   News from Amanda Eggert Montana Free Press Three years ago, a Bozeman-based engine...

News from AgWest BOZEMAN — AgWest Farm Credit customer-members in Montana have received their annual cash patronage dividends for 2022, which totaled more than $11.9 million.   On Jan. 1, 2023, Farm Credit West and Northwest Farm Credit Services merged to form a new association, AgWest Far...