Agriculture

MONTANA — The debate over importing Brazilian beef has continued this spring with politicians around the country working to suspend imports.  Montana’s Jon Tester and South Dakota’s Mike Rounds reintroduced a bipartisan bill to the U.S. Senate in February to suspend Brazilian beef imports into the U.S. until experts can review the import’s impacts on both food safety and animal health.  Brazilian beef most recently came under scrutiny in 2021 when the country suspended exports in September of that year due to two cases of “atypical” mad cow disease – bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) – in two separate meat plants. However,...

Governor Gianforte kicks off Montana Agriculture Month, shears ewe   News from the office of Governor Gianforte DILLON — Kicking off Montana Agriculture Month, Governor Greg Gianforte today visited a multi-generational family sheep ranch near Dillon. “At their ranch in southw...

Calving season is well underway throughout Montana and the Mission Valley, despite the difficulties presented by recent unpredictable weather.  According to Ken Morris, a member of the board of directors of the Montana Cattleman’s Association, many ranchers are opting for calving in March or ev...

News from MSGA HELENA — On March 21, National Ag Day, the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) will launch its first of a series of rollover auctions at markets across Montana to raise funds for its appeal of Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) decision regarding American Prairie’s gr...

RONAN — The Ronan Chamber of Commerce will celebrate local farmers and ranchers with their 43rd annual Agriculture Appreciation Dinner on March 24. This year’s event will honor Jack Stivers of the MSU Agriculture Extension Office in Lake County. Following 32 years of service as an extension ag...

Funding will expand meat and poultry processing in Montana  and comes from Tester’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) News from the office of Senator Tester Big Sandy — U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured $9,752,250 for Bear Paw Development to finance expanded meat and poultry processing...

News from the office of Matt Rosendale WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 14, Congressmen Matt Rosendale (MT-02) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced the USA Beef Act to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to ensure that beef labeled “Product of the U.S.A.” is exclusively born, raised, and slau...

MONTANA — On Jan. 31 of this year, the Montana Department of Livestock recommended all equine events and rodeos be cancelled in Flathead County due to an outbreak of a severe equine illness.  Equine herpesvirus, myeloencephalopathy (EHM), is the neurological form of the equine herpesvirus disea...

MONTANA — On Jan. 31 of this year, the Montana Department of Livestock recommended all equine events and rodeos be cancelled in Flathead County due to an outbreak of a severe equine illness.  Equine herpesvirus, myeloencephalopathy (EHM), is the neurological form of the equine herpesvirus disea...

News from Montana Farmers Union MONTANA — A new tractor repair MOU hasn’t changed the fact that farmers and ranchers do not have the ability to fully repair their own equipment. The most recent MOU was announced by American Farm Bureau Federation and CNH Industrial and comes on the heels ...