Registration Open for 406 Grazing Academy

Ranchers wanting to hone their grazing management skills are encouraged to register for this year’s 406 Grazing Academy. The 3-day, hands-on workshop is offered by the Rangeland Resources Program in the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Montana State University (MSU) Extension Range Management, and MSU’s Dan Scott Ranch Management Program. Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative has helped by graciously sponsoring this year’s Academy.

Participants will gain practical information to help them make strategic decisions for their ranch. Topics include economic optimum stocking rates, diverse grazing strategies, range monitoring, extending the grazing season, livestock-wildlife relations, targeted grazing, and coping with drought, wildfire and poisonous plants. Successful Montana ranchers and other range managers from across the state will share their expertise and complement presentations by the educators. It is recommended that workshop participants bring a laptop to be able to practice with Web Soil Survey and other online tools. Participants may also wish to bring a map of their ranch to be able to better engage instructors with ranch-specific questions. The workshop also includes an optional follow-up ranch visit by an instructor later in summer or fall.

The workshop will be held June 6-8, 2023. Classroom activities will occur in Anaconda, MT at The Forge Hotel with field activities held on working ranches in the Deer Lodge Valley, MT.  A block of rooms is available at a reduced rate at The Forge Hotel, ask for DNRC 406 Grazing Academy to receive the reduced price. Both registration and the room block close May 15^th. Space is limited, and early registration is encouraged.

Registration is $200/person and covers educational materials including a range monitoring kit valued at over $200, as well as noon and evening meals. Participants are responsible for travel and lodging expenses.

To register click here: https://opp.mt.gov/doa/opp/DNRRangelandResourceProgram/cart

2nd Annual Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, Kickin’ Grass Tour

June 7, 2023 | 9:00 a.m.

Please register by May 21, 2023

Deer Lodge Elks, 230 Main Street, Deer Lodge, MT 59722

Event Information

• Patrick Linnell, Cattle Fax Economic Outlook
• RS & N Johnson Ranch Irrigated Pasture Grazing
• Reading the Range – 406 Grazing Academy instructors
  • Rick Caquelin
  • Jeff Mosely
  • Rachel Frost and
  • Emily Standley
• Grant Kohrs Ranch Grazing Tour
• McQueary Ranch Grazing Tour

Registration

$20 registration includes lunch and dinner

Register Online at www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annualmontana-glci-kicking-grass-tour-tickets-605264120277

Or return postcard with registration to:
Bank of Baker C/O Jodi Varner PO Box 739 Baker, MT 59313
Please include number of registrants and contact information.

Questions?

Call Ben Hauptman (406) 544-5090 with any questions

Fish and Wildlife Commission to meet June 8

HELENA – The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet June 8 in Helena at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks headquarters. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m.

The meeting will be streamed live on the FWP website and YouTube. The public can participate in person or via Zoom. To make a comment via Zoom, you must register by following the link here by noon on June 7.

The commission will make final decisions on the following items:

• Elk Hunting Access Agreements for 2023
• Private Land Recreation Management Area biennial rules
• Consolidated public use rules
• Bird dog training seasons
• Moving forward with grizzly bear ARM rulemaking
• Mountain lion quotas

The commission will also hear a proposal for adjusting some mule deer licenses from either sex license to antlered buck licenses. Additionally, the commission will hear a proposal for a closure on the Jefferson River to accommodate a bridge replacement.

The commission will also hear a petition from members of the public to abolish the Brinkman Game Preserve in Liberty County.

All proposals, supporting documentation, and any collected public comment can be found here.

FWP ensures its meetings are fully accessible to those with special needs. To request arrangements, call FWP at 406-444-3186.

For the full agenda, background on the scheduled topics and public comments, go to the Fish and Wildlife Commission page on the FWP website.

FWP’s website offers live-streamed audio of each Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting.

Montana Board of Livestock Meeting 

The next Montana Board of Livestock meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm in the Montana Department of Livestock Conference Room #319, Scott Hart Building, 301 N. Roberts, Helena, MT. The public is welcome to attend this meeting in person, but attendance will also be available virtually by Zoom. Please note that the meeting will be live streamed on the BOL website.

The agenda will be posted to the Department of Livestock website at liv.mt.gov soon. For instructions on how to join the meeting virtually or, if you would like a printed copy of the agenda, please call 406-444-9321 or email at [email protected].

Montana Range Tour

Registration is due May 15, 2023

July 6, 2023 | Chico Hot Springs, Montana

Join us in the Paradise Valley for the Montana Range Tour featuring the 2022 Leopold Conservation Award winner, Barney Creek Livestock. In addition to the ranch tour, special guest speaker Nicole Masters will present on topics of interest for grazing land managers.

Hotel information: Chico Hot Springs, Emigrant, MT (406) 333-4933 (Room block name: Leopold Tour)

Register here: https:l/opp.mt.gov/doa/opp/DNRRangelandResourceProgram/cart

****Registration & discounted room rates end May 15, 2023****

FWP accepting applications from landowners for Block Management

HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is accepting applications from landowners who are interested in participating in the 2023 Block Management Program. Block Management is a cooperative effort between landowners and FWP to help manage wildlife and public hunting activities on enrolled lands.

Through the Block Management program, landowners and FWP enter into voluntary agreements that determine how hunting will be conducted on the landowner’s property. Items such as permission requirements, times when permission will be granted, hunting opportunities provided and vehicle use are a few examples of what is covered in an agreement.

Block Management offers various benefits to landowners enrolled in the program. These benefits include assistance of FWP staff to help monitor hunting activities, compensation to help offset impacts associated with allowing public hunting, wildlife management, a free subscription to Montana Outdoors and a complimentary, non-transferable sportsman or big game combination (non-resident) license. Landowners do not relinquish any rights by enrolling and are covered by Montana’s recreational liability statute as well as livestock loss reimbursement, both of which are extended to landowners who allow access at no charge.

For more information or to receive an application packet, interested landowners can contact their local biologist, warden or FWP regional access manager or contact the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division main office at 406-444-3750 or email [email protected] .

USDA Announces Grassland Conservation Reserve Program Signup for 2023

Bozeman, Montana, April 17, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting today and running through May 26, 2023. Among CRP enrollment opportunities, Grassland CRP is a unique working lands program, allowing producers and landowners to continue grazing and haying practices while conserving grasslands and promoting plant and animal biodiversity as well as healthier soil.

“Grassland CRP clearly demonstrates that agricultural productivity and conservation priorities can not only coexist but also complement and enhance one another,” said Maureen Wicks, FSA State Executive Director in Montana. “The strength of this program lies in its many benefits — through annual rental payments, the program helps producers and landowners produce and maintain diverse wildlife habitat, sequester carbon in the soil, and support sound, sustainable grazing. These benefits help keep agricultural lands in production while delivering lasting climate outcomes.”

More than 3.1 million acres were accepted through the 2022 Grassland CRP signup from agricultural producers and private landowners. That signup—the highest ever for the program—reflects the continued success and value of investments in voluntary, producer-led, working lands conservation programs. The current total participation in Grassland CRP is 6.3 million acres, which is part of the 23 million acres enrolled in CRP opportunities overall.

Since 2021, USDA’s FSA, which administers all CRP programs, has made several improvements to Grassland CRP to broaden the program’s reach, including:

• Creating two National Priority Zones to put focus on environmentally sensitive land such as that prone to wind erosion.
• Enhancing offers with 10 additional ranking points to producers and landowners who are historically underserved, including beginning farmers and military veterans.
• Leveraging the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to engage historically underserved communities within Tribal Nations in the Great Plains.

How to Sign Up for Grassland CRP

Landowners and producers interested in Grassland CRP, or any other CRP enrollment option, should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program before the deadlines.

Producers with expiring CRP acres can enroll in the Transition Incentives Program (TIP), which incentivizes producers who sell or enter into a long-term lease with a beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher who plans to sustainably farm or ranch the land.

Other CRP Signups

Under Continuous CRP, producers and landowners can enroll throughout the year. Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap. Continuous CRP includes a Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by helping producers and landowners establish trees and permanent grasses, enhance wildlife habitat, and restore wetlands.

FSA offers several additional enrollment opportunities within Continuous CRP, including the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative, the Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP), and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Also available is the Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR30) Initiative, which was originally piloted in twelve states but has since been expanded nationwide, giving producers and landowners across the country the opportunity to enroll in 30-year CRP contracts for water quality practices.

USDA hosts an annual General CRP signup.  This year’s General CRP signup was open from Feb. 27 through April 7. The program helps producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. The Climate-Smart Practice Incentive is also available in the General signup.

More Information

Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.

Privately owned grazing lands cover nearly 30 percent of the national landscape, and USDA recognizes the tremendous opportunity address climate-change through voluntary private lands conservation. In addition to CRP, resources are available at FSA’s sister agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  Earlier this month, NRCS announced its $12 million investment in cooperative agreements for 49 projects that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing lands.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Noxious Weed Management Advisory CouncilRecruits for Open Positions

Applications and nominations due May 31, 2023

Helena, Mont. – The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is currently recruiting for open positions on its Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council (NWMAC). The following council terms expire June 30, 2023:

• Livestock Production Representative
• Herbicide Dealer or Applicator
• Noxious Weed Research and Control InterestsRepresentative
• Western County Weed District Representative
• Agriculture Crop Production Representative.

The advisory council is appointed by the MDA Director andprovides guidance to the department and the Noxious Weed Programs, which assists Montana counties, local and tribal communities, researchers, and educators in efforts to combat noxious weeds. MDA’s noxious weed programs include the Noxious Weed Trust Fund, Noxious Weed Materials program, Early Detection, Rapid Response program, and State Noxious Weed Coordination. Service terms are two years and members are required to attend three meetings per year: spring grant hearings, a summer tour, and a winter business meeting.

Those interested in serving on the NWMAC are encouraged to submit a letter of interest and application to MDA by May 31, 2023. More information and applications are available on the NWMAC homepage. Nominations can be submitted to: Montana Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2002014,Helena, MT 59620-0201.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. For more information on department programs and services, visit agr.mt.gov.

REMINDER: Respond to Ag Census

2022 Ag Census Response Deadline: June 1, 2023

Taken only once every five years by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census provides a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them.

The Census of Agriculture covers land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income, and expenditures, and more. Census data includes all operations of all sizes – big and small, rural, and urban – raising or selling $1,000 or more of agricultural products.

Visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or call 888-424-7828 to learn more.

AGR HB821 Invasive Woody Tree Management 2023 Grant Opportunity

Applications due by July 2, 2023

Helena, Mont. – The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is currently seeking applications for the AGR HB821 Invasive Woody Tree Management 2023 Grant. Applications are due by Sunday, July 2, 2023.

During the 68th Legislative Session, HB821 passed which appropriated $250,000 from the general fund to the Montana Department of Agriculture for one time only funding for invasive woody tree management in Yellowstone, Musselshell, and Stillwater Counties.

Eligible Applicants:

MDA shall provide grants to the appropriate local entities for the purpose of managing and controlling existing infestations of saltcedar, Russian olive, and common buckthorn within the three counties. Applicants must work with and apply through an organization, such as a weed district, conservation district, extension office, non-profit, or tribal weed district to be eligible.

Please contact Jasmine Chaffee at 406-444-3140 for questions about eligibility.

To apply, please visit: funding.mt.gov/.

USDA Extends Application Deadline for Revenue Loss Programs to July 14

USDA announces RCPP improvements and availability of funding

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2023 – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced the availability of $500 million in funding to advance partner-driven solutions to conservation on agricultural land through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 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. Program improvements will enable USDA to efficiently implement the $4.95 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding for the program while improving the experience for partners, agricultural producers, and employees.

“The Regional Conservation Partnership Program leverages the collective power and resources of public-private partnerships to deliver meaningful results for agriculture and conservation,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Thanks to the additional resources unlocked by the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as the improvements being made to the program, more farmers, ranchers, and foresters than ever before will be able to access and deploy conservation and climate-smart practices that will combat the climate crisis, enhance water and soil quality, protect vulnerable wildlife habitat, and more.”

This announcement is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure to driving over $435 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient. The Inflation Reduction Act represents the single largest investment in climate and clean energy solutions in American history and it includes $19.5 billion for NRCS programs over five years.

RCPP Improvement Effort

The improvements included in this year’s RCPP funding opportunity are part of an ongoing effort to streamline NRCS conservation programs and efficiently implement the Inflation Reduction Act. The RCPP improvement effort identified problems and central issues associated with the program and is working to develop meaningful and actionable improvements.

Based on partner listening sessions and employee and partner surveys, NRCS identified seven key focus areas for improvement, each with a dedicated team working to address identified issues and provide recommendations:

1. Simplifying and Reducing the Number of Agreements
2. Reducing Lengthy RCPP Easement Transactions
3. Improving the RCPP Portal
4. Consistent Guidance and Training for Employees and Partners
5. Simplifying the Technical Assistance Structure
6. Improving the Conservation Desktop
7. Simplifying the Partner Reimbursement Process

For more information about RCPP and a list of frequently asked questions, visit the NRCS website.

Earlier this month, NRCS also announced improvements to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program to improve efficiency and effectiveness in conservation easements. In addition, NRCS recently called for input on its targeted water quality initiatives.

Notice of Funding Opportunity

The application period is now open for RCPP Classic and RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA).  RCPP Classic projects are implemented using NRCS contracts and easements with producers, landowners and communities, in collaboration with project partners. Through RCPP AFA, the lead partner must work directly with agricultural producers to support the development of new conservation structures and approaches that would not otherwise be available under RCPP Classic.

Today’s RCPP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) showcases a number of program improvements including the increase of project funding ceilings, the simplification of financial assistance and technical assistance structures, a stronger emphasis on locally led conservation, and easement deed flexibilities.

Up to $500 million will be available through the RCPP for fiscal year 2023, of which up to $50 million will prioritize AFAs with Indian Tribes.

Projects selected under this NOFO may be awarded funding through either the Inflation Reduction Act or Farm Bill 2018. Applications for RCPP climate-related projects will receive priority consideration for Inflation Reduction Act funding. The 2023 RCPP priorities are climate-smart agriculture, urban agriculture and projects and, as a Justice40 covered program, projects that serve underserved farmers and ranchers.

NRCS will accept applications now through Aug. 18, 2023 via the RCPP portal. Please note that to request access to the portal, you must have a level 2 verified eAuthentication account with USDA. This can be obtained by following the instructions on the USDA eAuthentication page.

Webinar for Interested Applicants

NRCS encourages interested applicants to participate in upcoming webinars that will provide general information about this funding announcement. The webinars will take place on May 24 and June 7, from 2-3:30 p.m. ET. Join via this links posted on the RCPP How to Apply website. Additional webinars may be announced as needed.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

USDA Previews Emergency Relief Assistance for Agricultural Producers Who Incurred Losses Due to 2022 Natural Disaster Events

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2023 —  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans to roll out $3.7 billion in Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to crop and livestock producers who sustained losses due to a qualifying natural disaster event in calendar year 2022. USDA is sharing early information to allow producers time to gather documents in advance of program delivery. Through distribution of remaining funds, USDA is also concluding the 2021 ELRP program by sending payments in the amount of 20% of the initial ELRP payment to all existing recipients.

“U.S. agricultural producers nationwide endured crippling natural disaster events in 2022 including a megadrought, Hurricane Ian, epic flooding and catastrophic wildfires. To say these events were costly is an understatement,” Vilsack said. “Last year USDA streamlined the delivery of natural disaster assistance, speeding up the timing of payments and cutting the time spent on paperwork by 90% or one million hours relative to the previous disaster programs. While we will use the same streamlined approaches, funding is limited and significantly less than the estimated losses. We are designing payment factors that ensure the fair, equitable and efficient delivery of program benefits to help as many producers as possible offset the significant financial impacts resulting from these ongoing and widespread natural disasters.”

Background

On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328) that provides about $3.7 billion in financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters occurring in calendar year 2022.

Additionally, the Act specifically targets up to about $500 million to livestock producers for losses incurred due to drought or wildfire in calendar year 2022.

ERP 2022 for Crop Producers

USDA, through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), intends to deploy the lessons learned from the development and implementation of ERP and ELRP for previous years’ losses to ensure expedited assistance for 2022 losses.

Based on positive feedback from producers, stakeholder groups and FSA county office staff, USDA intends to provide an ERP track for producers who had coverage through Risk Management Agency’s federal crop insurance or FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). Through a streamlined application process, USDA intends to be in a position to send pre-filled applications directly to eligible producers in early summer.

For producers who have not been able to avail themselves of risk management coverage or whose losses were not covered, USDA intends to offer a program track to access ERP assistance with assistance provided to producers who suffered a decrease in allowable gross revenue in 2022 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event.

Instead of implementing these program tracks as two separate phases on different timelines, FSA intends to make both tracks available to producers at the same time, noting that the first track will follow a streamlined process with less paperwork burden, based on existing, available risk management data. The second ERP track would require that producers provide FSA with certain information related to revenue.

ELRP 2022 for Livestock Producers and Close Out of ELRP for 2021

For impacted ranchers, USDA intends to leverage FSA’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) data to deliver ELRP assistance for increases in supplemental feed costs in 2022.

To be eligible for an ELRP payment for 2022 losses, livestock producers will need to have suffered grazing losses from wildfire or in a county rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a D2 (severe drought) for eight consecutive weeks or a D3 (extreme drought) or higher level of drought intensity during the 2022 calendar year and have applied and been approved for 2022 LFP. Additionally, otherwise eligible producers whose permitted grazing on federally managed lands was disallowed due to wildfire will also be eligible for ELRP payments if they applied and were approved for 2022 LFP.

In a continued effort to streamline and simplify the delivery of ELRP benefits, eligible producers will not be required to apply for payment.

Meanwhile, FSA also intends to provide additional assistance to ranchers for qualifying livestock losses from drought and wildfire in 2021. More information will be announced in the coming months.

How Producers Can Prepare

To participate in ERP and ELRP for 2022 losses, both crop and livestock producers should have or be prepared to have the following forms on file with FSA:

• Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet (as applicable to the program participant);
• Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity;
• Form CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities (if applicable); and
• Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification.

Most producers, especially those who have previously participated in FSA programs, will likely have these required forms on file. However, those who are uncertain or want to confirm should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center.

In addition to the forms listed above, underserved producers are encouraged to register their status with FSA, using Form CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, as certain existing permanent and ad-hoc disaster programs provide increased benefits or reduced fees and premiums.

Producers with eligible crop losses who did not have federal crop insurance or NAP risk management coverage for 2022 and intend to apply for ERP assistance will need to pull together revenue information that is readily available from most tax records. FSA encourages producers to have their tax documents from the past few years and supporting materials ready including Schedule F (Form 1040) and Profit or Loss from Farming or similar tax documents. FSA will not require these forms to be submitted with the ERP application, but will require a certification, similar to Adjusted Gross Income certification that has been used for many years for Farm Bill programs. Applicants simply report and certify to the information required for the program.

Crop producers who have federal crop insurance coverage should ensure that information on file with their insurance agent is accurate and that any pending activities needed to file loss claims for 2022 losses are addressed as soon as possible. Producers who received ERP assistance last year or who will receive assistance for 2022 losses are required to purchase crop insurance or NAP for the next two crop years.

More Information 

In the coming months, USDA intends to provide additional information on how to apply for assistance through ERP and ELRP for 2022 losses. Through proactive communications and outreach, USDA will keep producers and stakeholders informed as program eligibility, application and implementation details unfold.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

The Montana Master Hunter Program provides advanced hunter education that increases skills, competence, ethical behavior, and knowledge of agriculture and stewardship.

One Montana (1MT) launched the Master Hunter Program to help the State of Montana and private landowners improve wildlife management efforts by restoring the cooperation between hunters, private landowners, and game managers.

Find more info at www.mtmasterhunter.com

Comprehensive Water Review

Dedicated website is live now!

A website dedicated to the Comprehensive Water Review has been launched. The site details each of the identified key challenges and provides a single place for the public to learn more about upcoming events, find information, receive updates, and submit comments or questions.

Montana Rural Employment Opportunities

Because REO believes that everyone should have the opportunity for economic independence,

Rural Employment Opportunities (REO) provides outreach and services in all of Montana’s 56 counties to more than 400 adults and 900 children each year as they struggle to support themselves and their families. Through REO, Montana’s agricultural workers have access to educational programs to complete their high school credentials, children’s educational programs,  job training, and college certificates or degrees.  These opportunities lead to full-time employment, improved family income, and greater economic security.

Supporting Montana Agricultural Families

REO supports agricultural workers and their families with:

• Job search, placement and growth.
• Employment security and wage advancement.
• Funding for tuition, books and other related training costs

REO is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program and abides by all federal and state EOC regulations and laws.  Equal Opportunity is the law.  Program financed 100% with federal funds of $699,452 with 0% nongovernmental funds.

REO has operated this federal Department of Labor grant for over 30 years, serving farmworkers and their families across the state of Montana.  Through this grant, REO offers opportunities for farm workers, and/or their qualifying family members, to improve their earning capacity in agriculture or other career paths through education and training. REO staff members work closely with participants, helping them determine the best way to reach their educational and employment goals. The goal of the program is economic self-sufficiency and wages that allow workers to support and sustain their families.

Participants may choose to attend a vocational, technical, or trade school for short-term job training, work-related certification programs, college courses, or participate in an on-the-job training program or apprenticeship program. They may also work with REO for direct placement into the workforce. In addition, REO is able to support each participant with needed items for training or new employment such as tuition assistance, books, laptops, fuel vouchers, work clothing, and/or tools to help reach their goals.

We have updated our website at www.reomontana.org.  On Facebook, we have pages for “Rural Employment Opportunities”, “REO Southwest Montana”, “REO Northwest & North Central Montana”, and “REO Eastern Montana”.

USDA Working with Cooperative Development Centers to Expand Economic Opportunities for Rural Montanans

BOZEMAN, Mont., April 6, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that the department is accepting applications through the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG)program to help Cooperative Development Centers improve the economic condition of rural areas by assisting individuals and businesses in the startup, expansion, or operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses.

In Montana, USDA Rural Development has worked closely with Mission West Community Development Partners and the Montana Cooperative Development Center to provide funding through the RCDG program which, in turn, has been used to provide expertise and technical assistance to Montana businesses.

As a Regional Economic Development Organization, Mission West Community Development Partners provides community and economic development efforts to help businesses in Lake, Mineral and Sanders counties, as well as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, grow and prosper.

“Our Cooperative Development Center is a key part of how we’re working to support and sustainably develop the economies of rural western Montana,” noted Mission West Community Development Partners Cooperative Development Center Director, Kaylee Thornley. “Through the USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grant program, Mission West has been able to provide technical assistance and training to 33 cooperatives in starting or expanding their business in the last two years.”

Rural Cooperative Development Grants may be used by Rural Cooperative Development Centers to fund operations such as conducting feasibility studies, developing business plans, providing leadership and operational improvement training, and facilitating strategic planning.

“As an example, through RCDG funding, Mission West assisted the Ronan Cooperative Brewery in successfully opening as Montana’s first cooperative brewery in 2020, contributing to the revitalization of Ronan’s rural Main Street,” added Thornley. “And, earlier this year, Mission West continued to assist the co-op brewery after its opening by providing technical assistance to expand its digital marketing presence to increase sales.”

The Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC) works with new and existing cooperatives and other groups to evaluate cooperative business models and strategies to meet their objectives.

“Montana Cooperative Development Center has proudly received RCDG funding for several years,” stated Montana Cooperative Development Center’s Executive Director, Tracy McIntyre.  “Our work across Montana shows the vastness of how cooperatives can address community and economic needs. We are working on developing cooperatives to address critical issues facing our state, including (but not limited to) childcare, housing, food and meat processing, food distribution, and workforce conversions to employee ownership.”

MCDC is the only statewide resource for cooperative development.  With financial assistance from state and federal sources, including previous USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grants, MCDC is able to offer services at little or no cost to project groups across the state.

“MCDC also works with all existing cooperatives and supports the work of the Montana Telecommunication Association and telecommunication cooperatives on broadband adoption and deployment. And, through the Socially Disadvantaged Group Grant, which is another USDA Rural Development program, MCDC is providing technical assistance to our Indigenous communities,” McIntyre added.

To learn more about business investment resources for Montana’s rural areas, contact Montana’s Business and Cooperative Programs Director, Lad Barney, at (406) 309-3350 or [email protected].

Additional information on the required materials and how to apply for the RCDG program are available on page 19842 of the April 6, 2022, Federal Register.

If you would like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated three key crop insurance options for livestock producers: the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP). USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the insurance options to reach more producers, offer greater flexibility for protecting their operations, and ultimately, better meet the needs of the country’s swine, dairy, and cattle producers. The updates were published last week for the 2023 crop year, which begins July 1, 2022.

“Great and sound customer service is the most important thing we can provide our nation’s producers, making sure the programs and products we offer give them the most useful tools for covering their risks,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “Agriculture is not a static industry, and these updates reflect the importance we place on always knowing the evolving needs of producers and offering the most people the best risk management tools we can.”

DRP is designed to insure against unexpected declines in the quarterly revenue from milk sales relative to a guaranteed coverage level; LGM protects against the loss of gross margin (or livestock’s market value minus feed costs); and LRP provides protection against price declines.

Producers will now have more flexibility for DRP, LGM, and LRP, when indemnities are used to pay premiums, which can help producers manage their operation’s cash flow. With these updates, producers can now have both LGM and LRP policies, although they cannot insure the same class of livestock for the same time period or have the same livestock insured under multiple policies.

Additional updates by insurance option include:

Dairy Revenue Protection

• Dairy producers are now able to continue coverage even if they experience a disaster, such as a barn fire, at their operation.

Livestock Gross Margin

• Cattle, Dairy, and Swine coverage has been expanded, making it available in all counties in all 50 states.

Livestock Risk Protection

• Insurance companies are now required to pay indemnities within 30 days, rather than the previous 60 days, following the receipt of the claim form.

• Head limits have been increased:

oFed Cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year

oFeeder Cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year

oSwine: 70,000 head per endorsement and 750,000 head per crop year

• The termination date under LRP has been extended from June 30 to August 31

• Location reporting requirements have been relaxed to list only state and county, instead of the precise legal location.

Learn more on RMA’s Livestock Insurance Plans webpage. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator.

More Information

These improvements to livestock insurance options build on other efforts by USDA to improve programs for livestock producers. Recently, USDA expanded the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish to cover transportation costs of livestock to feed as well as feed to livestock. And USDA expanded Dairy Margin Coverage to enable dairy producers to enroll supplemental coverage.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

Online Modules Now Available for Calf Care and Quality Assurance Program

DENVER, May 11, 2022 – Farmers and ranchers raising calves now have access to the free Calf Care and Quality Assurance (CCQA) program online at www.calfcareqa.org. CCQA promotes a way of thinking that prompts calf raisers to approach management decisions with thoughtfulness and an appreciation for the responsibility they have to their animals, consumers, the environment and the broader cattle industry in the United States.

“Healthy calves are the cornerstone of every beef, dairy and veal facility,” said Trey Patterson, Wyoming rancher and chair of the Beef Quality Assurance Advisory Group. “Committing to calf health management is the right thing to do for calves, producers and consumers, and completing CCQA’s online modules is an easy way to demonstrate that commitment.”

The program was developed with an understanding of the diversity of calf-raising enterprises, being science and outcomes based while maintaining facility type and size neutrality. While the practices identified in the animal care reference manual are not the only practices that can meet the desired outcomes, the program provides a framework that serves as a resource for anyone working in the calf-raising industry. In addition to the manual, online modules and self-assessment tools, CCQA will release an audit tool later this year. Completion of the CCQA online modules provides certification equivalent to Beef Quality Assurance certification.

Certification through CCQA helps ensure optimal calf health and welfare and is the first, collaborative educational tool that provides guidelines for calf raisers. The CCQA program is a joint initiative led by NCBA’s Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program and the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program, managed by the National Milk Producer’s Federation (NMPF) with support from the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association, and the Beef Checkoff-funded Veal Quality Assurance (VQA) program.

“Certification programs such as CCQA establish guidelines and standards that help earn the public’s trust, demonstrating that beef and dairy producers share their values and are committed not only to quality animal care, but also to ensuring safe, wholesome meat and milk,” said Patterson.

For more information, visit www.calfcareqa.org.

Montana Meat & Poultry Inspection Bureau Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program FAQ

Question:        What is the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) Program?
Answer:           The CIS program allows selected “state inspected” establishments to ship their selected products across state lines. This program is voluntary.

Question:        Who can apply for CIS?
Answer:           Any licensed establishment who has had a state Grant of Inspection for at least 90 days and has no more than 25 employees. The establishment needs a satisfactory Food Safety Assessment on record with no outstanding issues and the ability to take measures to completely separate CIS inspected products from all other activities with the establishment.

Question:        Who may not apply for CIS?
Answer:           Any establishment under USDA Grant of inspection. Any state inspected facility with over 25 employees.

Question:        I currently have a custom processing plant. Can I join CIS?
Answer:           Yes, however, you will need to maintain a state grant of inspection for 90 days before applying to enter the CIS program.

Question:        I am an eligible plant owner, what should I do first?
Answer:           Refer to FSIS Directive 5740.1 which describes the CIS process.

Question:        What regulations should I review before requesting the on-site visit?
Answer:           FSIS Directive 5740.1: Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program

9 CFR Part 313: Humane Handling of Livestock

9 CFR part 416: Sanitation

9 CFR Part 417: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

9 CFR Part 500: Rules of Practice

*For plants with poultry* 9 CFR Part 381: Poultry Products Inspection Regulations

Question:        What will the process involve?
Answer:           The basics will include:

• • • • Review of establishments hazard analysis and HACCP plans for all applicable processes
      • Review of recall plan, food defense plan and labels.
      • Onsite review of facility will be completed by state inspection staff.
      • Entrance meeting with USDA official will be scheduled to review: employee numbers, labels, facilities and equipment and product processes to finalize establishment is able to meet basic requirements.
      • If requirements are not met the representative will discuss with plant and state inspection staff what is necessary for eligibility. If USDA standards are not met by the second visit the establishment may not reapply for one year.

Question:        Once I am in the CIS program, where can I ship my products?
Answer:           Anywhere within the United States.

Question:        Who will be my inspector if I enter this program?
Answer:           A state of Montana Department of Livestock inspector will still be the regular inspector. A federal inspector will conduct less frequent, unscheduled inspections as well.

Question:        Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
Answer:           Interested facilities should contact the Department of Livestock at 406-444-5202 or [email protected].

Additional information regarding the CIS Program can be found at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/apply-grant-inspection/state-inspection-programs/cooperative-interstate-shipping-program

Gallatin Beef Producers Association Scholarship

The Gallatin Beef Producers Association will award scholarship funds to one or more qualified students attending Montana State University for the 2023/2024 academic year in the amount of $1,000.

Application Deadline: June 1st, 2023

The selection criteria will be as follows:

 Candidate must be a full-time student, majoring in an Agriculture- related field at Montana State University in the 2023/2024 academic year.

 Priority is given to students whose relative currently is or has been a member of the Gallatin Beef Producers Association

 First preference will be given to student(s) who graduated from a high school in Gallatin County, MT.

 Second preference will be given to student(s) from other southwest Montana counties (Park, Madison, Jefferson, Broadwater, Meagher, or Beaverhead).

 Student(s) are eligible to receive a scholarship multiple years but must reapply each year.

The scholarship recipient(s) will be decided annually by the Gallatin Beef Producers Scholarship Committee. Applications may be submitted either hardcopy or electronically to the email address listed on the application form. Scholarship funds will be disbursed directly to Montana State University by the Gallatin Beef Producers. Checks will be issued to the university after the student recipient has provided proof of fall semester registration to the Scholarship Coordinator.