Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Six public meetings were held during the week of Oct. 24 to present current hydrologic conditions and the planned operation of the Missouri River mainstem reservoir system for the remainder of 2022. The public meetings were held in six locations in the Missouri River basin and a virtual public meeting was held Nov. 3. The meetings included draft plans for regulating the system in 2023. “We will continue to make releases from Gavins Point Dam to provide flow support at a level 500 cubic feet per second above minimum service, through the end o...
If there is a water line to add, a tank to set, or a unique water set up to try, it's likely Dusty Emond has done it on his ranch south of Malta, Mont. Of the nearly 12 miles of pipeline on his place, six new miles were added just last fall following the harsh drought of 2021 to send water to an additional 7,500 acres that could not be utilized by cattle last summer due to a lack of water. However, along that pipeline there are yet to be any tanks. "Even this year, we will have at least 20,000...
The market report for the Glasgow Stockyards as of Nov. 17, shows 5,044 cattle sold with cows and bulls lower. Utility and commercial cows brought in $60 to $71; canner and cutter cows $50 to $60 and bulls $83 to $98. Feeder cattle were steady to strong. 300-400 SC brought in $237 to $290, HC $196 to $227.50; 400-500 SC $211 to $252; HC $185 to $216; 500-600 SC $188 to $224, HC $159 to $191.50; 600 – 700 SC $171 to $196.75, HC No test. Thursday, Dec. 1, is the Big Feeder Special and All Class Cattle Auction. Thursday, Dec. 8, is the Annual S...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that distressed borrowers with qualifying USDA farm loans have already received nearly $800 million in assistance, as part of the $3.1 billion in assistance for distressed farm loan borrowers provided through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA directed USDA to expedite assistance to distressed borrowers of direct or guaranteed loans administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) whose operations face financial risk. The announcement kicks off a process to p...
The Montana Farm Bureau Federation delegates elected officers during the organization’s 2022 Annual Convention in Missoula. Cyndi Johnson, a Conrad small grains farmer, has been re-elected as president and Gary Heibertshausen, an Alzada sheep rancher, has been re-elected as vice president. J.M. Peck, a cattle rancher from Melrose, has been elected as the new District 2 Director. Peck has served as the MFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Chair for the past three years. Re-elected to the board were Casey Mott, District 4, a cattle rancher f...
During the Nov. 9 Kiwanis Club meeting at the Cottonwood, the top four 4-H Clubs, as judged by the County Extension Office, were awarded monetary funds lto be utilized within their club activities. First place, receiving $100, was the Western Valley 4-H, who was represented by Cooper Albus and Haizyn Rutherford. In second place, receiving $75, was Northern Lites, represented by Ty Westby and Lana Mason. In third place, receiving $50, was Lucky Clover 4-H and in fourth place, receiving $25 was...
The market report for the Glasgow Stockyards as of Nov. 10, shows 2,531 cattle sold with cows and bulls steady. Feeders are softer due to storm market. Utility and commercial cows brought in $63 to $75; canner and cutter cows $52 to $64; young feeding and turn out cows $80 to $118 while bulls brought in $85 to $103. 400-500 SC brought in $208 to $231, HC $185 to $202; 500-600 SC $190 to $223.75, HC $162 to $188.50. Forty-three Angus bred heifers brought in $2,050 per head and 92 Angus Bangs vacc. replacement heifers brought in $1,200 per head....
Nov. 13 was the Lucky Clover 4-H meeting. We installed new officers for this year. We also drew names for Secret Santa. Kaitlyn, our president, demonstrated what to do when you get a fast-break in basketball. The next meeting will be held on Dec. 11....
On Oct. 28, Congressman Matt Rosendale sent a letter demanding that the Montana Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) reverse their position on livestock grazing on land allotments in Montana. The decision ignores 90 years of best range management practices and current federal law. The letter was sent to Judge Veronica Larvie, Administrative Judge for the Department of Interior’s Office of Hearings and Appeals, and Tracy Stone Manning, Director of the Bureau of Land Management. At the helm at BLM, Ms. Manning...
The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) commends the state of Montana for their action in not providing authorization of bison grazing, construction, modifications, or electrification of fences on Flat Creek and Whiterock state allotments. “We would like to thank Governor Gianforte and his administration for their leadership and continued perseverance on this issue. We stand with the state and agree there are deficiencies within the BLM Environmental Assessment and final grazing decision. The decision to not approve grazing on the two a...
The market report for the Glasgow Stockyards as of Nov. 3, shows 4,506 cattle sold with cows and bulls steady. Utility and commercial cows brought in $64 to $78.50; canner and cutter cows $55 to $65; young feeding / turnout cows $80 to $125 while bulls brought in $85 to $100.50. 300-400 Sc brought in $230 to $259; HC $205 to $232.50; 400-500 SC $211 to $238.50, HC $189 to $216.50; 500-600 SC $193 to $219.25, HC $161.50 to $195.25; 600-700 SC $170 to $192.50 HC No Test. Thursday, Nov. 10, is the Feeder Special and All Class Cattle Auction. Over...
Valley County 4-H Awards Day was held on Oct. 30 at the frigidly cold Saint Raphael’s Parish Center. Several Western Valley 4-H Club members received awards. Cienna Strommen received a nine-year member award and Broc McColly received a first-year member award. McColly was also named one of Valley County’s Outstanding First Year Members. Kade Strommen and Layna Jones each received their 4-H letter. Trey Johnson and Strommen received awards for their Beef projects. Cooper Albus received the Dog Project award. Michael Ketchum received an individua...
On Oct. 11, the entire Opheim school, including preschool went on a field trip to the Nordhagen North of Nowhere Ranch. They learned about rotational grazing and why they have opted for it. The students also helped Darren Nordhagen put up a temporary fence. For all of their learning and hard work, they enjoyed North of Nowhere beef snack sticks. The school is appreciative to Darren and Darlis Nordhagen for giving the school the fun opportunity....
The Opheim FFA chapter has been awarded a Fall Semester-Long Living to Serve grant in the amount of $1,200. The nationwide program provides grant money to local FFA chapters to support semester-long service-learning projects that address needs related to community safety; environmental responsibility; hunger, health, and nutrition; and community engagement during the fall semester. The Opheim FFA plans to help address the economics of providing locally grown food versus the cost of shipping food from outside the community by implementing a...
Congratulations to Sadie Solberg (l), Billy Still (m) and Tate Allestad (r) for winning the 4-H coloring contest that was put on by the local 4H chapter, the Northern Lights. The contest was part of the activities during National 4-H week in October....
Valley County 4-H Awards Day was held on Oct. 30 at the frigidly cold Saint Raphael's Parish Center. Several Western Valley 4-H Club members received awards. Cienna Strommen received a nine-year member award and Broc McColly received a first-year member award. McColly was also named one of Valley County's Outstanding First Year Members. Kade Strommen and Layna Jones each received their 4-H letter. Trey Johnson and Strommen received awards for their Beef projects. Cooper Albus received the Dog...
Western Valley 4-H Club members Kade Strommen, Cienna Strommen, Layna Jones, and Zora Holt got together on Oct. 12 and gave ice-cream to Hinsdale’s student body to promote 4-H. While enjoying their ice-cream, the elementary kids learned about 4-H and why they might want to join. The kids also took a slip of paper home to their parents which explained what 4-H is and how to join. We gave ice-cream to both elementary students and high school students, although the high schoolers seemed more interested in ice-cream than 4-H. On Oct. 15, Western V...
Livestock producers in 40 Montana counties, including Valley, are eligible to apply for 2022 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on small grain, native pasture, improved pasture, annual ryegrass, and forage sorghum. LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or leased land or fire on federally managed land. County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought or if a federal agency prohibits...
U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a letter to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Tracy Stone-Manning on Oct. 27, demanding an explanation for the flagrant dismissal of Montana ag groups’ concerns in the decision making process for the America Prairie Reserve Grazing Proposal. “On July 28, 2022, the Bureau of Land Management issued a Final Decision for the America Prairie Reserve Grazing Proposal covering nearly 70,000 acres of land in Phillips County. As you know first-hand, given the unprecedented nature of this proposal—authorizing grazi...
The market report for the Glasgow Stockyards as of Oct. 20, show 2,612 cattle sold. Cows and bulls were steady with feeders also steady. Utility and commercial cows brought in $70 to $82.50, with the top selling at $85. Canner and cutter cows brought in $60 to $72; young feeding and turnout cows $78 to $117 and bulls $85 to $103.50. 300-400 SC brought in $239 to $252, HC No Test; 400-500 SC $208 to $248, HC $186 to $207; 500-600 SC $183 to $210, HC No Test. Bred heifers brought in $1,650 to $1,810; three to six-year-old bred cows $1,590 to $2,0...
USDA in Montana reminds agricultural producers of important Farm Service Agency (FSA) program dates. Contact your local service center to apply and with any questions. Visit online at farmers.gov and fsa.usda.gov/mt. Oct. 31: Deadline to enroll in Organic and Transitional Education Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) Nov. 1: Last day of CRP grazing (requires prior approval). Nov. 15: Deadline for FSA Maps - 2023 acreage reporting deadline for apiculture, fall wheat (hard red winter), and all other...
Andrew McKean of Hi-Line Sportsmen helps remove old fence from the Boucher Ranch Oct. 19. Enough debris had piled up along the fence to make a haystack....
Honoring breeders and commercial producers for their service, loyalty and dedication to the Red Angus breed has long been the tradition of the annual awards banquet held on the final evening of the National Red Angus Convention. The 69th installation of this prestigious event took place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell, on Sept. 16, and again delivered upon the promise to recognize remarkable producers for their excellence. The awards banquet and meal, featuring steaks from Meyer Natural...
According to the latest report to the Governor’s Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee, recent rainfall across most of Montana has done little to pull the state out of long-term drought conditions. “We saw the third warmest August on record and September saw temperatures more than five degrees above average across much of the state,” said Michael Downey, drought program coordinator with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. “High summer temperatures have depleted streams, and two years of severe to extreme drought...
The market report for the Glasgow Stockyards as of Oct. 13 show 2162 cattle sold. First test on feeder calves for the 2022 fall run and 1,600 feeders on the auction. There were over a dozen buyers on the seats with cattle going to eight states and over 95 percent of calves had fall shots. The calf market was showing strength on all classes with mostly 350 to 550 pounds weight represented. Cows were steady with bulls steady to strong on higher yielding kind. Utility and commercial cows brought in $65 to $83 with the top selling for $91. Canner...