The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Rangeland Resources Program (RRP) promotes and advocates for healthy, sustainable rangelands that supports people, wildlife, recreation, clean water, and the natural scenic beauty of Montana.

News

Montana Rangeland Resources Summer 2024 Educational Workshops   Join us June 11-13, 2024, in Miles City, Montana for the 406 Grazing Academy; a 3-day hands-on workshop for ranchers wanting to sharpen their skills for solving grazing management challenges on their ranch. The event will feature a field day, educational speakers, and hands-on learning opportunities. Workshop cost is $200 per person and includes educational materials, monitoring kit, dinner and lunch all 3 days. Participants are responsible for travel and hotel costs. A limited number of scholarships to assist those interested in attending are available through the Montana Rural Employment Opportunities (REO) program; for additional details on REO visit https://reomontana.org/. A block of rooms has been reserved at The Miles City Inn & Suites, use code: 406 Grazing Academy to reserve your room. Room block and event registration both end 4/26/2024. Class size is limited, so register today! Registration is also open for the Montana Range Tour that will be held on June 20, 2024, in Stanford, MT. This educational event will feature a tour of the 2023 Leopold Conservation Award winners, Kurt & PJ Myllymaki’s ranching operation. The Montana Range Tour is an educational field day for ranchers desiring to learn from others who are leaders in implementing innovative on-the-ground grazing and agricultural practices. The cost of MRT registration is $65 per person and includes the tour, presentations, a banquet breakfast, lunch, and transportation from Lewistown to Stanford. Event registration ends 5/27/2024. If you need assistance registering, contact Stacey Barta at (406) 594-8481 or Shantell Martin at (406) 531-4584.

What Did FFA Do For You? Checkout this amazing video produced by the Big Timber FFA Chapter highlighting the benefits that FFA has on both current members and alumni's, to celebrate National FFA Week.

U.S. Cattle Inventory Reaches 73-Year Low Not many ranchers active today will remember the last time the U.S. cattle industry was this small.  On January 1, 2024, the All Cattle and Calves inventory was 87.15 million head, the smallest total inventory since 1951.  The All Cattle and Calves inventory is 1.9 percent smaller year over year and is the fifth consecutive year of declining cattle inventories, a total decrease of 7.65 million head or 8.1 percent since the most recent peak in 2019. The 2023 calf crop was 33.6 million head, down 2.5 percent year over year and the smallest calf crop since 2014.

Renewable Energy on Rangeland, Is It Right For You? As renewable energy contracts become a potential reality for many landowners, many questions come to mind soon after the opportunity is first presented.  Sure, the price may sound good, but then thoughts about grazing within the project, legal obligations, and reclamation all begin to surface.  And all those points need to be well researched before signing the dotted line.

Massive ExxonMobil carbon capture project in Eastern Montana reviewed

A massive southeast Montana carbon sequestration project, 14 years in the making, is under environmental review by the Bureau of Land Management.

ExxonMobil’s “Snowy River Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Project” would span 110,000 subsurface acres between Ekalaka and the Montana-Wyoming border. There, over 20 years, the company would pump an estimated 150 million tons of carbon dioxide from unidentified sources into a rock formation more than a mile beneath the surface. The project has raised concerns about well water contamination and wildlife endangerment, as well as risks to local livestock operations and the possible leakage of carbon dioxide resulting from earthquakes. Nearly all the subsurface land involved is public. The Bureau of Land Management in 2022 made carbon dioxide storage on public lands a part of a comprehensive strategy for addressing climate change. "They basically said they had given up on reducing carbon and they were going to focus on carbon capture instead," said Michael Garrity of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. 

Inaugural agritourism conference set in Montana The Montana State University College of Agriculture and Montana Agritourism Fellows Program will host a new conference focused on the confluence of agriculture and tourism on Friday, May 3, on the MSU campus. The event will include speakers, educational sessions and networking opportunities for attendees.

Sagebrush seas targeted as high priority for conservation investments in Montana, Wyoming

Portions of north-central and southwest Montana [usgs.gov] have been identified as core sagebrush landscapes worthy of protection to enable their long-term sustainability, as well as the native wildlife species that utilize the landscapes. These sagebrush seas are home to greater sage grouse, pronghorn, mule deer and migratory songbirds. In addition to sagebrush, the regions contain bunchgrasses and wildflowers that together support thousands of animals, including burrowing owls, pygmy rabbits and mountain lions. Once covering 500,000 square miles across the Dakotas and into California, a 2022 U.S. Geological Survey report found an average of 1.3 million acres of sagebrush lands have been lost or degraded each year over the last 20 years.

“As hunters continue to see and feel the loss of sagebrush habitat, this announcement by the Department of the Interior is an encouraging commitment to conserve and restore one of North America’s most imperiled ecosystems,” said Kaden McArthur, of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, in a statement. “Improving the quality of sagebrush habitat will improve the future for upland and big game species alike, which depend on these lands across the West.”

U.S. lost 142,000 farms according to ag census U.S. farmland declined by nearly 20 million acres between 2017 and 2022. That’s according to the latest USDA Census of Agriculture, which was released on Tuesday. As of 2022, there were 880.1 million acres of land dedicated to farming, compared to 900.1 million in 2017. The data shows there are now a little more than 1.9 million farms in the country. This is 142,000 fewer farms than reported in the previous survey, a number equal to all current farms in New England excluding Connecticut.

Free Land & Livestock Leasing Tool Mountain West Grazing Connection has a new home! After several months of being homeless (offline), the platform's founders, Montana State University and NCAT, approached WSE to take the reins. We agreed the site was too important to let go and are now the owners of this FREE resource. The Mountain West Grazing Connection is a platform for landowners to advertise leasing opportunities or for livestock owners to post leasing wants in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah. After some minor updates, we can proudly say the site is up and running again - just in time for the summer grazing season! Nothing has changed for the most part. It is still just as easy to create a free listing, edit, and delete all from your account. We look forward to continuing to help ag communities throughout the West with the Mountain West Grazing Connection!

Conservation & Partnerships

USDA has announced $3 billion in funding for over 140 different Climate-Smart Commodities projects. Incentive payments are available for producers looking to undertake a variety of different conservation practices.

Cooper's infamous Winter Grazing Workshops are back.  The workshops will start at 10am and go until about 4pm.  The cost is $100/person, and lunch is provided.  The workshops take place in the field so please dress accordingly.  Below are the tentative dates (weather permitting):

• Tuesday, March 5
• Thursday, March 21

If you or anyone you know would like to attend a workshop, please email Cooper at  cooper@siebenlivestock.com

"Rural Resilience" Webinar Series

Growing our ranching and rural community’s financial, ecological, and social resilience with experienced, hand-selected speakers, the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance “Rural Resilience” webinar series is back for a fourth year!

While final details are still being ironed out, here’s a look a the dates and topics:

• Thursday, March 28 – Rural Trends w/ Julia Haggerty, Montana State
• Thursday, April 25 – Beef Direct Marketing w/ Montana RancHERS Beef Co.

Each FREE webinar will last 90 minutes with plenty of time for interaction.

Making Home on the Range Safer for Big Game New NRCS Technical Note Details Wildlife-Friendlier Fence Conservation Planning and Design Guidance The American West is home to some of the world’s most iconic large mammal populations. Each year, millions come to watch, stalk, or photograph elk, mule deer, moose, and pronghorn as they move across the West’s public and private landscapes. An integral part of the region’s ecology, economy, and culture, these animals have come to represent the very essence of the West.   Recent breakthroughs in technology like GPS collars and motion-triggered cameras have provided scientists, land managers, and private landowners with fresh knowledge of how these animals move across this vast landscape and new insights into their ancient migratory routes.

Agency Updates

The Governor's Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee (DWSAC) will meet Thursday, March 7, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The meeting will include reports and discussion on:

• Montana’s current drought status and water supply conditions
• Current snowpack conditions and outlook for streamflows
• Ongoing and potential drought response actions
• Status of Montana Stream Gage Network

Trends and a Targeted Annual Warning System for Greater Sage-Grouse in the Western United States 

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are at the center of state and national land use policies largely because of their unique life-history traits as an ecological indicator for health of sagebrush ecosystems. These data represent an updated population trend analysis and Targeted Annual Warning System (TAWS) for state and federal land and wildlife managers to use best available science to help guide current management and conservation plans aimed at benefitting sage-grouse populations range-wide. 

Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team

The Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team (MSGOT) will meet on Thursday, March 7, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The meeting will take place at the Helena DNRC Headquarters, Montana Meeting Room (1st floor conference room).  The meeting will be streamed over Zoom and recorded.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Up to $119 Million Available for Locally Led Conservation Projects through the 2024 America the Beautiful Challenge

The Biden-Harris administration today announced the release of the 2024 Request for Proposals (RFP) for the America the Beautiful Challenge, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The program, which was launched in 2022 with support from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is dedicated to funding landscape-scale conservation and restoration projects that implement existing conservation plans across the nation. In 2024, the program expects to award up to $119 million in grants to communities nationwide. 

NRCS Seeks Public Comment on 8 Conservation Practices

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to eight national conservation practice standards. Comments are due March 4, 2024.

• Field Border (Code 386)
• Filter Strip (Code 393)
• Grazing Management (Code 528)
• Hedgerow Planting (Code 422)
• Mulching (Code 484)
• Seasonal Water Management for Wildlife (Code 646)
• Structure for Water Control (Code 587), and
• Wetland Restoration (Code 657).

NRCS and Gallatin Valley Land Trust Announce Easement Opportunity in the Lower Gallatin Basin and Missouri Headwaters 

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana is accepting applications for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Entity Held Easements in the Lower Gallatin Watershed and Missouri Headwaters.

BLM seeks public comments on Left Coulee Access EA

Bureau of Land Management planners invite public input on an environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the potential opening of a 0.6-mile primitive road through a travel plan amendment that would provide legal public motorized and mechanized access to the Bullwhacker area of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.  

The EA and supporting documents are available on the e-Planning website for a 30-day public comment period – Feb. 28 through March 28, 2024.

REAL Montana program accepting applications until March 31

REAL Montana, a program from Montana State University Extension, is accepting applications for its next class until March 31. REAL Montana is a comprehensive two-year program offering in-depth education and training in the agriculture and natural resource industries. REAL stands for Resource Education and Agriculture Leadership.

Classes consist of up to 20 participants competitively selected to represent a variety of agriculture and natural resource industries across the state. REAL Montana prioritizes diversity in class structure, including geography, gender and industry sectors. This will be the sixth class offered.

Upland Game Bird Council to meet in Helena

The Upland Game Bird Council will meet in Helena March 11 and 12 to review habitat enhancement activities proposed for the 2024 field season. The meeting will be at FWP’s Montana WILD, located at 2668 Broadwater Avenue in Helena. 

This meeting is open to the public.

FWP reopens public comment period for draft grizzly bear and wolf management plans

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is reopening the public comment period for the 2024 Grizzly Bear Management Plan and Montana Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Plan to ensure Montana counties, Tribes, and state and federal agencies have a chance for input. The new deadline is March 9. 

State Trail Advisory Committee to meet in Great Falls March 5 and 6 

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks State Trails Advisory Committee (STAC) will meet March 5 and 6 at the Great Falls Region 4 office in the public conference room; a virtual option will also be available. On March 5, the meeting will run from 12:30 to 5 p.m., and continue on March 6 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  

FWP seeks comments on proposed westslope cutthroat trout restoration in Dutchman Creek

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comments on a draft environmental assessment for a proposal to restore westslope cutthroat trout in Dutchman Creek, a tributary to Prickly Pear Creek in the Elkhorn Mountains near Jefferson City.

Landowners have until March 15 to apply for PALA and UPL programs 

Landowners have until March 15 to apply for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Unlocking Public Lands (UPL) Program or the Public Access Land Agreement (PALA) Program. These programs are designed to provide recreational public access to state (Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation) or federal (Bureau of Land Management or United States Forest Service) land where no or limited legal public access currently exists.

FWP seeks comments on Winifred area conservation easement

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is proposing to purchase and manage a conservation easement on 1,080 acres owned by owned by Cliff Henderson north of Winifred, MT.

Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council Recruits for Open Positions

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, 2024:

• Recreationist / Wildlife Group Representative
• Noxious Weed Free Materials Representative
• Montana Weed Control Association Representative
• Eastern County Weed District Representative
• At-Large Member

USDA Announces Progress on Newly Authorized Climate Programs

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the report, Intent to Establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program (PDF, 248 KB), authorized under the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA). The GCSA was signed into law on December 29, 2022, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

This report justifying the Secretary’s intent to establish the program follows USDA’s earlier publication of A General Assessment of the Role of Agriculture and Forestry in U.S. Carbon Markets, which found that voluntary carbon markets offer a promising tool to achieve greenhouse gas reductions from the agriculture and forest sectors and support producer livelihoods. 

USDA Rallies Partners to Help with Outreach to Beginning, Veteran and Socially Disadvantaged Producers on the Conservation Reserve Program-Transition Incentives Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing almost $1.8 million in cooperative agreements with six partner organizations for outreach and technical assistance to promote awareness and understanding of the Conservation Reserve Program-Transition Incentives Program among agricultural communities. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers the program as an important tool to help beginning, veteran and socially disadvantaged farmers access land, as well as keep agricultural lands in production. These partnerships build on other efforts by USDA to increase equity in program delivery and broaden the reach of its programs to underserved producers.      

USDA to Issue $306 Million in Final Payments to Producers Impacted by 2020 and 2021 Natural Disasters

The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing final Emergency Relief Program (ERP) payments totaling approximately $306 million to eligible commodity and specialty crop producers who incurred losses due to natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin issuing these additional payments to eligible producers this week.

“In the natural disaster recovery process, every little bit of available assistance helps offset the financial toll that these catastrophic events have taken on agricultural producers, their families, and their operations,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “With remaining funds after initial factoring, USDA was able to put additional money back in the hands of the producers as we strive for the most fair and equitable distribution of available funds to as many producers as possible.”

Podcast Corner

"Groundwork" Episode 1: An interview with the "farmer's lawyer," Sarah Vogel I grew up hearing about the ‘80s farm crisis, the record high interest rates, grasshoppers that flew up at my sisters’ faces as they biked down prairie trails, winters with barely any snow and dust storms like white outs that forced you to pull over on the side of the road. Like many young farmers, my dad worked off-farm jobs to support his small children and farm. Fortunately, we were able to hold onto our farm and ranch during a time when farmers across the country lost not only their livelihoods, but their identities, communities and sometimes families. Click below to listen to the full podcast!

AoR 62: Ashley Hibbard, Artistry on the Range Ashley Hibbard may seem an unlikely rancher, but she may do more to change minds about ranching than most who seem more likely advocates. Ashley, who astute listeners will remember from the Women in Ranching Forum from SRM's 2020 annual meeting, runs an artist-in-residency program on the Sieben Live Stock Company home place in central Montana. Good art can bypass bad logic, and the beauty of ranching done well affects even those who think ranching is detrimental to both humans and the planet. Listen to Ashley tell her story in this interview.

Research Center

To make the 406 Rangelands newsletter more reader friendly, the "Research Center" section has been permanently moved to the Rangeland Resources Program website. You can access it here.

March

• 5 - "Unpacking the Carbon Credit Conundrum" (Virtual & no cost to attend) Click here to register

• 14 - Understanding AG "Picking the Low Hanging Fruit"
  (Virtual & no cost to attend)
  Click here to register

April

• 3 - Virtual Workshop: Defending the Core from Invasive Annual Grasses (Virtual & no cost to attend)
  For registration information and agenda, click here

• 22-23 - Environthon (Great Falls, MT) 
  For registration information and details, click here

Contacts

Stacey Barta, State Coordinator for Rangelands
(406) 594-8481
SBarta@mt.gov

Shantell Martin, Program Specialist
(406) 531-4584
shantell.frame-martin2@mt.gov

Rangeland Resources Committee:

Diane Ahlgren, Chair
John Hollenback, Vice Chair
Sigurd Jensen
Jim Anderson
Leah Lewis
Ron Devlin