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

Anthrax, brucellosis infect WY cattle  State animal health officials have confirmed recent cases of anthrax and brucellosis in Wyoming cattle herds, marking the first case of anthrax in cows in the Cowboy State since the 1970s. The state veterinary laboratory and private veterinarians confirmed the anthrax diagnosis Aug. 31 among several herds in Carbon County, northwest of Laramie, the Wyoming Livestock Board reported. Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution.

Grazing Management for the Future: Six-Part Film Series

This series highlights the Bureau of Land Management’s Outcome-Based Grazing Authorizations through the ranching families and federal staff dedicated to environmental and rural community well-being. The videos follow five ranching operations across Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Nevada as they work to ensure the health of landscapes they manage and the livestock they steward. The ranchers are faced with ever-changing challenges: fluctuations in weather, drought, forage availability, and wildfire, as well as new BLM staff and family management as roles change hands across generations.

Problem to Purpose - Outfitting in Montana Wes Sargent, owner and operator of Cayuse Hills Outfitters, shares his experience in creating a Montana hunting business on his fourth generation ranch to not only added necessary revenue for his family, but to manage wildlife populations to coexist with cattle.

Celebrate Agriculture! Join us in November 2024 for the first-ever Celebrate Ag Week! Celebrate Ag is growing and we can't wait to welcome you to Bozeman.

Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Project

USDA has invested more than $3 billion on 135 projects through the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities [links-1.govdelivery.com] effort across 55 states and territories. All projects have meaningful involvement of small and underserved communities.  Montana has 24 partner-led projects included in their focus area. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to find out more about each of them:

1. Visit Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities [links-1.govdelivery.com]
2. Click Project Dashboard
3. Click on Montana
4. Use the Commodities and Practices lists to narrow down the project options based on what you grow or what you may be interested in implementing
5. Hover over the Lead Partner name to either sign up directly on the project webpage or get project details.

You can also click on the lead partner’s name to get details and a link to enrollment opportunities.

A six-minute YouTube video [links-1.govdelivery.com] gives details on how to filter the information on the dashboard as well as how to enroll for the projects you are interested in.

Nate Parry, Montana Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities project state lead, can be reached at nathan.parry@usda.gov or at 406-946-2300 for more information.

Foundation for America’s Public Lands launches first grants to boost drought resilience The Foundation for America’s Public Lands, the official Congressionally-chartered charitable Foundation supporting the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), announced the Eagle County Conservation District in central Colorado will receive nearly $1 million in grant funding to work with cattle ranchers to expand the growing use of virtual fencing on BLM rangeland in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

Honoring the Past, Nurturing the Land: Steve and Rita Mueller's Ranching Journey

For over four decades, Steve and Rita (Cossitt) Mueller have been partners in both life and their shared love for ranching. While their current chapter unfolds in Powder River County of southeastern Montana, their ranch's history stretches back to Rita's grandfather, "Shorty" Daly, who homesteaded the land in 1911.

Sun River Watershed Group marks 30 years of conservation efforts

For thirty years, the Sun River Watershed Group has been working to protect and restore the resources of the Sun River Watershed and its communities.

Originating as a task force through the Cascade Conservation District to address water quality issues on Muddy Creek in 1994, the watershed group expanded to support the entire Sun River Watershed, leveraging over $15 million dollars in grants and donations. The organization focuses on issues like noxious weeds, irrigation efficiency, and stream bank stability while collecting decades of water quality and flow data.

Conservation & Partnerships

RSA Receives National BLM Award

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently announced the winners of the 2024 Rangeland Stewardship and Rangeland Innovations awards, which recognize exemplary management and outstanding accomplishments in restoring and maintaining the health of public rangelands.

The awards were presented Sept. 18 at a ceremony hosted by the Public Lands Council during its 56th Annual Meeting, held this year in Grand Junction, Colo. The BLM and Public Lands Council have partnered for 19 years to honor BLM livestock grazing permittees and lessees who demonstrate exceptional management, collaboration, and communication that restores, conserves, or enhances our public lands, and to recognize their accomplishments at a gathering of their peers.

Job Announcement!

Conservation Technician
Location: In-person office located at the Natural Resources and Conservation Service Winnett Field Office in Winnett, Montana. There is available housing in the Winnett community.
Application Deadline: October 15, 2024 by 5:00 pm

MSGA to Host Water Education Series

As we begin to prepare for the 2025 legislative session and MSGa’s annual convention, water is anticipated to be a topic on the minds of many. The comprehensive working group has worked alongside DNRC to develop proposed policy on priority issues.  

Agency Updates

Funding Available Now!

Multiple Grant Opportunities

DNRC administers a wide range of grants and loans for Montana, assisting cities and towns, conservation districts, private landowners, and other groups in managing natural resource issues at the local level. 

Biden-Harris Administration Invests Nearly $20 Million to Improve Siting of Renewable Energy and Co-Locate Solar with Cattle Grazing

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of six projects totaling $11.6 million funded by the Inflation Reduction Act in the second round of a program that will improve planning, siting, and permitting processes for large-scale renewable energy facilities. Six state-based collaborative teams will develop statewide and Tribal initiatives to support communities in evaluating and planning for large-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects.

NRCS Sets Conservation Program Funding Application Dates

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana is accepting applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE), and Agricultural Land Easements (ALE). There are several dates to be aware of for the current funding cycle of these programs.
• RCPP Entity Held Easements: Nov. 1, 2024
• ALE Farm Bill: Nov. 29, 2024
• WRE Farm Bill: Nov. 1, 2024
• CSP Classic: Dec. 27, 2024

Conservation Innovation Grant Helps Landowners Reduce Conflicts with Predators

After being hunted to near extinction in the early 1900s and listed as endangered species in the 1970s, the grizzly bear and wolf populations have rebounded throughout the American west. 

While their numbers still pale in comparison to their heydays, nearly 2,000 grizzly bears and more than 5,000 wolves are now estimated to reside in Montana, Idaho, and other nearby states. As their populations have increased in recent years, so have their impact on working lands. 

Record Enrollment!

Montana State University made history this fall semester as the first school in the Montana University System to post an enrollment of more than 17,000 students [montana.us4.list-manage.com]. The Dan Scott Ranch Management Program also celebrated an enrollment milestone this fall with a total of 47 students majoring in Ranching Systems. As the program continues to grow, the competition will get tighter for the 10 available slots each year. Students will be challenged to bring experience, a growth mindset, and a serious work ethic to stand out from the many excellent candidates

FWP announces public comment opportunities

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on environmental assessments (EAs), conservation leases and other department projects. For the full list of proposals, more information, including how to submit comments, click on the link below.

FWP releases final EIS for statewide grizzly bear management

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has released a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing potential environmental impacts from the statewide management of grizzly bears. 

Issuing the final EIS is a key step in a process that started in December of 2022, when FWP originally released the draft EIS for two months of public comment. The draft EIS went out for an additional 30 days of public comment in February of this year to ensure partner agencies, affected county governments, and tribal agencies had a chance for review. 

Growth Through Agriculture Grant & Loan Program Requesting Proposals

The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is announcing the opening of the FY2025 funding cycle for the Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) Program. Montanans interested in innovating or expanding agricultural businesses are invited to apply for funds through the state grant and loan program.

USDA Farm Loan Program Changes Now in Effect

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) long-awaited updates to the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Loan Programs are officially in effect. These changes, part of the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule [links-1.govdelivery.com], are designed to increase financial flexibility for agricultural producers, allowing them to grow their operations, boost profitability, and build long-term savings.

Podcast Corner

Episode 102: The Learning Experience of Regenerative Ag with Dr. Allen Williams Allen Williams is a 6th-generation farmer and founding partner of Grass Fed Insights, Understanding Ag, and the Soil Health Academy. He has consulted with over 4,000 farmers and ranchers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, and other regions on operations ranging from a few acres to over 1 million. Allen and his colleagues specialize in whole farm and ranch planning based on regenerative agriculture concepts. Their approach creates significant “value add” and prepares the landowner for multiple revenue stream opportunities that stack enterprises and acres, enhancing profitability and investment value.

IRS SOS Tax deadlines and end-of-year planning are looming! Join Haylie Shipp as she chats with Britney Tempel (CPA at Montana Roots Accounting), Angel Devries (CPA and RSA Executive Director), and Michelle Math (rancher and RSA board member).

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.

October 

• 1 - North Valley County Ranch Tour (Glasgow, MT)
  For registration details, click here 

• 8-9 - Rangeland Resource Committee Mtng (Winnett, MT)
  For more information, click here

• 16 - AIS Training Workshop (Bozeman, MT)
  For more information, click here

• 22-24 - Transboundary Grasslands Partnership (Shelby, MT)
  For details, click here

November

• 4-9 - Celebrate Agriculture (Bozeman, MT)
  Click here for details and schedule of events

• 6 - MT State Technical Committee Meeting (Helena, MT)
  Click here for details 

• 6-8 - Community-Based Social Marketing Workshop (Virtual)
  To register click here

• 14 - MT Invasive Spp. Summit (Helena, MT)
  Click here for details

• 18-21 - MT Farm Bureau Fed. Convention (Billings, MT)
  Click here for details

• 19-21- MACD Annual Convention Click Here for details. 

December

• 4-6 - Montana Stock Growers Annual Convention (Billings, MT)
  To register click here

---2025---

February

• 4-6 - Montana Soil Health Symposium
  For registration information, click here

• 9-13 - Society for Range Management (Spokane, WA)
  For registration information, 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