U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., signed onto a letter on Tuesday, April 5, penned by Congressman Tom Emmer R-Minn., which was sent to President Biden, with concerns over the record-high fertilizer prices that are impacting Montana’s farmers this spring planting season. Affordable and reliable fertilizer is crucial to our agricultural community, and price increases will have a harmful effect

As dry conditions persist throughout the state, the Montana Department of Agriculture would like to remind farmers and ranchers that they can use the Hay Hotline, an online forum, to list their forage for sale or donation, and/or search listings for a variety of forage or pasture posted by other producers. “Dry conditions seem to be persisting, so the need for hay and pasture will be on everyone’s

Reservoir inflows in the Missouri River basin above Sioux City, Iowa, were well-below average in March. The March runoff of 1.5 million acre-feet was 48 percent of average for the month. The updated 2022 upper Basin runoff forecast is 17.8 MAF, 69 percent of average, approximately 2.6 MAF less than the March 1 forecast. “Runoff was well below normal due to dry soil conditions and well below

The Montana Department of Transportation recently issued new load postings for the Sheep Creek Bridge on MT 344, 1 mile west of Froid, in Roosevelt County. The postings are part of a multi-year effort to update load ratings and postings on Montana bridges as mandated by the Federal Highway Administration. The FHWA mandate is in response to changes in the trucking industry over the last decade.

Roosevelt County had two active COVID case as of Monday, April 11. There have been 72 COVID-related deaths in the county. County health officials encourage all residents aged 5 and up to be vaccinated and those over 16 should consider getting booster doses. Immunizations are by appointment only. For questions or to schedule an appointment, call 406-653-6223. Area Statistics Daniels County had

Average gasoline prices in Montana have fallen 0.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.04/g on Monday, April 11,, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 615 stations in Montana. Prices in Montana are 3.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand $1.31/g higher than a year ago. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Montana was priced at $3.77/g on Sunday

Starting April 4, the Montana Department of Livestock will implement an updated policy for recording, transferring and rerecording of brands. The policy was developed by a committee of state legislators, representatives of industry organizations, members of the Board of Livestock, and MDOL staff in response to the industry’s requests for increased availability of two-character brands. Major

lowing: Stacy Barta at sbarta@ mt.gov or 406-594-8481; Jeff Mosley at jmosley@montana. edu or 406-994-5601; or Rachel Frost at frost@montana. edu or 406-994-3724. The event is a collaboration between MSU Extension Range Management Program, the Rangeland Resources Program in the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Dan Scott Ranch Management Program in the Department

The Montana State Hospital lost its federal funding on Tuesday, April 12, as it has failed to meet basic federal health and safety requirements, according to a letter sent to the hospital’s administrator on Friday. It was unclear Monday how much money the hospital will lose due to the move. However, the loss of funding could be a significant blow for the hospital, which is already $7 million

March did not bring a much-needed shift to active weather patterns that would have benefited our mountain snowpack. March precipitation was well below normal across most of Montana. As a result, most snowpack percentages decreased for the third consecutive month. “Most of the state has been in a prolonged dry period since mid-January and many stations, particularly in southwest Montana, have