Applications for the State Hail Insurance Program are now available through the Montana Department of Agriculture. Producers can insure crops against hail damage at the maximum coverage rate of $75 per acre for dryland and $114 per acre for irrigated land. Rates charged are a percentage of the insured amount and vary by county. A detailed list of rates by county and crop can be found online

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing changes to the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Lease Program and is seeking public comment on a supplemental environmental assessment. A habitat conservation lease is a voluntary, incentive-based agreement between FWP and private landowners in which the landowner agrees to land management practices that protect wildlife habitat and FWP pays the landowner

Lee Enterprises, which owns four of the state’s major daily newspapers, cut at least 15 newsroom positions at its papers across Montana during the past week — a move employees said has shrunk already skeleton staffs and battered journalists’ morale. “Morale was already low, but it’s going to get lower,” said Victor Flores, Lee’s sportswriter covering Montana State University

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, including a provision from U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale (MT-02), the Restore Onshore Energy Production Act. This provision would require the Biden Administration immediately resume onshore oil and gas lease sales in compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act. “The Biden Administration’s attack on domestic energy