Montana
Montana Ag Network: The state of the current Farm Bill
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, more commonly referred to as the Farm Bill, is a crucial safety net for agriculture producers.
“We’ve been pushing for this new Farm Bill for two years now, and so we’re hoping that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and we’re pushing that it’s finished by the end of this fiscal year,” explained Boyd Heilig, president of the Montana Grain Growers Association (MGGA).
Half of Montana’s crop production is exported oversees, making the export markets critical to Montana farmers, and why MGGA is seeking additional funding for the foreign market development to be added to the new farm bill.
“The Farm Bill in 2018 was good, there’s nothing wrong with it, but we want some enhancements to crop insurance, that’s our number one priority, and some additional funding for market access programs and foreign market development,” said Heilig.
With the current 2018 farm bill, totaling $428 billion over the five years, 76% is in the nutrition category, 8.9% is in crop insurance, 7.3% is in farm commodity programs, and 6.8% is in conservation.
“Each time a Farm Bill is about to expire completely, they throw in an extension because they don’t want to revert back to the program where the farmers get paid what it costs to produce their crops,” said Walter Schweitzer, president of the Montana Farmers Union.
While the fate of the Farm Bill is unknown at this time, Montana farmers are fighting for more funding to protect agriculture production, and with that, national food security.
“Either they’re going to pass some sort of version during the lame duck period, which is between November and the end of January, or they’ll wait until the new president and congress are sworn in to pass a different Farm Bill,” said Schweitzer.
“We know that nothing is going to get done with the Farm Bill until after the election. But we as Montana Grain Growers, we’re pushing to get this farm bill done,” Heilig added.
If another Farm Bill isn’t passed, federal nutrition programs including SNAP are what will be hit the hardest.
In the last Farm Bill, more than 300 billion dollars was allotted for SNAP programs, meaning that funding would no longer be available, taking away those benefits.
“You don’t have one without the other. And the way I see it is we produce these products, this food, these food products, and so if they go into food programs, that’s just a win-win for both of us to give to the needy but use our food that we raised as part of it. And so that’s why it’s always been together, and it hasn’t been separated, so that’s where a lot of the lines are drawn because they don’t want any cuts to SNAP, and the farmers don’t want any cuts to their programs. And so that’s where the typical argument is of the dollars needed, and where do they go,” shared Heilig.
The MGGA has no interest in seeing that happen; they are seeking to keep that funding there, while also allotting more funding to the crop insurance and market access programs.
HELENA — On Wednesday, Aug. 28, a food-habituated black bear sow was shot and killed in Butte by officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) after repeated efforts to remove her and her two cubs from populated areas failed.
The cubs were eventually captured and taken to the Montana Wildlife Center in Helena. MTN’s Chet Layman spoke with Wildlife Center Coordinator Ali Pons to find out what’s next for the cubs:
What’s next for black bear cubs orphaned in Butte? Montana FWP explains
WATCH FWP explains decision to euthanize black bear sow in Butte
Montana FWP explains decision to euthanize black bear sow in Butte
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Eli Gillman ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns and Montana held off Missouri State for a 29-24 victory on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.
Jmariyae Robinson’s 7-yard touchdown run capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive that pulled Missouri State to 26-24 with 4:43 to play. Montana’s Ty Morrison made his third field goal of the game — a 38-yarder— to cap the scoring with 1:38 left.
Back-to-back sacks deep inside Missouri State territory on the Bears’ final possession sealed it for the FCS third-ranked Grizzlies.
Gillman’s 37-yard touchdown run gave the Grizzlies a 7-6 lead late in the first quarter. Morrison’s field goals from 35 and 22 yards stretched the advantage to 12-10 at intermission.
Jayden Becks’ 32-yard run gave the Bears a 17-12 lead early in the third quarter. Montana answered with a Logan Fife 34-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Harris followed by a Gillman 2-yard TD run to take a 26-17 lead with 9:56 to play.
Jacob Clark was 23-of-39 passing for 257 yards with one interception for Missouri State.
Montana advanced to the program’s eighth FCS title game last season but lost to South Dakota State 23-3 and is the reigning Big Sky Conference champions.
Attendance was 26,482, the seventh largest at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
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REED POINT — All day Sunday, hundreds of people and sheep will flock to Division Street in Reed Point, for the annual Sheep Drive.
Unfortunately, this year will look different than most, as Olen Raisland, the town’s famous sheep shearer, passed away in April.
“It’s left a big hole in the community, losing Olen,” said Lynn Phipps.
Phipps, a Reed Point community member, was friends with Olen for years. He even trained her daughter on sheep shearing for almost two decades.
Reed Point Community Club
As Reed Point has a population of about 210 people, Olen’s loss has made a ripple in the townspeople’s pride this year.
“You just have to work around them. It’s the only thing that keeps you going,” says Jerry Friend.
Friend is a member of the Reed Point Community Club and lives in the town. He’s been organizing the event for the past 35 years, only one year after the event began.
Mack Carmack, MTN News
Though Olen’s loss was devastating to the community, Reed Point is still trying to make this year’s Sheep Drive the best year yet.
RUSSELL NEMETZ – MTN
“I feel like there’s a lot of support for Sheep Drive. Our Community Club is kind of a small organization, but when it gets closer to the date of Sheep Drive and stuff, a lot of people step up and help out,” said Lev Ott.
Lev and Audrey Ott are two of the organizers behind the event, and knowing that Olen loved to shave hundreds of sheep every Labor-Day weekend, they want to honor that activity completely to him.
“Like this year, the newest thing is the Olen Raisland sheep shearing demonstration. I think he was the one that sheep sheared for all of the sheep drive events, and we thought it was really important for him passing away, that we honored him,” says Audrey Ott.
Reed Point Community Club
As time gets closer, residents are becoming more and more excited for the Sheep Drive, and the festival’s biggest event, the Sheep Run.
“The Sheep Run turns into a town-wide event, and it lasts for an hour, instead of the ten minutes it usually does,” said Audrey Ott.
Mack Carmack, MTN News
Even though things have changed in Reed Point, the community is still planning on showing up Sunday, just as Olen would have wanted.
“You’ve still got your factions. You’ve got this branch, and this branch, but they all pull together when times are needed,” says Friend.
“Yeah… We’ll miss him a lot,” said Phipps.
Mack Carmack, MTN News
To learn more about this year’s Sheep Drive, visit Reed Point Community Club’s Facebook page.
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