12
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
www.havredailynews.com
Weather and coronavirus
2
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.havredailynews.com
Weather, COVID, all could have impacts on ag in 2020 George Ferguson gferguson@havredailynews.com Tim Leeds tleeds@havredailynews.com A topsy-turvy winter has brought some m o i s t u re to n o r t h - c e n t ra l M o n ta n a , although what the rest of the year will do — and what impact the coronavirus will have on agriculture — is yet to be seen. An off-and-on winter for snow The winter was generally mild, although Havre and much of Montana got a big gasp of winter in mid-March when 7.1 inches of fresh snow fell in the area. However, according to Matt Jackson of the National Weather Service in Great Falls, Havre’s winter was not average, not by a long shot. As far as snowfall goes, Havre received just 14.1 inches from Dec. 1 to Feb. 29. That makes it the 19th least snowiest winter on record. The record for the least amount of snow for a meteorological winter was just back in 2011 when only 3.2 inches fell on Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert A stack of round hay bales stands in snow on the foothills of the Bear Paw Mountains. Wet snow throughout the fall and winter has the region at or slightly above average for precipitation, and the snowpack for the river basins is high.
www.havredailynews.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
11
Montana USDA service centers take precautions to reduce spread of coronavirus Service centers open for business by phone appointment only Press release U.S. Department of Agriculture service centers are encouraging visitors to take proactive protective measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and are taking steps to do so. USDA announced March 23 that service centers in Montana will continue to be open for business by phone appointment only and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone, and using online tools whenever possible.
All service center visitors wishing to conduct business with the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other service center agency are required to call their service center to schedule a phone appointment. In the event a service center is closed, producers can receive assistance from the closest alternate service center by phone. No service centers in Montana are closed. Producers can find service center phone numbers at http://farmers.gov/service-center-locator. Farm Production and Conservation agencies continue to look at the flexibilities to deliver programs on behalf of producers, just as they have in past situations, such as natural disasters. Farmers and ranchers are resilient and FPAC agencies will continue to deliver the farm safety net programs and resource conservation programs that keep
The legacy carries on with the 2021 NILE Merit Heifer Program From Northern International Livestock Exposition BILLINGS — The opportunity for youths started in the cattle industry is knocking, and loudly. Applications for the NILE Merit Heifer program are now available for the 2020-2021 year. The NILE Merit Heifer program is a live animal scholarship, meaning the recipients are given a young, live, heifer calf. The objective is to to help youth get a start in the beef cattle business and gain knowledge about the beef industry. Program participants are chosen based on merit, future goals, and ability to care for the animal. 4-H or FFA members who are 12-16 years old may apply. Applicants are not limited to Montana residents. During the program duration, participants are responsible for care-taking, record keeping, breeding, and bringing the heifer back one year later to the NILE Stock Show & Rodeo. The class of merit heifer recipients competes for best phenotype, top showman honors, best record book, best interview and overall top herdsman. "This program would not be possible without the generous support of our donors over the years," NILE General Manager Jennifer Boka said. "We are truly grateful for them since the program's inception." The NILE Merit Heifer Program is also seeking people interested in donating a heifer calf for the upcoming year. Applications and a link to the YouTube video must be received no later than June 30 by 4 p.m.. The 2021 recipients will be announced in late August 2020. Applications available online at http://www.thenile.org Application Requirements: • complete application • character references • written essay • 3-5 minute YouTube video (should include, but is not limited to): • an introduction • facility tour • current 4-H/FFA projects
• goals and objectives for the Merit Heifer • voiced by the applicant For more information regarding the NILE Merit Heifer Program, people can emai shelby@thenile.org or call the NILE Office at 406-256-2499.
American agriculture in business today and long into the future. Online services are available to customers with an eAuth account, which provides access to the farmers.gov portal where producers can view USDA farm loan information and payments and view and track certain USDA program applications and payments. Online NRCS services are available to customers
through the Conservation Client Gateway. Customers can track payments, report completed practices, request conservation assistance, and electronically sign documents. Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll at farmers.gov/sign-in. For the most current updates on available services and service center status visit http://farmers.gov/coronavirus .
10
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.havredailynews.com
Weather and COVID: Concerns about coronavirus impacts are high ■ Continued from page 3 Moisture levels at or above average But while the winter generally was mild with no record snowfall, with many wet snows and the heavy snow in September, the region is not doing badly for moisture. National Weather Service reported on March 24 that Havre had received .54 inches of moisture, with the normal March 24 value .37 inches. For the calendar year, Havre saw 1.21 inches of moisture by March 24, with the normal value .98 inches. And for the water year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, figuring in early snowstorms and rain as well, Havre received 3.36 inches of precipitation with the normal value for March 24 2.39 inches. The region is set for fairly good moisture, depending on the amount and timeliness of precipitation in upcoming months. And the snowpack for Montana’s river basins also is in good shape. U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service reported in early March that February delivered above-normal to recordsetting snowfall in mountain ranges supplying water to regional rivers and streams following on the heels of abundant snowfall in January. New records were set for February snowfall at seven mountain Snowpack Telemetry sites in southern and central Montana that were favored by the unstable north-northwest flow coming from Canada during the first three weeks of the month.
“January and February snowfall took the dismal snowpack totals reported on Jan. 1 along the Montana/Idaho border and improved snowpack to near to above normal on March 1,” said Lucas Zukiewicz, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service water supply specialist for Montana. “This is great news for water users as we approach spring and summer.” That put snowpack totals in all river basins across Montana near- to above-normal for March 1. And that continued through the month. The March 24 map showed the St. MaryMilk basin at 126 percent of normal for snow water equivalent with the Sun-Teton-Marias basin at 123 percent.The lowest levels March 24 were 101 percent of average snow water equivalent for the Lower Clark Fork basin and 100 percent for the Madison. Impacts of COVID unknown But regardless of the weather, ag producers will have to face the impacts of the novel coronavirus 2019 pandemic. Montana’s U.S. senators were already fighting by mid-March what they called one impact — a severe drop in cattle futures. Montana’s Sens. Jon Tester, a Democrat, and Steve Daines, a Republican, were among a list of senators sponsoring a bipartisan bill March 20 to help cattle producers deal with the price swings. After the pandemic started, beef markets saw the steepest decline in 40 years, a
release from Tester’s office said, with most prices dropping roughly $30 per hundredweight. “Because of this crisis, beef prices are floundering and our family-operated ranches are struggling to meet their bottom lines,” Tester said in the release. “If we don’t act quickly to stabilize cattle markets we’re going to see more and more corporate consolidation in agriculture as independent producers are no longer able to compete. This bill will help provide Montana ranchers the security they need to get through the year — and this pandemic — with the tools to stay in business.” Daines said in a release he held a call with Montana ag groups including the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Farm Bureau, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, Montana Grain Growers Association, and other leaders in Montana ag to discuss the situation before sponsoring the bill. “This coronavirus has only worsened market conditions and it is critical that we provide the necessary support for Montana ag,” he said in a press release. “Montana ranchers need relief quickly while we continue to work on the long-term issues with market competition.” A n d t h e A m e r i c a n Fa r m B u re a u Federation pledged that U.S. agriculture would work to make sure food was on the shelves during the pandemic, but expressed concerns about trucking, price manipulation and immigrant labor.
“America’s farmers and ranchers will be with you every step of the way, doing all that we can to help you win this fight and to ensure the health, safety and prosperity of all America,” Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall wrote in a letter to Perdue in midMarch. But Duvall said in a post on the American Farm Bureau Federation website that restrictions on visas could be a problem with that. “The decision to halt visa application processing in Mexico will restrict the number of immigrant workers being allowed to enter the country,” Duvall said in he post. “Under the new restrictions, American farmers will not have access to all of the skilled immigrant labor needed at a critical time in the planting season. This threatens our ability to put food on Americans’ tables.” In his letter to Perdue, Duvall also expressed concern about price manipulation, including beef pricing manipulation, and also about problems with access to seed, fertilizer and crop protection tools and social distancing and other practices impacting various forms of agricultural processing plants. Duvall said Farm Bureau is also requesting that the current Federal Motor Carrier S a f e t y Ad m i n i n i s t ra t i o n E m e rge n cy Declaration waiver to hours of service for food transportation be expanded to address the full agricultural supply chain.
www.havredailynews.com Havre for the entire winter. Havre was also much above-average for temperatures this past winter, though again, not record-setting. From Dec. 1 to Feb. 29, the average daily high was 24.3 degrees, which was over six degrees above average. The record for the warmest Havre winter was all the way back in 1930 when the average daily high was 31 degrees. So, after a pair of brutal winters in 2018 and 2019, both of which set or approached many different records, the 2019-2020 winter was very different. “It was a relatively mild winter for Havre,” Jackson said. “Probably because of the cold, snowy fall, it may have seemed a little worse, but, for the actual winter, it was definitely on the end of the spectrum where it was pretty mild.” Fall did make a difference, too. The incredible snowstorm on the final weekend of September, combined with plenty of snow and cold in October and November, makes it seem as though it’s been a very long winter in Havre. And in fact, because of that storm, and the snowy fall that followed, even with a drier than normal winter, Havre is still sitting well above normal for seasonal snowfall. According to the NWS in Great Falls, as of March 16, Havre had received 63.7 inches of snow for the season. The normal inseason total was listed at 31.2 inches, while the record for seasonal snowfall on March 16 was set in 2018 at 79.8 inches. The record for an entire season is still 93.3 inches. In comparison to what Havre has experienced this season, Chinook has received
FARM & RANCH
Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert Cattle feed in north-central Montana. Montana’s senators are sponsoring a bill to help cattle producers deal with sharp drops in prices during the coronavirus pandemic. just 36.5 inches of snow through March 16, while Turner has seen 76.8 inches fall as of March 16. And while snowfall has seemed to have plagued Havre for seemingly ever, since that storm in September means it has snowed in seven consecutive months, according to Jackson, residents of Havre,
t h e H i - L i n e, o r a nyo n e i n M o n ta n a , shouldn’t put their shovels and snowblowers away just yet. “It’s not unusual to see snowfall in Havre for nine months of the year,” Jackson said. “I think it feels unusual this season because of the snowstorm at the end of September. That was a lot of snowfall for
April 2020
3
that time of year. But it’s not unusual to see plenty of snow in March and April, and even sometimes May. In parts of Montana, we see snow in June and August too, so what we’re seeing this season isn’t uncommon at all.” Spring, according to Jackson and NOAA, which recently released its three-month spring outlook, won’t likely be uncommon in Havre either. For the months of April, May and June, NOAA is predicting most of Montana, including Havre and all of north-central Montana, has an equal chance of being above- or below- average for temperatures and precipitation, with April being the most likely to be below-average for temps and above-average for precipitation. With warmer temperatures surely to come, following weather also becomes a concern all across Montana and while a large swath of Montana wasn’t listed as a concern, NOAA did list a portion of northcentral Montana, including the Milk River Valley, as having a minor to moderate risk for spring flooding. In other words, when it comes to spring, Havre, the Hi-Line and much of north central Montana should brace for normal according to Jackson. “I think that’s the key, we should expect a typical Montana spring,” Jackson said. “It will get warm, then cold, then warm again, and that trend will probably continue well into May. We’ll see snow and rain as well. In spring especially, you really see the extremes here in Montana.”
■ See Weather and COVID Page 10
4
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.glasgowcourier.com
www.glasgowcourier.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
9
8
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.glasgowcourier.com
www.glasgowcourier.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
5
6
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.glasgowcourier.com
www.glasgowcourier.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
7
6
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.glasgowcourier.com
www.glasgowcourier.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
7
8
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.glasgowcourier.com
www.glasgowcourier.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
5
4
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.glasgowcourier.com
www.glasgowcourier.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
9
10
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.havredailynews.com
Weather and COVID: Concerns about coronavirus impacts are high ■ Continued from page 3 Moisture levels at or above average But while the winter generally was mild with no record snowfall, with many wet snows and the heavy snow in September, the region is not doing badly for moisture. National Weather Service reported on March 24 that Havre had received .54 inches of moisture, with the normal March 24 value .37 inches. For the calendar year, Havre saw 1.21 inches of moisture by March 24, with the normal value .98 inches. And for the water year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, figuring in early snowstorms and rain as well, Havre received 3.36 inches of precipitation with the normal value for March 24 2.39 inches. The region is set for fairly good moisture, depending on the amount and timeliness of precipitation in upcoming months. And the snowpack for Montana’s river basins also is in good shape. U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service reported in early March that February delivered above-normal to recordsetting snowfall in mountain ranges supplying water to regional rivers and streams following on the heels of abundant snowfall in January. New records were set for February snowfall at seven mountain Snowpack Telemetry sites in southern and central Montana that were favored by the unstable north-northwest flow coming from Canada during the first three weeks of the month.
“January and February snowfall took the dismal snowpack totals reported on Jan. 1 along the Montana/Idaho border and improved snowpack to near to above normal on March 1,” said Lucas Zukiewicz, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service water supply specialist for Montana. “This is great news for water users as we approach spring and summer.” That put snowpack totals in all river basins across Montana near- to above-normal for March 1. And that continued through the month. The March 24 map showed the St. MaryMilk basin at 126 percent of normal for snow water equivalent with the Sun-Teton-Marias basin at 123 percent.The lowest levels March 24 were 101 percent of average snow water equivalent for the Lower Clark Fork basin and 100 percent for the Madison. Impacts of COVID unknown But regardless of the weather, ag producers will have to face the impacts of the novel coronavirus 2019 pandemic. Montana’s U.S. senators were already fighting by mid-March what they called one impact — a severe drop in cattle futures. Montana’s Sens. Jon Tester, a Democrat, and Steve Daines, a Republican, were among a list of senators sponsoring a bipartisan bill March 20 to help cattle producers deal with the price swings. After the pandemic started, beef markets saw the steepest decline in 40 years, a
release from Tester’s office said, with most prices dropping roughly $30 per hundredweight. “Because of this crisis, beef prices are floundering and our family-operated ranches are struggling to meet their bottom lines,” Tester said in the release. “If we don’t act quickly to stabilize cattle markets we’re going to see more and more corporate consolidation in agriculture as independent producers are no longer able to compete. This bill will help provide Montana ranchers the security they need to get through the year — and this pandemic — with the tools to stay in business.” Daines said in a release he held a call with Montana ag groups including the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Farm Bureau, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, Montana Grain Growers Association, and other leaders in Montana ag to discuss the situation before sponsoring the bill. “This coronavirus has only worsened market conditions and it is critical that we provide the necessary support for Montana ag,” he said in a press release. “Montana ranchers need relief quickly while we continue to work on the long-term issues with market competition.” A n d t h e A m e r i c a n Fa r m B u re a u Federation pledged that U.S. agriculture would work to make sure food was on the shelves during the pandemic, but expressed concerns about trucking, price manipulation and immigrant labor.
“America’s farmers and ranchers will be with you every step of the way, doing all that we can to help you win this fight and to ensure the health, safety and prosperity of all America,” Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall wrote in a letter to Perdue in midMarch. But Duvall said in a post on the American Farm Bureau Federation website that restrictions on visas could be a problem with that. “The decision to halt visa application processing in Mexico will restrict the number of immigrant workers being allowed to enter the country,” Duvall said in he post. “Under the new restrictions, American farmers will not have access to all of the skilled immigrant labor needed at a critical time in the planting season. This threatens our ability to put food on Americans’ tables.” In his letter to Perdue, Duvall also expressed concern about price manipulation, including beef pricing manipulation, and also about problems with access to seed, fertilizer and crop protection tools and social distancing and other practices impacting various forms of agricultural processing plants. Duvall said Farm Bureau is also requesting that the current Federal Motor Carrier S a f e t y Ad m i n i n i s t ra t i o n E m e rge n cy Declaration waiver to hours of service for food transportation be expanded to address the full agricultural supply chain.
www.havredailynews.com Havre for the entire winter. Havre was also much above-average for temperatures this past winter, though again, not record-setting. From Dec. 1 to Feb. 29, the average daily high was 24.3 degrees, which was over six degrees above average. The record for the warmest Havre winter was all the way back in 1930 when the average daily high was 31 degrees. So, after a pair of brutal winters in 2018 and 2019, both of which set or approached many different records, the 2019-2020 winter was very different. “It was a relatively mild winter for Havre,” Jackson said. “Probably because of the cold, snowy fall, it may have seemed a little worse, but, for the actual winter, it was definitely on the end of the spectrum where it was pretty mild.” Fall did make a difference, too. The incredible snowstorm on the final weekend of September, combined with plenty of snow and cold in October and November, makes it seem as though it’s been a very long winter in Havre. And in fact, because of that storm, and the snowy fall that followed, even with a drier than normal winter, Havre is still sitting well above normal for seasonal snowfall. According to the NWS in Great Falls, as of March 16, Havre had received 63.7 inches of snow for the season. The normal inseason total was listed at 31.2 inches, while the record for seasonal snowfall on March 16 was set in 2018 at 79.8 inches. The record for an entire season is still 93.3 inches. In comparison to what Havre has experienced this season, Chinook has received
FARM & RANCH
Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert Cattle feed in north-central Montana. Montana’s senators are sponsoring a bill to help cattle producers deal with sharp drops in prices during the coronavirus pandemic. just 36.5 inches of snow through March 16, while Turner has seen 76.8 inches fall as of March 16. And while snowfall has seemed to have plagued Havre for seemingly ever, since that storm in September means it has snowed in seven consecutive months, according to Jackson, residents of Havre,
t h e H i - L i n e, o r a nyo n e i n M o n ta n a , shouldn’t put their shovels and snowblowers away just yet. “It’s not unusual to see snowfall in Havre for nine months of the year,” Jackson said. “I think it feels unusual this season because of the snowstorm at the end of September. That was a lot of snowfall for
April 2020
3
that time of year. But it’s not unusual to see plenty of snow in March and April, and even sometimes May. In parts of Montana, we see snow in June and August too, so what we’re seeing this season isn’t uncommon at all.” Spring, according to Jackson and NOAA, which recently released its three-month spring outlook, won’t likely be uncommon in Havre either. For the months of April, May and June, NOAA is predicting most of Montana, including Havre and all of north-central Montana, has an equal chance of being above- or below- average for temperatures and precipitation, with April being the most likely to be below-average for temps and above-average for precipitation. With warmer temperatures surely to come, following weather also becomes a concern all across Montana and while a large swath of Montana wasn’t listed as a concern, NOAA did list a portion of northcentral Montana, including the Milk River Valley, as having a minor to moderate risk for spring flooding. In other words, when it comes to spring, Havre, the Hi-Line and much of north central Montana should brace for normal according to Jackson. “I think that’s the key, we should expect a typical Montana spring,” Jackson said. “It will get warm, then cold, then warm again, and that trend will probably continue well into May. We’ll see snow and rain as well. In spring especially, you really see the extremes here in Montana.”
■ See Weather and COVID Page 10
2
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
Hi-Line
www.havredailynews.com
Weather, COVID, all could have impacts on ag in 2020 George Ferguson gferguson@havredailynews.com Tim Leeds tleeds@havredailynews.com A topsy-turvy winter has brought some m o i s t u re to n o r t h - c e n t ra l M o n ta n a , although what the rest of the year will do — and what impact the coronavirus will have on agriculture — is yet to be seen. An off-and-on winter for snow The winter was generally mild, although Havre and much of Montana got a big gasp of winter in mid-March when 7.1 inches of fresh snow fell in the area. However, according to Matt Jackson of the National Weather Service in Great Falls, Havre’s winter was not average, not by a long shot. As far as snowfall goes, Havre received just 14.1 inches from Dec. 1 to Feb. 29. That makes it the 19th least snowiest winter on record. The record for the least amount of snow for a meteorological winter was just back in 2011 when only 3.2 inches fell on Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert A stack of round hay bales stands in snow on the foothills of the Bear Paw Mountains. Wet snow throughout the fall and winter has the region at or slightly above average for precipitation, and the snowpack for the river basins is high.
www.havredailynews.com
FARM & RANCH
April 2020
11
Montana USDA service centers take precautions to reduce spread of coronavirus Service centers open for business by phone appointment only Press release U.S. Department of Agriculture service centers are encouraging visitors to take proactive protective measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and are taking steps to do so. USDA announced March 23 that service centers in Montana will continue to be open for business by phone appointment only and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone, and using online tools whenever possible.
All service center visitors wishing to conduct business with the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other service center agency are required to call their service center to schedule a phone appointment. In the event a service center is closed, producers can receive assistance from the closest alternate service center by phone. No service centers in Montana are closed. Producers can find service center phone numbers at http://farmers.gov/service-center-locator. Farm Production and Conservation agencies continue to look at the flexibilities to deliver programs on behalf of producers, just as they have in past situations, such as natural disasters. Farmers and ranchers are resilient and FPAC agencies will continue to deliver the farm safety net programs and resource conservation programs that keep
The legacy carries on with the 2021 NILE Merit Heifer Program From Northern International Livestock Exposition BILLINGS — The opportunity for youths started in the cattle industry is knocking, and loudly. Applications for the NILE Merit Heifer program are now available for the 2020-2021 year. The NILE Merit Heifer program is a live animal scholarship, meaning the recipients are given a young, live, heifer calf. The objective is to to help youth get a start in the beef cattle business and gain knowledge about the beef industry. Program participants are chosen based on merit, future goals, and ability to care for the animal. 4-H or FFA members who are 12-16 years old may apply. Applicants are not limited to Montana residents. During the program duration, participants are responsible for care-taking, record keeping, breeding, and bringing the heifer back one year later to the NILE Stock Show & Rodeo. The class of merit heifer recipients competes for best phenotype, top showman honors, best record book, best interview and overall top herdsman. "This program would not be possible without the generous support of our donors over the years," NILE General Manager Jennifer Boka said. "We are truly grateful for them since the program's inception." The NILE Merit Heifer Program is also seeking people interested in donating a heifer calf for the upcoming year. Applications and a link to the YouTube video must be received no later than June 30 by 4 p.m.. The 2021 recipients will be announced in late August 2020. Applications available online at http://www.thenile.org Application Requirements: • complete application • character references • written essay • 3-5 minute YouTube video (should include, but is not limited to): • an introduction • facility tour • current 4-H/FFA projects
• goals and objectives for the Merit Heifer • voiced by the applicant For more information regarding the NILE Merit Heifer Program, people can emai shelby@thenile.org or call the NILE Office at 406-256-2499.
American agriculture in business today and long into the future. Online services are available to customers with an eAuth account, which provides access to the farmers.gov portal where producers can view USDA farm loan information and payments and view and track certain USDA program applications and payments. Online NRCS services are available to customers
through the Conservation Client Gateway. Customers can track payments, report completed practices, request conservation assistance, and electronically sign documents. Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll at farmers.gov/sign-in. For the most current updates on available services and service center status visit http://farmers.gov/coronavirus .
12
Hi-Line
April 2020
FARM & RANCH
www.havredailynews.com
Weather and coronavirus