Click here to view the interactive Montana Noxious Weed Biennial Report for 2016-2017.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is currently hiring an Office Coordinator based in Helena. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Visit the Employment page for more info and other job openings with the Montana Department of Agriculture.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is currently hiring a Plant Science Specialist based in Helena. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Visit the Employment page for more info and other job openings with the Montana Department of Agriculture.

From the Whitefish Pilot:

An early setback for the new Center for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship has become the type of real-world learning the facility promised.

After planting began at the Whitefish Schools CSE in early June, it became apparent that the soil used in the greenhouse and outdoor raised garden beds was contaminated with an herbicide, CSE Facilities Coordinator Taylor Wilmot said.

Click here to read the full article.

The Montana Department of Agriclture Analytical Lab assisted on the project.

The following Global Agricultural Information Network reports were released on Monday, December 10, 2018:

Egypt: Exporter Guide

Egypt’s hotel, restaurant, and retail food sectors are growing in 2018 thanks to a budding recovery in tourism and consumer spending. Sources forecast demand increasing, with growth reaching 15 to 20 percent by 2021 as tourism and consumer purchasing power recover. U.S.-origin consumer-ready products face competition from other origins benefitting from more favorable trade relationships (i.e., free trade agreements). In 2017, U.S. consumer-oriented products exports to Egypt were largely beef livers and other beef offal, milk products and food preparations.  

Morocco: Citrus Annual

With the majority of the harvest now complete, Post expects Morocco’s citrus production for MY 2018/19 to reach an estimated 2.6 million metric tons, increasing 18 percent over the previous marketing year. Tangerine/mandarin production should increase by 14 percent over the previous year to 1.35 MMT, while orange production should increase by 18 percent to 1.2 MMT and lemon/lime production to reach 45,000 MT. Much of the increase in production is due to favorable weather conditions and increases in the area harvested as younger trees begin to bear fruit. Tangerine/mandarin exports should total about 585,000 MT while orange exports should reach around 190,000 MT.    

South Korea: Exporter Guide

South Korea’s imports of American food and agricultural products in 2018 through October totaled $7.9 billion, up 16.8 percent from the same period of the previous year. The United States remained the leading exporter of food and agricultural products to Korea with 25.5 percent market share. Despite escalated competition from export-oriented competitors, consumer-oriented American products continued to lead the expansion of the export market in Korea, which reflected Korean consumers’ increased demand for better value, quality and diversity. The Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement, implemented in 2012, coupled with on-going evolvement of the Korean food market, should generate greater export opportunities for American products in Korea in the coming years.

For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov.

Come discover business opportunities in the heart of Asia!

Join the U.S. Department of Agriculture on its first-ever trade mission to Taipei, March 11-14, 2019, and learn how to expand your business to the United States’ eighth-largest agricultural export market.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is currently hiring a Food Safety Compliance Specialist based in Helena. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Visit the Employment page for more info and other job openings with the Montana Department of Agriculture.

Click to view MAR Notice No. 4-18-252, pertaining to potato commodity assessments. The Montana Potato Advisory Committee recommended lowering the potato assessment at their meeting on November 6, 2018.  The proposal, MAR Notice No. 4-18-252, is published on pages 2359-2360 of the Montana Administrative Register, Issue No. 23. 

Helena, Mont. - The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for an estimated $1.5 million in federal funding available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program. This competitive grant program is designed to expand markets for Montana specialty crops.

Click here to view/download the Montana Hail Insurance Program 2018 Crop Year Annual Report (PDF format).

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will sponsor seven trade missions in 2019 to expand export opportunities for U.S. agriculture across the globe, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney announced today.

(Washington, D.C., December 4, 2018) Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the “OneUSDA Internship” opportunity for Summer 2019. As part of the Federal Pathways Program, the OneUSDA Internship will provide students a way to explore serving their country through a career in government while gaining work experience in agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and other career fields.

Click to view the proposed adoption of New Rule I, amendment of ARM 4.10.101 through 4.10.103, and repeal of ARM 4.10.108 pertaining to financial responsibility.

Helena, Mont. – The Montana Pulse Crop Committee (MPCC) is seeking proposals for the Montana Pulse Research & Market Development Program. The MPCC invites proposals to fund research projects, market development projects and educational projects designed to address Montana’s pulse industry.

Research proposals are to be submitted through the US Dry Pea and Lentil Council (USADPLC) and are due December 8^th. The Research review process will be held February 12-14, 2019 in Fargo, ND. USADPLC will finalize its budget by June 30, 2019 and award notices will be sent out in July 2019. For more information on research proposals, see the USADPLC Request for Proposals at: https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2002/2018/10/20181004_RequestForProposals.pdf

Proposals submitted for market development or education projects must be received by the MPCC on or before March 1, 2019 at 5:00 pm. Proposals must be submitted through the Webgrants system at fundingmt.org. Instructions on using Webgrants can be found at: https://agr.mt.gov/Commodities/Checkoff/Pulse

Visit https://agr.mt.gov/Portals/168/Documents/Pulse/2019PulseRFP.pdf for a complete list of guidelines and eligibility requirements. Questions on applications should be directed to the Montana Pulse Crop Committee, PO Box 200201, Helena, MT 59620-0201 or by contacting Zach Coccoli at (406) 444-0132 or via email at Z.Coccoli@mt.gov.

The Montana Department of Agriculture’s mission is to protect producers and consumers, and to enhance and develop agriculture and allied industries.  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state authorities, continues to investigate a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections associated with consumption of romaine lettuce in the U.S. As of Nov. 26, 2018, this outbreak has resulted in 43 people becoming ill in 12 states, with the last reported illness onset date being Oct. 31, 2018. An additional 22 people in Canada have become ill, and the FDA and our partners are also coordinating the investigation with Canadian health and food safety authorities.

Click here to read the full announcement from the FDA.