Helena Mont. -  The Montana Department of Agriculture is currently recruiting for open positions on the Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage (NWSFF) Advisory Council.  

The deadline for applications is Wednesday July 1, 2020.

The Department of Treasury (Treasury) and Small Business Administration (SBA) released an interim final rule on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) [home.treasury.gov]. Agricultural producers are eligible to participate in the program and should reach out to their bankers and/or agricultural lenders to apply immediately. While SBA still needs to confirm some administrative details, loans will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and producers can get started on the application now.

Click to view the Interim Final Rule.

• For a top-line overview of the PPP program CLICK HERE [home.treasury.gov]
• Information for prospective borrowers can be found HERE [home.treasury.gov]
• The application for borrowers can be found HERE [home.treasury.gov]

MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today announced that in the coming days and weeks, he will extend federal food assistance to more than 100,000 Montanans, increase food supplies at emergency food pantries and food banks, and streamline nutrition assistance for new mothers and children. All of these changes are made available through flexibility and funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be implemented by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

“Montana families are already doing everything they can to make ends meet,” Governor Bullock said. “But hardworking Montana families have been forced to take on even greater challenges during the COVID-19 public health emergency. As we continue to do everything possible to protect Montanans from the spread of this virus, making sure children and families in our state don’t go hungry is a crucial priority.”

Helena, Mont. – The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is seeking applications from growers interested in serving on an Oilseed Advisory Committee. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2020.

Click to view the application.

As of March 1, Montana growers intend to plant 135,000 acres of corn for all purposes in 2020, up 20,000 acres, or 17 percent from last year's plantings, according to the March 1 Agricultural Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. The area expected to be seeded to oats, at 75,000 acres, is up 5,000 acres from a year ago. Growers intend to plant 1.01 million acres of barley in 2020, up 90,000 acres from last year's actual plantings. If realized, this would be the highest barley planted acreage since 2003 when 1.15 million acres were planted.

All wheat acreage is expected to total 5.47 million acres for 2020. Winter wheat seeded last fall for harvest in 2020 is estimated at 1.60 million acres, down 400,000 acres from the 2019 crop. Growers intend to seed 570,000 acres of Durum wheat this year, up 20,000 acres from last year. Growers intend to seed 3.30 million acres of spring wheat this year, up 400,000 acres from last year. If realized, this would be the highest spring wheat planted acreage since 2002 when 3.75 million acres were planted. Hay producers in the State intend to harvest 2.80 million acres this year. This is down 200,000 acres from the acreage cut for hay in 2019. Montana canola producers intend to plant a record high 175,000 acres in 2020, up 25,000 acres from 2019. Flaxseed producers intend to plant 80,000 acres in 2020, down 19,000 acres from last year.

The area planted to sugarbeets is expected to be up 700 acres from last year's actual plantings to 42,500 acres. All garbanzo beans (chickpeas) area planted is expected to total 139,000 acres, down 60,000 acres from 2019. The acreage of small chickpeas is expected to total 56,000 acres and the acreage of large chickpeas is expected to total 83,000 acres this year.

Lentil acres planted for 2020 are expected to total 315,000 acres, up 20,000 acres from last year. All dry edible pea area planted, which includes Austrian winter peas, is expected to total 495,000 acres, down 35,000 acres from last year.