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01 April 2020
USDA NASS Prospective Plantings - March 1, 2020

USDA NASS Prospective Plantings - March 1, 2020

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.

04 March 2020
Public Meeting Notice: Conference Call - Montana Pulse Crop Committee Meeting

Public Meeting Notice: Conference Call - Montana Pulse Crop Committee Meeting

The Monata Pulse Crop Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 17th starting at 9:00 am. In response to confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Montana, the MT Pulse Crop Committee will meet virtually rather than in person as a precaution. Please see the Zoom Conference Meeting information below to join

Click here for more information about the Montana Pulse Crop Committee. 

02 March 2020
Montana Beverage Show

Montana Beverage Show

Montana Beverage Show

Showcasing a variety of tasty beverages made right here in Montana!

Monday, June 29, 2020
12:00 noon - 6:00 p.m.
Delta Hotels Helena Colonial, Helena, MT

This show will be open to professional buyers only.

Click to learn more and for exhibitor registration.

12 February 2020
Farm to Grocery: Meet the Buyers on March 23rd!

Farm to Grocery: Meet the Buyers on March 23rd!

Are you a specialty crop producer, grocery store vendor, or interested community member? Join our convening to network and and discuss all things farm to grocery. How are purchasing agreements made? How is communication maintained? Will grocery stores require specific certifications, food safety practices, levels of insurance coverage, specific packaging etc.? What strategies can producers adopt to successfully market their crops to grocery stores? Learn the answers to these questions and more from our panelists, presenters, and fellow attendees.

Attendance is limited to the first 20 registrants. Registration is given on a first come, first served basis.

Click to learn more and register.

16 March 2019
USDA is Still Accepting Applications for a Trade Mission to Colombia, June 4-7

USDA is Still Accepting Applications for a Trade Mission to Colombia, June 4-7

Are you looking for a thriving market to grow your food and agricultural exports?

Join the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on a trade mission to Bogota, June 4-7, 2019, and learn how the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) is opening doors, creating new opportunities and helping U.S. ag exports flourish to record levels.

08 March 2019
Join USDA Trade Mission to Colombia, June 4-7

Join USDA Trade Mission to Colombia, June 4-7

Join the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on a trade mission to Bogota, June 4-7, 2019, and learn how the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) is opening doors, creating new opportunities and helping U.S. ag exports flourish to record levels.

10 February 2019
World Pulses Week

World Pulses Week

It’s World Pulses Day Week!  Celebrate by cooking up something like Apple-Lentil Cake or Green Lentil Stew. Timeless Seeds, Inc., based in Ulm, MT, has a lot of recipe ideas: https://www.timelessfood.com/recipes/.  

Find more info on pulses, and more recipes, at the Half-Cup Habit website: https://pulses.org/nap/.

Learn more about pulse crops in Montana at our Pulse Crops page.

29 May 2018
From USDA: Informational Webinar Posted on the Proposed Rule for National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard

From USDA: Informational Webinar Posted on the Proposed Rule for National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard

The recently announced informational webinar about the Proposed National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard is now available online. The pre-recorded webinar provides an overview of the background, provisions and potential impacts of the proposed standard.

The informational webinar is now available for viewing on the BE Disclosure and Labeling page on the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service website under Resources.  

07 December 2017
Montana Cherry Growers Vote to Eliminate Checkoff Program

Montana Cherry Growers Vote to Eliminate Checkoff Program

Helena, Mont. –  Montana cherry growers have voted to eliminate the Montana Cherry Research & Market Development Program. The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) will now take the necessary steps to eliminate the checkoff program.

27 October 2017
MDA Director Thomas Joins Fellow North American State & Provincial Agriculture Officials for Trade Talks

MDA Director Thomas Joins Fellow North American State & Provincial Agriculture Officials for Trade Talks

Helena, Mont. – Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Ben Thomas joined state and provincial counterparts from the United States, Mexico and Canada last week to stress the necessity of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for agriculture and to call on their respective federal governments to ensure a modernized NAFTA does not harm agriculture. North American state and provincial agriculture officials gathered last week in Denver, Colo. for the 26th annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord. The Tri-National Agricultural Accord represents a longstanding commitment among the senior state and provincial agricultural officials of North America to work together collaboratively on agricultural trade and development issues.

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