Hi-Line Farm & Ranch - July 2013

12 June 2013 2013 12 12 July June 2013

FSA Taking FSA Taking County County Nominations Nominations Until Aug. 1 Until Aug. 1 Farm Service Agency County election Farm Committee Service Agency nominations began June County Committee election 17. Farmers, began ranchers and nominations June landowners encouraged 17. Farmers, are ranchers and to nominate landowners arethemselves encouragedor farmer and rancher toother nominate themselves or candidates serverancher on their other farmerto and local FSAtocounty commitcandidates serve on their tee by thecounty Aug. 1 commitdeadline. local FSA Elected county committee by the Aug. 1 deadline. teeElected members serve a threecounty commityear term and arearespontee members serve threesibleterm for making year and are decisions responon FSA disaster,decisions conservasible for making tion, commodity and price on FSA disaster, conservasupport programs, well tion, commodity andasprice as otherprograms, importantasfederal support well program issues. asfarm other important federal must particifarmNominees program issues. pate in a program Nominees must adminisparticitered FSA, be adminiseligible to pate inby a program voteby in FSA, a county committee tered be eligible to election and reside in the vote in a county committee local administrative election and reside in area the (LAA) in which the person local administrative area is a candidate. (LAA) in which the person To become a nominee, is a candidate. eligible individuals must To become a nominee, sign form FSA-669A. The eligible individuals must formform and FSA-669A. more information sign The about committee form andcounty more information elections are available onabout county committee line at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ elections are available onelections. line at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ Nomination forms must elections. beNomination postmarkedforms or received must the local USDA Service beinpostmarked or received by close of Service business inCenter the local USDA on Aug. 1. Elections will Center by close of business take place this fall. will FSA on Aug. 1. Elections will place mail ballots to eligible take this fall. FSA voters Nov. 4. will mailbeginning ballots to eligible County committees voters beginning Nov. are 4. comprised of three to are five County committees members of elected local comprised three by to five producers. New by members members elected local take officeNew Jan. 1.members producers. take office Jan. 1.

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No Drought Drought No Here, But But Here, Still Some Some Still Concerns Concerns

FF

SAMAR FAY / HI-LINE FARM & RANCH SAMAR FAY / HI-LINE FARM & RANCH

requent rains this growing requent this growing season rains have made many season havemuddy made to many fields too make too muddy to make ground fields applications, so some farmers ground applications, so some farmers are going to aerial spraying. are While going to aerial much of spraying. the nation again While much of the nationit's again struggles through drought, not so struggles through drought, it's not so here. here. But the extended cold wet spring But the extended cold wet spring has brought some problems, such as has brought some problems, as fungal wheat diseases. Somesuch producers fungal wheat diseases. Some producers are putting fungicide in with herbicide are putting fungicide inan with herbicide– spray, a process – and investment spray, a process – and an investment that can cost $3 an acre but prevent a– that canbeing cost reduced $3 an acre prevent a yield 10 but bushels an acre. yield being reduced 10 bushels an acre. Samar Fay reports on Page 2. Samar Fay reports on Page 2.

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AgAg Leader Award Nominations Sought Leader Award Nominations Sought

Montana StateState University’s College of of Successful applicants will be respected Montana University’s College Successful applicants willwell be well respected Agriculture is seeking nominations for outagricultural community; actively Agriculture is seeking nominations for out- in their in their agricultural community; actively in theinagriculture industry withwith ac- acstanding agricultural leaders to honor during standing agricultural leaders to honor during involved involved the agriculture industry that impact many; an industry its 2013 “Celebrate Agriculture!!” weekend complishments that impact many; an industry its 2013 “Celebrate Agriculture!!” weekend complishments leader, or anorupcoming, active and innovative Oct. Oct. 25-26. leader, an upcoming, active and innovative 25-26. The College of Agriculture annually producer; or have a lifetime of achievement in in The College of Agriculture annually producer; or have a lifetime of achievement presents Outstanding Agricultural Leaders presents Outstanding Agricultural Leaders agriculture. agriculture. awards to those who who havehave exhibited outstandstatestate or federal employees, will not awards to those exhibited outstand- MSU, MSU, or federal employees, will not ing leadership in Montana public service, as anas anbe considered except in theinfriend of agriing leadership in Montana public service, be considered except the friend of agriagricultural producer, industry advocate, agri-agriculture category. Past Past MSU, statestate or federal agricultural producer, industry advocate, culture category. MSU, or federal business leader, or asor a friend of agriculture. mustmust be retired for two employees be retired for years two years business leader, as a friend of agriculture. employees More, details: Contact Susan Fraser at at The deadline for nominations is Sept. 9. 9. More, details: Contact Susan Fraser The deadline for nominations is Sept. sfraser@montana.edu or call 994-3683. Nominees not selected will be the the Nominees not selected willreconsidered be reconsidered sfraser@montana.edu or (406) call (406) 994-3683. following year.year. Applications should be updated Forms should be received at 202 Hall,Hall, following Applications should be updated Forms should be received at Linfield 202 Linfield withwith current information. MSU, Bozeman, MT 59717 by Sept. 9. 9. current information. MSU, Bozeman, MT 59717 by Sept.

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A spray planeplane passes over damp ValleyValley County cropland last week. As muddy as some fieldsfields are, many producers havehave beenbeen relying on aerial applications this growing season. A spray passes over damp County cropland last week. As muddy as some are, many producers relying on aerial applications this growing season.

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LindaLinda & Mark Nielsen, & Mark Nielsen, Owners Owners Iva Murch, Manager Iva Murch, Manager 263-7529 263-7529 Dean Dean Barnes, Yard Manager Barnes, Yard Manager 263-1175 263-1175 Ed Hinton, Auctioneer Ed Hinton, Auctioneer 783-7285 783-7285

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Half The Country Is In Drought, ButBut It’sIt’s Almost Too Wet Here Half The Country Is In Drought, Almost Too Wet Here

Great Plains states. Texas has the shows statewide topsoil The The extended coldcold wet wet spring has has Great Plains states. Texas has dubithe dubi- 16 in16Montana in Montana shows statewide topsoil extended spring ous ous honor of being the only statestate withwith moisture adequate withwith 86 percent in sursomesome fungal wheat diseases like like honor of being the only moisture adequate 86 percent in sur-produced produced fungal wheat diseases the poor-very poorpoor percentage in the plus.plus. The The subsoil moisture is 77ispercent and and septoria. Unlike last last year,year, no no the poor-very percentage in the subsoil moisture 77 percent tan spot tan spot septoria. Unlike ortheast Montana and and the HiSeventy-three percent of itsofcrop is is adequate and and surplus. stripe rust rust has been reported locally, al- alortheast Montana the Hi- 70s.70s. Seventy-three percent its crop adequate surplus. stripe has been reported locally, LineLine havehave had had above-average bad.bad. South Dakota is next, withwith 61 61 ThisThis has resulted in range and and pastures therethere is some in Hill County, MillsMills above-average that that South Dakota is next, has resulted in range pasturesthough though is some in Hill County, moisture just just about everypercent of itsofwinter wheat in poor or very are 51 goodgood or excellent, 34 34 said.said. Producers are putting fungicide in in moisture about everypercent its winter wheat in poor or verythat that arepercent 51 percent or excellent, Producers are putting fungicide where, but almost half half of the is inis inpoorpoor condition. percent fair,fair, 12 percent poorpoor and and 3 percent theirtheir herbicide spray, a process that that where, but almost of country the country condition. percent 12 percent 3 percentwithwith herbicide spray, a process drought again this this year.year. The The firstfirst winter wheat cropcrop prediction poor.poor. costscosts $3 an but which can can prevent drought again winter wheat prediction veryvery $3acre, an acre, but which prevent On the Drought Monitor map,map, fromfrom the National Agriculture Statistics As for levels wellwell into into June,June, a yield’s being reduced by 10 an an On U.S. the U.S. Drought Monitor the National Agriculture Statistics As moisture for moisture levels a yield’s being reduced bybushels 10 bushels mostmost of the in the half half of the (NASS) on May 10 foresaw a a Glasgow has had 8.748.74 inches of rain sincesinceacre.acre. MillsMills called that that a very goodgood investof land the land in western the western of theService Service (NASS) on May 10 foresaw Glasgow has had inches of rain called a very investUnited States is splotched withwith yellow, much smaller thanthan average, especial239 239 percent of normal. Plentywood United States is splotched yellow, cropcrop much smaller average, especial-April, April, percent of normal. Plentywoodment. ment. tan, tan, orange, red or brown – the red wheat. It might be down 10 10 is atis152 percent of normal, WolfWolf PointPoint Because of the rains, it is it is orange, reddark or dark brown – colthe col- ly hard ly hard red wheat. It might be down at 152 percent of normal, Because of frequent the frequent rains, ors for dry, dry, moderate drought, around 1.491.49 billion bushels. OneOne180 180 percent of normal and and Havre 231 231 oftenoften too muddy to get to to ors abnormally for abnormally moderate drought,percent, percent, around billion bushels. percent of normal Havre too muddy to in getthe in field the field severe drought, extreme drought and and cause was was 6 percent fewer acresacres planted. of normal. There are places in the so some farmers are going to aerial severe drought, extreme drought cause 6 percent fewer planted. percent percent of normal. There are places in thespray, spray, so some farmers are going to aerial worse thanthan extreme, exceptional drought. cause was was weather, a season of of statestate that that are not particularly this this year.year. worse extreme, exceptional drought.Another Another cause weather, a season are so notfortunate, so fortunate, particularlyspraying spraying Nationally, pasture and and rangeland drought and and late late spring freezes in the in the Butte has only received producer DonDon FastFast saidsaid therethere Nationally, pasture rangeland drought spring freezes in the in southwest. the southwest. Butte has only received Glasgow Glasgow producer conditions are the on record for for Midwest, especially in Kansas and and Texas. of normal rainfall. Joliet is atis at was was a pretty goodgood window in the conditions are lowest the lowest on record Midwest, especially in Kansas Texas.79 percent 79 percent of normal rainfall. Joliet a pretty window in spring the spring this this timetime of year, although last last yearyear was was White winter wheat was was expected to beto be 62 percent of normal. and and by setting his alarm clock earlier, he he of year, although White winter wheat expected 62 percent of normal. by setting his alarm clock earlier, the worst yearyear sincesince the USDA began down 2 percent. Shelley Mills, the MSU Extension was was ableable to get planted. He He the worst the USDA began down 2 percent. Shelley Mills, the MSU Extension to everything get everything planted. reporting on these conditions in 1995. The The depressing outlook through August for Valley County, saidsaid therethere has has usesuses rotation of varieties to keep Mother reporting on these conditions in 1995. depressing outlook through Augustagent agent for Valley County, rotation of varieties to keep Mother HayHay stocks in Kansas as of 1 were of the is that the drought a lotaof planting in this in balance and and avoid wheat rust.rust. stocks in Kansas asMay of May 1 were for most for most of West the West is that the drought beenbeen lotprevented of prevented planting in this Nature Nature in balance avoid wheat reported to beto29 lower thanthan last last will will persist or intensify. area.area. AprilApril was was 4 degrees colder thanthan There are aare few drowned-out spotsspots in the reported bepercent 29 percent lower persist or intensify. 4 degrees colder There a few drowned-out in the year,year, and and 58 percent below the 10-year MONTANA’S normal, the snowmelt was was delayed, and and fields, he said, but that’s a whole lot bet58 percent below the 10-year MONTANA’S normal, the snowmelt delayed, fields, he said, but that’s a whole lot betaverage. The The U.S.U.S. hay hay inventory is the BETTER FORTUNES farmers couldn’t get in untiluntil the theter than the ‘80s (the (the bad bad drought yearsyears on on average. inventory is the BETTER FORTUNES farmers couldn’t getthe in fields the fields ter than the ‘80s drought smallest sincesince 2007. According to a to report just just a strip at the of April. ThenThen MayMay was was rainy, par- par- the Hi-Line). smallest 2007. According a report There’s There’s a strip at top the of topthe of the end end of April. rainy, the Hi-Line). in The Hutchinson News, feedlots in Kanmapmap that’s white withwith no drought at the of the resultCropCrop success depends on aon lotaof in The Hutchinson News, feedlots in Kan-Western Western that’s white no droughtticularly ticularly at end the end of month, the month, resultsuccess depends lotfacof facsas are theirtheir cattle numbers down the northern partsparts of Washington, on the River and and in in tors,tors, but he heatheat in July would be the sas seeing are seeing cattle numbers down colors: colors: the northern of Washington, ing in ingflooding in flooding on Milk the Milk River butsaid he said in July would be the and and theythey are paying $230$230 a tona for and and Montana, and and mostmost of North streams. onlyonly thingthing that that would hurthurt yields here.here. are paying ton hay. for hay. Idaho Idaho Montana, of North smaller smaller streams. would yields The The USDA’s mid-May report on winter ThisThis narrow bandband has had ample of producers werewere not able is the of the Grains USDA’s mid-May report on winterDakota. Dakota. narrow has had ample “A portion “A portion of producers not able FastFast is chairman the chairman of U.S. the U.S. Grains wheat shows 39 percent in poor or very eveneven too much moisture. to get landland planted,” MillsMills said.said. Council, which is holding an international wheat shows 39 percent in poor or very rain,rain, too much moisture. to all gettheir all their planted,” Council, which is holding an international poorpoor conditions, mostly in the The The NASS cropcrop weather report for June “But“But it is itnot as 2011.” conditions, mostly in central the central NASS weather report for June is as notbad as bad as 2011.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 3 CONTINUED ON PAGE

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1946 1946 - 2013 - 2013

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YOU’RE READING HI-LINE FARM & RANCH – THE AG MONTHLY FORFOR NORTHEAST & NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. YOU’RE READING HI-LINE FARM & RANCH – THE AG MONTHLY NORTHEAST & NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA.

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extensionoffers offersNew Newguide guideFor ForLentil, Lentil,Pea Peagrowers growers extension

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agronomicand andfinancial financialbenefits benefitsininterms terms agronomic soilhealth, health,biological biologicalactivity activityand and ofofsoil overallpotential potentialproductivity. productivity.AsAsofof2012, 2012, overall pulsecrops cropsrepresent representmore morethan thanone-half one-half pulse millionacres acresofofthe theseven sevenmillion millionacres acresinin million dry-landproduction productionininMontana. Montana. dry-land â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thisguide guideprovides provides......practices practices â&#x20AC;&#x153;This fromexperts expertsinincrop cropproduction, production,nutrient nutrient from management,weed, weed,disease, disease,and andinsect insect management, controltotohelp helpMontana Montanaproducers producerssucsuccontrol cessfullyraise raisepulse pulsecrops,â&#x20AC;? crops,â&#x20AC;?said saidKent Kent cessfully McVay,author authorand andMSU MSUExtension Extension McVay,

CroppingSystem SystemSpecialist. Specialist. Cropping Theguide guideinclude includebasics basicsforforproducproducThe tionofofpulse pulsecrops cropsasaswell wellasasInternet Internet tion linkstotomore moredetailed detailedinformation. information.DeDelinks tailedchapters chaptersininthe theguide guideaddress addressculcultailed turalpractices; practices;soil soilfertility fertilityand andnutrient nutrient tural needs;recommendations recommendationsbybycrop; crop;weed weed needs; managementduring duringgrowth growthand andharvest; harvest; management disease,insect, insect,pathogen pathogenmanagement. management. disease, Theguide guideisisavailable availableatatwww.msuexwww.msuexThe tension.org/storeand andthrough throughyour yourlocal local tension.org/store countyExtension Extensionoffice. office. county

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Lastyear's year'sState StateFFA FFApresident, president,Brady BradyJohnson JohnsonofofHinsdale Hinsdaleshows showsLoudon LoudonIdler, Idler,left, left,and andAndrew AndrewBoucher, Boucher,right, right,how howtotodig digforforwild wild Last onions.When WhenAndrew Andrewfinished finishedpeeling peelingallallthe theskin skinoffoffone oneonion onionhishiscomment commentwas,"That's was,"That'sall?" all?"When Whenyou youget getallallthe theshell shelloff, off,you youare are onions. luckytotohave haveananonion onionthe thesize sizeofofa lentil. a lentil.Virgil VirgilVaupel, Vaupel, a columnist and correspondent for The Glasgow Courier who took this picture, lucky a columnist and correspondent for The Glasgow Courier who took this picture, Choose from Choose from remembers drinking milk from cowsthat thathad hadjust justbeen grazing wildonions. onions. Yuck indeed! 10W-30, 5W-30 remembers drinking cows grazing onon wild 10W-30, 5W-30 June BOM BWmilk Adfrom - Ecommerce -been not for use in CTYuck orindeed! RI

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Wheatgrows growsininValley ValleyCounty Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x201C;with witha rain a rainpond pondininthe thebackground. background. Wheat CONTINUEDFROM FROMPAGE PAGE2 2 CONTINUED BoardofofDelegates DelegatesmeetmeetBoard ingininOttawa, Ottawa,Ontario, Ontario,inin ing July. July. Thewinter winterwheat wheatininthe the The stateisisfaring faringwell. well.Only Only state percentisispoor poorororvery very 1515percent poor,but butitsitsdevelopment development poor, behindlast lastyearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;scrop. crop. isisbehind theJune June1616NASS NASS AsAsofofthe report,7979percent percentwas was report, theboot bootstage stageand and2020 ininthe percenthad hadheaded. headed.Spring Spring percent wheatwas wasalso alsobehind, behind, wheat with8686percent percentemerged emerged with and6 6percent percentininthe theboot boot and stage. stage. Thealfalfa alfalfacrops cropslook look The reallygood, good,Mills Millssaid, said, really althoughflooding floodingtook tookout out although somefields. fields.Many Manyfarmers farmers some wouldbegin beginhaying hayingononthe the would fourthororfifth fifthweekend weekendinin fourth June. June. KirkSibley, Sibley,who whofarms farms Kirk southeastofofNashua Nashuaononthe the southeast Missouri,said saidhehehasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Missouri, heardofofcalls callsfor forhay hayfrom from heard southernstates statesthis thisyear. year. southern Someearly earlyrequests requestscame came Some fromBillings, Billings,but butthey theygot got from somerain, rain,sosotheir theirsituasituasome tionimproved. improved.He Hesaid saidthe the tion croplooks looksfantastic fantasticbut buthehe crop

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From dry to soaked, with no in between Drought warnings turn to high moisture levels and flood damage repairs Tim Leeds tleeds@havredailynews.com Once again, a few weeks has turned around the agricultural outlook in north-central Montana, with people moving from closely watching warnings that drought could hit the area to scrambling to handle excess moisture, dealing with rapidly growing crops — and disease cropping up at the same time — and dealing with flood damage. Overall, though, local ag producers don’t seem to be complaining much. “It’s bringing on an incredible crop,” said Murdy Rismon, whose family farms north of Havre. Havre Daily News/Lindsay Brown Standing water soaks a field in Big Sandy in mid June after weeks of heavy rain. Drought warnings turned into flood warnings on the Hi-Line in May and June.

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Water quality rules alarm onion growers NYSSA, Ore. (AP) — Some Eastern Oregon onion growers said proposed food safety rules requiring higher standards for irrigation water could shut them down in the middle of a growing season. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the rules under the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act are part of a preventive strategy: There's no history of salmonella or E. coli outbreaks in dry, bulb onions, and the agency wants to keep it that way. Growers and others who met with Oregon U.S. Rep. Greg Walden at a Nyssa processing company said water rights from an irrigation canal would meet the standards, but water reused from field to field would not, the Ontario Argus Observer reported. Grower Reid Saito said that if the large farms in the region had to stop irrigating at

a critical period in the season, there could be a tremendous loss. "If we don't have irrigation water, we don't farm," said Kay Riley of Snake River Produce. Onions are one of Oregon's top crops. As in the Snake River Valley, the crop is often g row n w i t h i r r i g a t i o n . T h e O re go n Department of Agriculture put the value of the 2011 Oregon crop at $92 million, 11th among the top 40 crops and ranking behind Christmas trees and ahead of hazelnuts. The farmers said dry bulb onions don't have a history of contamination, unlike green onions. They want the agency to separate onions from about 200 commodities in the rule, on the grounds that the skins of onions protect the consumed parts from contamination, and the crop cures in the field long after irrigation ends.

FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said the proposed standards are part of the agency's new stance on potential food threats. "We felt this was necessary because water is one of the five recognized routes for contamination for produce," Burgess said. The agency expects to take comment about the proposed rule through mid-September. In northeastern Oregon, concern about the proposed rule isn't so high. Extensive sampling of Columbia River water has shown improved conditions in recent years, and even with tougher standards, many farms are still well below the limits, said J.R. Cook, director of the newl y - fo r m e d N o r t h e a s t O r e g o n Wa t e r Association. "Our surface water quality is through-theroof good," Cook told the East Oregonian.

N. Ind. youth camp fighting big hog farm proposal BROOKSTON, Ind. (AP) — Leaders of a northern Indiana youth camp are arguing against a farmer's request for permission to start raising some 9,200 hogs about a half mile away. The farmer is seeking a zoning change from the White County commissioners to allow the concentrated animal feeding operation near the 600-acre YMCA Camp Tecumseh, the Journal & Courier reported. Camp CEO Scott Brosman said he worried about the impact of so many hogs on the camp that hosts some 35,000 people a year.

"We're not anti-agriculture," Brosman said. "We feel the scope and size of the project is too big and too close." Joe Bumbleburg, an attorney for farm owner John Erickson, said the proposal was meeting all county zoning requirements. "This is a five-generation farming family," Bumbleburg said. County commissioners are scheduled to vote Monday on the request. Camp Tecumseh, along the Tippecanoe River about 20 miles north of Lafayette, hosts a variety of activities, including camps for children suffered burns and have asthma or kidney troubles.

Oregon House backs 5-year ban of canola fields in valley SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon House has approved a bill banning canola fields in the Willamette Valley for five years. The bill would undo a state Department of Agriculture rule that allowed limited canola production. It goes to the Senate. Farmers growing organic vegetable seeds have fought efforts to introduce canola to the valley, fearing new pests and diseases. They're also concerned that genetically modified canola plants would pollinate vege-

table plants and diminish the value of their seeds. Some farmers growing grass seed want to use canola as a rotation crop, and oil processors want to press the seeds for use in renewable fuels. Critics of the bill say the Legislature shouldn't be involved. The bill would require Oregon State University to further study whether canola and vegetable-seed fields can co-exist.

Cadi Bien, vice president of the camp's board, said Erickson has reassured camp officials he'll plant trees and try to minimize odors from the hog operation. "But our operation depends on being outside," Bien said. "If there are odor or air problems or water quality issues, it puts atrisk our operation."

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From dry to soaked: Parts of the Hi-Line received an average year’s worth of rain in three weeks ■ Continued from page A1 Rismon said northeastern Hill County had been doing well before the rains fell, and is looking even better now. That, however, does include damage as well. He said he and his son, Shawn Rismon, have been working steadily the last few we e k s fo r p e o p l e i n t h e B e a r Paw Mountains who need roads and creek access restored, and some fields to the north have standing water that kills the crops under the pools. Gray also said she is hearing of people who are working to repair flood damage, to roads and fences and structures. The moist conditions also are keeping fa r m e rs b u sy d e a l i n g w i t h d i s e a s e s encroaching on crops, she said.

A year’s worth of rain in three weeks The rain that has fallen in the area — leading to emergency and disaster declarations due to the flooding, with the possibility of another presidential disaster declaration looking likely — has dropped what normally would take months, as many as 12 months in some places, to bring. At the Havre reporting station at the airport, Weather Service recorded 2.73 inches of rain by May 1, still nearly threequarters of an inch above the norm for that day. This region was doing much better than much of the state, where moisture deficits in the winter were drying up water supplies and raising serious concerns about drought. Then the torrential rains hit from midMay through early June, bringing moisture and the flooding disasters. By June 1, Weather Service recorded nearly 5 inches more precipitation at the airport, bringing the year’s total to 7.32 inches. That compares to a total on that date of 6.81 inches in 2012, and nearly double the norm for that date of 3.8 inches. By June 25, the airport station— which apparently missed a half-inch of rain the night before — reported 11.21 inches for the year, compared with 8.33 inches in 2012 and more than double the norm of 5.43 inches.

By that day, the airport station had received its entire year’s worth of normal precipitation, 11.19 inches. From May 15 through the first week of June, Beaver Creek Park received more than a foot of rain — 13.5 inches.

Most crops looking good, for now Rismon said, where he farms, the crops are coming along very well. While hot, dry conditions in the weeks to come still could hurt the spring crops, he said, the winter wheat is doing very well. In the Bear Paws, the situation is not quite as good because of the flooding damage, he said. Some crops, including some hay crops, have been hit hard. He said that where the hayland in the Bear Paws was not flooded, however, those crops are looking good. Access to some of that could be a problem, however, with high creek levels and washed out roads and crossings. The hay crops also are looking good north of the Bear Paws, Rismon said. The forecast for the next month predicts weather that could continue to help with crops. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, of which the National Weather Service is a branch, issued its 30-day regional forecast June 20. That forecast predicts warmer-than-usual temperatures in western Montana spreading down through the south-central region of the state, in a blanket from the West Coast down through Texas. North-central through eastern Montana is expected to be about normal for temperatures, with highs in the mid-70s and mid-80s through the early part of the month and into the mid- to upper-80s later in July. The one-month outlook predicts aboutnormal precipitation for Montana in July. Gray said that, although damage came with the rain, to crops and to facilities, most ag producers aren’t complaining. The timing could have been better, though. “It was very much-needed moisture,” she said. “I wish it was a little more spread out.”

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Hill County Extension Agent Nicole Gray said that, while some diseases are popping up due to the moist conditions, and some people are repairing flood damage, overall, farmers and ranchers seem pleased. “We were kind of looking a little dry, on the drought side,” she said. “It was really lucky we got it when we did.”

Region soaked — and flooded — with spring rains Rismon said most of Hill, from what he has heard, seems to have shared in the moisture, although north of Havre was doing well before the flood-causing precipitation. The amount of rainfall varies, though, he said, adding that he has heard that the region west of Big Sandy has received very little moisture during the storms. However, Big Sandy itself has had water standing for days after some of the storms. A recent storm illustrates how much difference a short distance can make. A heavy thunderstorm hit the Havre area June 24, recording a half-inch of precipitation in a land owner's rain gauge about 5 miles east of Havre. But just west of Havre, the National Weather Service reporting station at the Havre City-County Airport recorded only a trace amount of precipitation from the same storm. At the April meeting of the governor’s drought and water supply task force, the speakers commented on how north-central montana east to the North Dakota border had been drenched for much of the year, although at that time the dry February and March was starting to strip the moisture from this region as well.

■ Continued on page 8

Havre Daily News/Lindsay Brown Standing water surrounds Big Sandy after a night of severe thunderstorms June 19. Drought warnings have turned into flood warnings on the Hi-Line this year.

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