Hi-Line Farm & Ranch August 2017

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Varied and broken terrain displays the characteristics that give the Upper Missouri River Breaks its name, as well as the nickname the Breaks.

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Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson

UNDAuNTED Monument

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Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

With Secretary of the Interior Zinke saying the monument is 'likely' to be kept intact, life goes on in the Breaks

Pam Burke community@havredailynews.com For two consecutive Saturdays in early spring groups of volunteers, guided by Friends of the Missouri River Breaks Monument and Bureau or Land Management staff, headed out to the upper end of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument to plant cottonwood trees at campsites along the river.

This effort was part of an ongoing improvement program in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument and a sort of symbol of the cooperative effort put forth in the daily operations of the monument.

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke shortly after his appointment was tasked with reviewing the status of monuments of 100,000 acres or more created since Jan. 1, 1996. The 377,000-acre Breaks monument falls well within those guidelines, but Zinke told a meeting of the Western Governors Association June 27 that the monument is not likely to be altered or declassified.

March 25, a group of 17 volunteers, who had camped overnight at Lone Tree Coulee Recreation Site along the river, caravaned to a prepared planting site about a mile downriver on the Terry Ranch, said Joe Offer, stewardship director for the Friends. This is the first year incorporating the camp out with the tree planting and it was such a success they plan on doing it for future planting days, Offer said.

The group planted 80 trees in five hours at the site called Pilot Rock Ranch, said Tim Dwyer, executive director of the nonprofit Friends.

The holes were pre-drilled to 8 feet the week before, he said, but the volunteers had to prep the holes with fertilizer, set and bury the saplings, which had been started from mature galleries, and put up a deer fence around each tree with two

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Thompson Cliffs loom over the Missouri River near the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center in Fort Benton which is at the uppermost end of the 149-mile long of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

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says.

It also limits how much land the federal government can buy within the wild and scenic area, even from willing sellers, but it does not supersede any existing water rights.

The possibility of the monument allowing land grabbing and water rights infringement by the federal government are sticking points that still rankle landowners 16 years after the monument was designated.

“The only thing that we really don’t like about the monument is that they’ve taken in so much deeded land,” Clare Allderdice said.

“They included the deeded land without our permission actually. They had a Wild and Scenic deal in place that allowed everybody to go down the river and keep it all good, and then all of a sudden they get the monument and they’ve taken in way more land than they needed.”

The Antiquities Act allows the president to reserve land not owned by the federal government within the boundaries of a monument to become part of the monument if the owner sells the land to the government. That is what President Bill Clinton did with the 80,000 acres of private land and 40,000 acres of state land when he created the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in 2001.

Proponents of the monument point out that nothing has changed for landowners and their rights on their own property, and no changes

FARM & RANCH have come to water rights. But opponents argue that the wording in the documents are too vague, leaving room for interpretations and regulation changes that will hurt landowners in the future.

Monument status wording says its water rights are, “a quantity of water … sufficient to fulfill the purposes for which this monument is established.”

A more specific quantity of water was supposed to be established after the monument was in place, but if any numbers have been agreed on, including the water pumped from the river for the young trees, it would be a surprise to him, Ed Allderdice said.

Still, the Allderdices, who attended the public hearings before the monument was signed into being, admit that their life hasn’t changed much living now within the monument.

“We’re still doing what we always did,” Clare Allderdice said.

This includes running about 250 head or more of cattle, pivot irrigating some alfalfa fields and giving people permission to hunt and fish on their property, Ed Allderdice said, including giving the Friends and their volunteers permission to access their tree planting site through their ranch.

On the second tree planting weekend, volunteers caravaned across the Allderdices’ ranch to the Little Sandy Creek site, after

their overnight stay at Coal Banks Landing.

April 1, 18 volunteers planted 70 trees at Little Sandy Creek, making the total number of cottonwoods planted by the Friends group sits at 520 over th last five years. The trees are maintained weekly and they have thus far had a 90 percent success rate with the saplings, Dwyer said.

While the Friends of the Breaks is working to restore the cottonwood habitat to its historical growth, the Allderdices are working to maintain their own family history.

Clare Allderdice’s grandfather originally purchased their 3,600-acre ranch in 1942, her husband said, along with a significant amount of other acreage that stretched farther along the Missouri and north almost to Big Sandy.

He divided the property into parcels to give to his children and those tracts have been passed along or sold over the years, much of it divided up.

They said, most likely, their son Russ, who already runs some cows on the place, will one day take over the ranch, which they have already incorporated. Along with the ranch and the corporation their son will inherit easements for campgrounds and for access to tree planting sites and the tepee rings on the bluff overlooking the river, as well as any changes to the monument regulations.

The only significant change they have noticed so far is that with the development of

www.havredailynews.com monument campgrounds they have had fewer people camping along their banks.

“We get along with the people going down the river and everything fine,” Clare Allderdice said.

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Monument: Congress designated as a wild and scenic river in 1976 ■ Continued from page 3

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is more than just a monument • 149-mile Upper Missouri River National Wild and Scenic River • Adjacent Breaks country • Portions of Arrow Creek, Antelope Creek and Judith River.

• Six wilderness study areas • Cow Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern • Segments of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail • Fort Benton National Historic Landmark • A watchable wildlife area

• Bighorn sheep herd • Missouri Breaks Back Country Byway • About 40,000 acres of state land • About 80,000 acres of private land • A total of about 75,000 acres in six separate areas within the monument borders have been evaluated for wilderness designation.

Four of those areas were not recommended for wilderness status because they did not meet the criteria for remote, relatively untouched landscape. Those four sites were also described as having high potential for natural gas development.

ment area from May 24 through June 13, 1805.

The 149 miles of the Missouri River within the monument was named a National Wild and Scenic River in 1976. It is part of the Lewis and Clark National Trail and the Nez Perce Trail, and it has historic and cultural sites from Native American to homesteader. It also includes unique geological formations and is home to an array of wild game, including bighorn sheep, and aquatic life, including paddlefish.

The Wild and Scenic River designation put many protections in place, said Clare and Ed Allderdice, whose Virgelle Valley Ranch stretches along the river from Coal Banks Landing to Little Sandy Creek and includes about half their 3,600 acre ranch and another handful of the 3,600 acres of state lands they

lease within the monument boundaries.

“As far as we’re concerned the monument was saved with the Wild and Scenic (River designation),” Clare Allderdice said.

But the National Wild and Scenic River website says that those regulations do not govern what private citizens can do with their land so much as what the federal government cannot do with theirs.

“It prohibits federal support for actions such as the construction of dams or other instream activities that would harm the river's free-flowing condition, water quality, or outstanding resource values. However, designation does not affect existing water rights or the existing jurisdiction of states and the federal government over waters as determined by established principles of law,” the website

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson A bridge crosses the Marias River near where the Marias River flows into the Missouri River.

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metal posts and tall deer fencing.

And Friends staff, volunteers or interns will maintain the saplings for two years or until the trees are mature enough to survive on their own.

“Habitat,” Dwyer said.

“Essentially it’s wildlife habitat.

Without cottonwoods there you lose bird habitat and shade habitat for big game ... and shade for riparian habitat.”

This is the fifth year of the Friends’ restoration project planting cottonwoods at different sites along the 149 miles of the Breaks monument. The trees would normally reseed themselves if dams on the Missouri didn’t keep the river from flooding. Flooding, he said, is what makes the trees reproduce.

In place of flooding, the Friends of the Missouri Breaks steps in to plant, but it takes cooperation from landowners to make that happen, as it does for BLM to establish and maintain about 20 campgrounds, plus picnic areas, interpretive sites and restrooms.

The monument, which was established in 2001 under the Antiquities Act, has conservation easements with landowners to develop and maintain these sites, and to provide access to historic and other significant locations along the river.

Easements also provide public access to historic and other signifi-

cant sites located on higher ground than the river banks, Dwyer said.

As stewards and advocates of the monument, they have to be conscientious of the landowners, he said.

“The private landowners play a big role in the access to the monument, and for the most part they’re good natured,” he said. “If they don’t want to you cross their land — maybe they have something going on, maybe a planting or something and that isn’t going to happen — then they’ll send folks to the main sites like Coal Banks or Judith landing or walking in the Bullwhacker.

There’s a lot of public areas, public access points.”

The Terry Ranch, owned by Casey and KellyAnne Terry, has been named an Undaunted Stewardship Site, Dwyer said.

Undaunted Stewardship is a voluntary, incentive-based, land management program that is intended to foster protection and improvement of the environment and significant places while continuing agricultural production. Managed by Montana State University in Bozeman, BLM and the Montana Stockgrowers Association, it certifies ranches as land stewards for utilizing sustainable grazing and land management practices.

The 377,000 acres of public land,

■ See Monument Page 10

along with about 80,000 acres of private land and 40,000 acres state land, within the boundaries of the monument, which stretches from

Fort Benton to the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, encompasses a number of historically significant landmarks and offi-

www.havredailynews.com cial designations. Much of the interest in the monument stems from the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveling what is now the Breaks monu-

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson A bridge crosses the Missouri River at Fort Benton near the eastern tip of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

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Glasgow photographer Amy Nelson captured this Valley County homestead early this spring. Nelson is one of the judges for the Courier's 'Sunlight & Storm' photo contest (deadline is Aug. 6). To submit your photos, write to jamesmichaelwalling@gmail.com.

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STEVE DAINES FOR FARM & RANCH Aspiring fishermen pick up some gear at the FWP office in Glasgow.

MARC KLOKER, FWP FOR FARM & RANCH In time for summer ďŹ shing, FWP staff has restocked the 44 different location sites across Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hi-Line. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kids to Fishâ&#x20AC;? program lets youngsters check out ďŹ shing rods and reels and use basic tackle, such as hooks, bobbers, and sinkers. Typically, eight rods are at each location, and usually a tackle box is available to borrow/use with available tackle.

Pure Fishing, D & G Sports & Western in Glasgow, and Strombergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sinclair and the North 40 OutďŹ tters store in Havre have given FWP substantial discounts that help keep the program sustainable. In addition, The Front Brewing in Great Falls, along with partner Nemont Beverage in Glasgow, were kind enough to donate money to the program.

COURTESY PHOTO / FOR FARM & RANCH

FWP Region 6 intern Bowden Godfrey, a student at the University of MontanaWestern, has been busy maintaining the gear and helping re-supply the sites over the last few months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just because someone doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a ďŹ shing rod doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean they shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to go ďŹ shing,â&#x20AC;? Godfrey said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a cousin in town that wants to go along, or just an extra pole is needed for catďŹ shing on the Milk River, we want as many kids as possible to go out and ďŹ sh.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The many business owners and other folks who participate in the program deserve special thanks,â&#x20AC;? adds Marc Kloker, Region 6 Information and Education Program Manager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re helping a lot of kids have fun on the water this summer.â&#x20AC;?

See FISHING POLES Page 5

Generations of Montanans have cultivated the land and passed family farms and ranches down to their children. Their work has built Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy and preserved a way of life that still deďŹ nes our state today. But with the ground cracking underneath us, we are reminded of how fragile this way of life is.

As our number one economic driver, Montana agriculture has supported our economy through seasons of plenty and seasons of drought, including physical drought and unseasonable rains. In Montana, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen them both and our farmers and ranchers have risen to the occasion each time. As they have supported us, we must support them.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical we ensure they have the ďŹ&#x201A;exibility they need to adjust to environmental conditions. Historic drought conditions in eastern Montana warrant relief from regulations that limit producersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to utilize our lands in the best way possible. I was pleased by the United States Department of Agricultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

(USDA) decision to allow impacted producers to utilize Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage for grazing, but I believe the conditions in Montana justify additional relief.

Montana producers unable to sleep at night for fear of losing the family farm deserve more support from those who have beneďŹ ted from their legacy of hard work. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I have continued to hold USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feet to the ďŹ re, urging additional emergency relief for farmers and ranchers. And recently, USDA has announced several additional ďŹ&#x201A;exibilities to make it easier to send livestock elsewhere for water and feed, gain access to emergency loan programs and provide for limited haying on CRP acreage, including sending folks to help ensure that Montanans who need assistance can access it.

Standing in ďŹ elds that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be harvested, watching cattle being moved from ďŹ eld to ďŹ eld, these are the images I remember when working on your behalf in Washington. I have been engaging with Montana farmers and ranchers about what the lack of rain has meant for them and their yields and I understand the severity

of the drought and the corresponding increased risk of wildďŹ res. While USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions will help producers get through this tough season, we need to look at additional reforms that will allow producers to best manage their livestock and crops during natural disasters like this.

This drought also further emphasizes the importance of ensuring that farms and ranches that rely on irrigation are able to have access to a quality and reliable source of water. In eastern Montana, this includes the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project, which provides water to over 400 farms and 50,000 acres in eastern Montana and western North Dakota.

I have led efforts in the Montana and North Dakota congressional delegations to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of

Reclamation to continue to support this critical project and ensure that funding currently dedicated for the project is not reallocated. A quality source of water is the lifeblood for our farmers and ranchers.

I know how important Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farmers and ranchers are to Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s livelihood and I understand how this drought is threatening their personal families as well. As we continue to pray for rain in Montana, we must do all we can to loosen the regulatory burdens that tie farmers and ranchers hands as they try to do whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best for their crops, livestock and livelihoods. Supporting our farmers and ranchers is supporting Montana.

Steve Daines is the junior United States Senator from Montana.

YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE READING THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH THE AG MONTHLY FOR NORTHEAST & NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA

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FISHING POLES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 The sturdy loaner rods come already rigged with bobbers, split-shot and hooks.

Youngsters are required to sign out the equipment at the site and return it in good working order. Kloker reminds folks that these rods are to be brought back to the loaner location, even if damaged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We really want these poles brought back to their location sites,â&#x20AC;? says Kloker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The next kid that comes along should also have a chance to ďŹ sh.â&#x20AC;?

If poles are continually lost or stolen, the program will need to make the necessary changes and location sites may be removed.

In addition, some sites that havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen much use have had their poles removed and taken elsewhere with more opportunities.

More than 400 of these ďŹ shing rods are available to be checked out from the outlets by individuals, families, organizations, church groups and schools.

Fishing rods and tackle are currently available to check out at these locations: BAINVILLE (Bainville School), BIG SANDY (The Grocery Store) BROCKTON (B & S Quick Stop) CHESTER (Liberty Quick Stop), CHINOOK (Finleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Farm), CIRCLE (Circle Country Market) CULBERTSON (Culbertson Public Library) DODSON (Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town & Country

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FARM & RANCH FARM & RANCH Store), FLAXVILLE (Pro Co-op), FORT BELKNAP AGENCY (Kwik Stop), FORT PECK (Downstream Campground, Fort Peck Fish Hatchery, Lakeridge Motel & Tackle Shop, Fort Peck Marina, Fort Peck Interpretive Center, Rock Creek Marina), FRAZER (Frazer School), FROID (Froid Grocery), GLASGOW (FWP Region 6 headquarters, City-County Library, Cottonwood Inn, Ezzieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s West End Conoco, Glasgow Recreation Department, Shady Rest RV Park), HARLEM (EZ Mart store), HAVRE AREA (FWP Havre OfďŹ ce, Strombergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sinclair, Hill County Library, The Walleye Tavern, Quality Life Concepts, HINSDALE (Sweet Memories), LOMA (Midway Mercantile), MALTA (Phillips County Library), Westside Conoco Convenience Store), MEDICINE LAKE (Lake Pit Stop store), NASHUA (B&B Foods), OPHEIM (Pro Co-Op), PEERLESS (Dutch Henryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club), PLENTYWOOD (Sheridan County Library, Ace Hardware), ROCKY BOY AGENCY (Chippewa-Cree Tribal TANF ofďŹ ce), SACO (Sleeping Buffalo Hot springs), SCOBEY (Pro Co-op, TruValue Hardware).

If you have any questions about the program, or are interested in having poles available at other locations in your community, please contact Kloker at 406-2283704.

SEAN R. HEAVEY / FOR FARM & RANCH

Firefighters battle the Lodgepole Complex fire south of Lake Fort Peck in July.

The Month in Weather USDA Drought Programs BRANDON BIGELBACH FOR FARM & RANCH

The big story in northeast Montana this past month, in addition to the extremely dry conditions being experienced, is the drastic increase in wildďŹ re activity. Two major ďŹ res started and rapidly spread across parts of the region. The ďŹ rst was the July ďŹ re, which burned through parts of the Little Rockies between Zortman and Hays. The second, which is still ongoing as of press date, is the Lodgepole Complex ďŹ re, which is burning through GarďŹ eld and parts of Petroleum Counties.

In just a couple of days, this ďŹ re grew to over 200,000 acres. Winds this month have been quite a bit calmer than last month, with only six days reporting daily maximum wind speeds above 25 mph. As of press date, due to the continued dry conditions and active ďŹ re weather across the region, all of the counties in northeast Montana have been placed in Stage 1 ďŹ re restrictions. If conditions continue to worsen, it is certainly possible for some counties to end up in Stage 2 restrictions. For more information on the deďŹ nitions of the stages of ďŹ re restrictions, visit www.ďŹ rerestrictions.us.

As of press date, per the National Weather Service in Glasgow, the highest observed temperature for the month was 103 degrees on July 8, and the lowest was 54 degrees on July 1.

The total liquid precipitation reported at Glasgow was 0.69â&#x20AC;?, which was approximately 0.8â&#x20AC;? below normal. Over a 24-hour period, the greatest precipitation total was 0.48â&#x20AC;?, which occurred on July 11. The overall mean temperature for the month was approximately 77 degrees, which was approximately 6 degrees above normal.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor was released on July 18. Now above 55 percent of the state of Montana is considered at least Abnormally Dry with the addition of portions of the Northwest.

From there, it gets more severe when narrowing down in scale towards the East and Northeast.

The entirety of northeast Montana is under at least Severe Drought, with almost the entire region under Extreme Drought.

Parts of southwestern Valley County and northern GarďŹ eld County, as well as the northern half of Sheridan County, have been upgraded to the ultimate drought category, Exceptional Drought.

MICHELLE BIGELBACH FOR FARM & RANCH

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Daniels, Garfield, McCone, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Valley, Dawson, Fergus, Petroleum, Phillips, Richland, Rosebud, Fallon and Wibaux counties in Montana as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by the recent drought. Farmers and ranchers in these areas are eligible for a number of disaster assistance programs.

One such program is the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). Eligible pasture types include long season small grains, native pasture, improved pasture, annual ryegrass or forage sorghum that is produced on dry-land acres and used for grazing. Eligible livestock include alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland during the normal grazing period. The LFP application and supporting documentation for 2017 losses must be submitted by Jan. 30, 2018, however 2017 acreage reports are required to be ďŹ led for all eligible land no later than Nov. 15, 2017.

Livestock producers may also be eligible for assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), which covers the additional cost of transporting water to eligible livestock

when the drought directly impacts water availability during the normal grazing period. The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides funding and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. ECP is available by producer request and pending funding availability. As of July 13, Valley County farmers and ranchers have been approved for this program.

On July 11, USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Farm Service Agency announced that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has authorized emergency haying on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands beginning July 16, and lasting until Aug. 30. This program helps ranchers deal with poor forage conditions and helps provide feed for livestock in the drought-stricken areas. Prior approval from FSA is required before CRP Emergency Haying begins. Eligible CRP participants can hay their acreage for their own use or may grant another producer use of CRP land for haying purposes.

There will be no CRP annual rental payment reductions assessed for acres hayed under this emergency authority.

Interested farmers may contact their local USDA service centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for any eligible programs. Additional information is also available online at disaster. fsa.usda.gov.

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Glasgow Stockyards, Inc. Linda & Mark Nielsen, Owners Iva Murch, Manager 263-7529 Dean Barnes, Yard Manager 263-1175 Ed Hinton, Auctioneer 783-7285

August & September 2017 Schedule

August 2017 Thursday

3

1946 - 2017

September 2017 Thursday

NO AUCTION

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All Class Cattle Auction

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Early Yearling Auction & All Class Cattle Auction Due to drought conditions in Northeast Montana, we have had a lot of interest for this auction. Several consignments of steers and heifers on the books. If you need to move cattle early, let us know so we can contact the buyers. The yearling market is in good shape.

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SERVING AREA â&#x153;Ż LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS FOR 71 YEARS!

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5IF UI #JH 'BMM :FBSMJOH $MBTTJD Always a â&#x20AC;&#x153;good one!â&#x20AC;? Steers-spayed and tested open heifers. Call in consignments. & All Class Cattle Auction

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5IF 0OF BOE 0OMZ 4IFFQ "VDUJPO PG & All Class Cattle Auction

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All Class Cattle Auction

228-9306

1 0 #PY t (MBTHPX .5 HTJ!OFNPOU OFU XXX HMBTHPXTUPDLZBSET DPN

Please call in consignments so buyers can be notiďŹ ed

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Pictured: Hinsdaleans harvesting in July, circa 2010. Due to drought conditions in the region, such scenes are currently few and far between.

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The Rural Sisterhood: 'Don't Stop Taking Pictures' ELIZABETH SHIPSTEAD FOR FARM & RANCH By this time of year I’ve usually taken lots and lots of pictures.

I’ve taken the typical pictures of my farmer in the field checking whether or not the heads of wheat are filling or how many peas are in the pods of our pea crop; pictures of my girls with wild hair and huge grins in a field that caught my eye with its beauty; pictures of cute calves next to their mommas, merrily grazing in green pastures; pictures of sunsets and amazing clouds as storms come rolling across the Big Sky. This year, I have to admit, I’ve been avoiding taking pictures. The crops are a bit embarrassing and depressing frankly. The pastures that once had grass tall enough to hide a calf, are practically bare and brown.

There are patches of darkened earth across the county where a fire attempted to take hold and burn away someone’s livelihood.

But after a couple of eye opening ex-

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periences I quickly found a reason to take photos.

We had unloaded our cows into another brown pasture and were checking the 3 water tanks that were spread across the pastures, when about 5 miles south of us a fire started.

In a matter of a few minutes the fire had spread and was heading east. We could tell when it spread to an area with a different fuel source. Then as a more intense gust of wind came up, we could see flames! Talk about a scary situation. I was so grateful the wind was blowing the opposite direction of our pasture, but on the other hand my heart broke for the farmers with land in the fire’s path. This fire burned 1,700 acres.

The next day, my hubby got called away by a neighbor to help with another fire that started in CRP that someone was baling south of Peerless. At least 10 different neighbors showed up and they had it out before it spread past 20 acres.

See SISTERHOOD Page 7

One of the Shipstead pastures south of Peerless.

ELIZABETH SHIPSTEAD / FOR FARM & RANCH

Unique Home For Sale

AMY NELSON / FOR FARM & RANCH

Photographer Amy Nelson is one of the judges for the Courier's 'Sunlight & Storm' photo contest. She took this picture of the night sky in Northeast Montana in June. Deadline for the contest is Aug. 6. Send your high-res images to jamesmichaelwalling@gmail.com to enter.

SISTERHOOD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

The Shipstead family respond to a neighbor’s call with Ronald Rorvig’s 1956 Chevy water truck.

ODIN SHIPSTEAD / FOR FARM & RANCH

I’ve heard story after story like this. The devastation, softened by the help of neighbors and the dedication of volunteer firefighters from small towns across several counties.

This is what the pictures from this year will capture. These pictures will tell a story of determination in the face of adversity, uncontrollable weather, and odds that feel insurmountable.

Taking pictures this year, may not be as enjoyable as last year, but we need to docu-

ment this year so that we can remember how much we have to be grateful for once things are easier and crops and pasture grass is plentiful!

So get out there and take pictures! Let’s tell our story, for ourselves, for those outside of Ag and most importantly for the next generation.

Let’s show that we can and will survive; That we will be persistent even when it looks bleak; That neighbors will come together to help neighbors; That this year, 2017 with its extreme drought, will be the one to remember and look back on knowing that we made it through!

425 6th Street North Glasgow, Montana Vintage Northside neighborhood home, large corner location on 5 city lots, 1,612 sf main floor, 1,392 sf finished basement, established trees and greenery, fenced in backyard, 4 bedrooms, library, 3 full baths, private backyard patio area, sunroom off kitchen, an oversized 2 car attached heated garage with room to add on, and rv parking.

Asking $295,000

United INSURANCE & REALTY "Let us work for you." unitedir@nemont.net 406-228-9356 www.unitedinsuranceandrealty.com 504 2nd Avenue South, Glasgow, Montana

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The Rural Sisterhood: 'Don't Stop Taking Pictures' ELIZABETH SHIPSTEAD FOR FARM & RANCH By this time of year I’ve usually taken lots and lots of pictures.

I’ve taken the typical pictures of my farmer in the field checking whether or not the heads of wheat are filling or how many peas are in the pods of our pea crop; pictures of my girls with wild hair and huge grins in a field that caught my eye with its beauty; pictures of cute calves next to their mommas, merrily grazing in green pastures; pictures of sunsets and amazing clouds as storms come rolling across the Big Sky. This year, I have to admit, I’ve been avoiding taking pictures. The crops are a bit embarrassing and depressing frankly. The pastures that once had grass tall enough to hide a calf, are practically bare and brown.

There are patches of darkened earth across the county where a fire attempted to take hold and burn away someone’s livelihood.

But after a couple of eye opening ex-

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periences I quickly found a reason to take photos.

We had unloaded our cows into another brown pasture and were checking the 3 water tanks that were spread across the pastures, when about 5 miles south of us a fire started.

In a matter of a few minutes the fire had spread and was heading east. We could tell when it spread to an area with a different fuel source. Then as a more intense gust of wind came up, we could see flames! Talk about a scary situation. I was so grateful the wind was blowing the opposite direction of our pasture, but on the other hand my heart broke for the farmers with land in the fire’s path. This fire burned 1,700 acres.

The next day, my hubby got called away by a neighbor to help with another fire that started in CRP that someone was baling south of Peerless. At least 10 different neighbors showed up and they had it out before it spread past 20 acres.

See SISTERHOOD Page 7

One of the Shipstead pastures south of Peerless.

ELIZABETH SHIPSTEAD / FOR FARM & RANCH

Unique Home For Sale

AMY NELSON / FOR FARM & RANCH

Photographer Amy Nelson is one of the judges for the Courier's 'Sunlight & Storm' photo contest. She took this picture of the night sky in Northeast Montana in June. Deadline for the contest is Aug. 6. Send your high-res images to jamesmichaelwalling@gmail.com to enter.

SISTERHOOD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

The Shipstead family respond to a neighbor’s call with Ronald Rorvig’s 1956 Chevy water truck.

ODIN SHIPSTEAD / FOR FARM & RANCH

I’ve heard story after story like this. The devastation, softened by the help of neighbors and the dedication of volunteer firefighters from small towns across several counties.

This is what the pictures from this year will capture. These pictures will tell a story of determination in the face of adversity, uncontrollable weather, and odds that feel insurmountable.

Taking pictures this year, may not be as enjoyable as last year, but we need to docu-

ment this year so that we can remember how much we have to be grateful for once things are easier and crops and pasture grass is plentiful!

So get out there and take pictures! Let’s tell our story, for ourselves, for those outside of Ag and most importantly for the next generation.

Let’s show that we can and will survive; That we will be persistent even when it looks bleak; That neighbors will come together to help neighbors; That this year, 2017 with its extreme drought, will be the one to remember and look back on knowing that we made it through!

425 6th Street North Glasgow, Montana Vintage Northside neighborhood home, large corner location on 5 city lots, 1,612 sf main floor, 1,392 sf finished basement, established trees and greenery, fenced in backyard, 4 bedrooms, library, 3 full baths, private backyard patio area, sunroom off kitchen, an oversized 2 car attached heated garage with room to add on, and rv parking.

Asking $295,000

United INSURANCE & REALTY "Let us work for you." unitedir@nemont.net 406-228-9356 www.unitedinsuranceandrealty.com 504 2nd Avenue South, Glasgow, Montana

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FISHING POLES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 The sturdy loaner rods come already rigged with bobbers, split-shot and hooks.

Youngsters are required to sign out the equipment at the site and return it in good working order. Kloker reminds folks that these rods are to be brought back to the loaner location, even if damaged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We really want these poles brought back to their location sites,â&#x20AC;? says Kloker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The next kid that comes along should also have a chance to ďŹ sh.â&#x20AC;?

If poles are continually lost or stolen, the program will need to make the necessary changes and location sites may be removed.

In addition, some sites that havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen much use have had their poles removed and taken elsewhere with more opportunities.

More than 400 of these ďŹ shing rods are available to be checked out from the outlets by individuals, families, organizations, church groups and schools.

Fishing rods and tackle are currently available to check out at these locations: BAINVILLE (Bainville School), BIG SANDY (The Grocery Store) BROCKTON (B & S Quick Stop) CHESTER (Liberty Quick Stop), CHINOOK (Finleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Farm), CIRCLE (Circle Country Market) CULBERTSON (Culbertson Public Library) DODSON (Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town & Country

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FARM & RANCH FARM & RANCH Store), FLAXVILLE (Pro Co-op), FORT BELKNAP AGENCY (Kwik Stop), FORT PECK (Downstream Campground, Fort Peck Fish Hatchery, Lakeridge Motel & Tackle Shop, Fort Peck Marina, Fort Peck Interpretive Center, Rock Creek Marina), FRAZER (Frazer School), FROID (Froid Grocery), GLASGOW (FWP Region 6 headquarters, City-County Library, Cottonwood Inn, Ezzieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s West End Conoco, Glasgow Recreation Department, Shady Rest RV Park), HARLEM (EZ Mart store), HAVRE AREA (FWP Havre OfďŹ ce, Strombergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sinclair, Hill County Library, The Walleye Tavern, Quality Life Concepts, HINSDALE (Sweet Memories), LOMA (Midway Mercantile), MALTA (Phillips County Library), Westside Conoco Convenience Store), MEDICINE LAKE (Lake Pit Stop store), NASHUA (B&B Foods), OPHEIM (Pro Co-Op), PEERLESS (Dutch Henryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club), PLENTYWOOD (Sheridan County Library, Ace Hardware), ROCKY BOY AGENCY (Chippewa-Cree Tribal TANF ofďŹ ce), SACO (Sleeping Buffalo Hot springs), SCOBEY (Pro Co-op, TruValue Hardware).

If you have any questions about the program, or are interested in having poles available at other locations in your community, please contact Kloker at 406-2283704.

SEAN R. HEAVEY / FOR FARM & RANCH

Firefighters battle the Lodgepole Complex fire south of Lake Fort Peck in July.

The Month in Weather USDA Drought Programs BRANDON BIGELBACH FOR FARM & RANCH

The big story in northeast Montana this past month, in addition to the extremely dry conditions being experienced, is the drastic increase in wildďŹ re activity. Two major ďŹ res started and rapidly spread across parts of the region. The ďŹ rst was the July ďŹ re, which burned through parts of the Little Rockies between Zortman and Hays. The second, which is still ongoing as of press date, is the Lodgepole Complex ďŹ re, which is burning through GarďŹ eld and parts of Petroleum Counties.

In just a couple of days, this ďŹ re grew to over 200,000 acres. Winds this month have been quite a bit calmer than last month, with only six days reporting daily maximum wind speeds above 25 mph. As of press date, due to the continued dry conditions and active ďŹ re weather across the region, all of the counties in northeast Montana have been placed in Stage 1 ďŹ re restrictions. If conditions continue to worsen, it is certainly possible for some counties to end up in Stage 2 restrictions. For more information on the deďŹ nitions of the stages of ďŹ re restrictions, visit www.ďŹ rerestrictions.us.

As of press date, per the National Weather Service in Glasgow, the highest observed temperature for the month was 103 degrees on July 8, and the lowest was 54 degrees on July 1.

The total liquid precipitation reported at Glasgow was 0.69â&#x20AC;?, which was approximately 0.8â&#x20AC;? below normal. Over a 24-hour period, the greatest precipitation total was 0.48â&#x20AC;?, which occurred on July 11. The overall mean temperature for the month was approximately 77 degrees, which was approximately 6 degrees above normal.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor was released on July 18. Now above 55 percent of the state of Montana is considered at least Abnormally Dry with the addition of portions of the Northwest.

From there, it gets more severe when narrowing down in scale towards the East and Northeast.

The entirety of northeast Montana is under at least Severe Drought, with almost the entire region under Extreme Drought.

Parts of southwestern Valley County and northern GarďŹ eld County, as well as the northern half of Sheridan County, have been upgraded to the ultimate drought category, Exceptional Drought.

MICHELLE BIGELBACH FOR FARM & RANCH

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Daniels, Garfield, McCone, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Valley, Dawson, Fergus, Petroleum, Phillips, Richland, Rosebud, Fallon and Wibaux counties in Montana as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by the recent drought. Farmers and ranchers in these areas are eligible for a number of disaster assistance programs.

One such program is the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). Eligible pasture types include long season small grains, native pasture, improved pasture, annual ryegrass or forage sorghum that is produced on dry-land acres and used for grazing. Eligible livestock include alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland during the normal grazing period. The LFP application and supporting documentation for 2017 losses must be submitted by Jan. 30, 2018, however 2017 acreage reports are required to be ďŹ led for all eligible land no later than Nov. 15, 2017.

Livestock producers may also be eligible for assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), which covers the additional cost of transporting water to eligible livestock

when the drought directly impacts water availability during the normal grazing period. The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides funding and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. ECP is available by producer request and pending funding availability. As of July 13, Valley County farmers and ranchers have been approved for this program.

On July 11, USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Farm Service Agency announced that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has authorized emergency haying on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands beginning July 16, and lasting until Aug. 30. This program helps ranchers deal with poor forage conditions and helps provide feed for livestock in the drought-stricken areas. Prior approval from FSA is required before CRP Emergency Haying begins. Eligible CRP participants can hay their acreage for their own use or may grant another producer use of CRP land for haying purposes.

There will be no CRP annual rental payment reductions assessed for acres hayed under this emergency authority.

Interested farmers may contact their local USDA service centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for any eligible programs. Additional information is also available online at disaster. fsa.usda.gov.

www.glasgowcourier.com www.glasgowcourier.com

Glasgow Stockyards, Inc. Linda & Mark Nielsen, Owners Iva Murch, Manager 263-7529 Dean Barnes, Yard Manager 263-1175 Ed Hinton, Auctioneer 783-7285

August & September 2017 Schedule

August 2017 Thursday

3

1946 - 2017

September 2017 Thursday

NO AUCTION

10

All Class Cattle Auction

17

NO AUCTION

Early Yearling Auction & All Class Cattle Auction Due to drought conditions in Northeast Montana, we have had a lot of interest for this auction. Several consignments of steers and heifers on the books. If you need to move cattle early, let us know so we can contact the buyers. The yearling market is in good shape.

24

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SERVING AREA â&#x153;Ż LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS FOR 71 YEARS!

NO AUCTION

7

All Class Cattle Auction

14

5IF UI #JH 'BMM :FBSMJOH $MBTTJD Always a â&#x20AC;&#x153;good one!â&#x20AC;? Steers-spayed and tested open heifers. Call in consignments. & All Class Cattle Auction

21

5IF 0OF BOE 0OMZ 4IFFQ "VDUJPO PG & All Class Cattle Auction

28

All Class Cattle Auction

228-9306

1 0 #PY t (MBTHPX .5 HTJ!OFNPOU OFU XXX HMBTHPXTUPDLZBSET DPN

Please call in consignments so buyers can be notiďŹ ed

YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE READING HI-LINE FARM & RANCH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; THE AG MONTHLY FOR NORTHEAST & NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA

NEWTON MOTORS, INC. NEW & USED TRUCKS AND CARS All In One Convenient Location

MONA DOEBLER / FOR FARM & RANCH

Pictured: Hinsdaleans harvesting in July, circa 2010. Due to drought conditions in the region, such scenes are currently few and far between.

440 Highway 2 West â&#x20AC;˘ Glasgow â&#x20AC;˘ Across from the Fairgrounds 406-228-9325 â&#x20AC;˘ 406-228-4381 â&#x20AC;˘ 1-800-255-1472 Family owned by the Newton Boys!

Rent A Car See Doug, Andy, Terry, Kenny or Ted!

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FWP Places Poles for Kids on Hi-Line

REALLY do for you?

When You Buy From Us, We Give You Added Value!

Let's Work Together

We Can Only Continue To Provide Service In Our Communities If YOU Support Those Services!

After The Initial Saleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; WHAT Is Your 'LVFRXQW 6XSSOLHU 2ÍżHULQJ <RX"

When you buy your chemical & fertilizer from us we can help you with . . . â&#x20AC;˘ Crop Scouting â&#x20AC;˘ Weed IdentiďŹ cation Services â&#x20AC;˘ Soil Analysis â&#x20AC;˘ Crop Spraying â&#x20AC;˘ Application Recommendations â&#x20AC;˘ Fertilizer Application â&#x20AC;˘ And Much More

We Have . . . A Full Agronomy StaďŹ&#x20AC; Available

To All Of Our Patrons Across Our Trade Area

AMY NELSON / FOR FARM & RANCH

Glasgow photographer Amy Nelson captured this Valley County homestead early this spring. Nelson is one of the judges for the Courier's 'Sunlight & Storm' photo contest (deadline is Aug. 6). To submit your photos, write to jamesmichaelwalling@gmail.com.

The People, The Know How And The Products To Cover All Your

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STEVE DAINES FOR FARM & RANCH Aspiring fishermen pick up some gear at the FWP office in Glasgow.

MARC KLOKER, FWP FOR FARM & RANCH In time for summer ďŹ shing, FWP staff has restocked the 44 different location sites across Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hi-Line. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kids to Fishâ&#x20AC;? program lets youngsters check out ďŹ shing rods and reels and use basic tackle, such as hooks, bobbers, and sinkers. Typically, eight rods are at each location, and usually a tackle box is available to borrow/use with available tackle.

Pure Fishing, D & G Sports & Western in Glasgow, and Strombergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sinclair and the North 40 OutďŹ tters store in Havre have given FWP substantial discounts that help keep the program sustainable. In addition, The Front Brewing in Great Falls, along with partner Nemont Beverage in Glasgow, were kind enough to donate money to the program.

COURTESY PHOTO / FOR FARM & RANCH

FWP Region 6 intern Bowden Godfrey, a student at the University of MontanaWestern, has been busy maintaining the gear and helping re-supply the sites over the last few months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just because someone doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a ďŹ shing rod doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean they shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to go ďŹ shing,â&#x20AC;? Godfrey said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a cousin in town that wants to go along, or just an extra pole is needed for catďŹ shing on the Milk River, we want as many kids as possible to go out and ďŹ sh.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The many business owners and other folks who participate in the program deserve special thanks,â&#x20AC;? adds Marc Kloker, Region 6 Information and Education Program Manager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re helping a lot of kids have fun on the water this summer.â&#x20AC;?

See FISHING POLES Page 5

Generations of Montanans have cultivated the land and passed family farms and ranches down to their children. Their work has built Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy and preserved a way of life that still deďŹ nes our state today. But with the ground cracking underneath us, we are reminded of how fragile this way of life is.

As our number one economic driver, Montana agriculture has supported our economy through seasons of plenty and seasons of drought, including physical drought and unseasonable rains. In Montana, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen them both and our farmers and ranchers have risen to the occasion each time. As they have supported us, we must support them.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical we ensure they have the ďŹ&#x201A;exibility they need to adjust to environmental conditions. Historic drought conditions in eastern Montana warrant relief from regulations that limit producersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to utilize our lands in the best way possible. I was pleased by the United States Department of Agricultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

(USDA) decision to allow impacted producers to utilize Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage for grazing, but I believe the conditions in Montana justify additional relief.

Montana producers unable to sleep at night for fear of losing the family farm deserve more support from those who have beneďŹ ted from their legacy of hard work. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I have continued to hold USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feet to the ďŹ re, urging additional emergency relief for farmers and ranchers. And recently, USDA has announced several additional ďŹ&#x201A;exibilities to make it easier to send livestock elsewhere for water and feed, gain access to emergency loan programs and provide for limited haying on CRP acreage, including sending folks to help ensure that Montanans who need assistance can access it.

Standing in ďŹ elds that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be harvested, watching cattle being moved from ďŹ eld to ďŹ eld, these are the images I remember when working on your behalf in Washington. I have been engaging with Montana farmers and ranchers about what the lack of rain has meant for them and their yields and I understand the severity

of the drought and the corresponding increased risk of wildďŹ res. While USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions will help producers get through this tough season, we need to look at additional reforms that will allow producers to best manage their livestock and crops during natural disasters like this.

This drought also further emphasizes the importance of ensuring that farms and ranches that rely on irrigation are able to have access to a quality and reliable source of water. In eastern Montana, this includes the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project, which provides water to over 400 farms and 50,000 acres in eastern Montana and western North Dakota.

I have led efforts in the Montana and North Dakota congressional delegations to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of

Reclamation to continue to support this critical project and ensure that funding currently dedicated for the project is not reallocated. A quality source of water is the lifeblood for our farmers and ranchers.

I know how important Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farmers and ranchers are to Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s livelihood and I understand how this drought is threatening their personal families as well. As we continue to pray for rain in Montana, we must do all we can to loosen the regulatory burdens that tie farmers and ranchers hands as they try to do whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best for their crops, livestock and livelihoods. Supporting our farmers and ranchers is supporting Montana.

Steve Daines is the junior United States Senator from Montana.

YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE READING THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH THE AG MONTHLY FOR NORTHEAST & NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA

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www.havredailynews.com

Monument: Congress designated as a wild and scenic river in 1976 ■ Continued from page 3

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is more than just a monument • 149-mile Upper Missouri River National Wild and Scenic River • Adjacent Breaks country • Portions of Arrow Creek, Antelope Creek and Judith River.

• Six wilderness study areas • Cow Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern • Segments of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail • Fort Benton National Historic Landmark • A watchable wildlife area

• Bighorn sheep herd • Missouri Breaks Back Country Byway • About 40,000 acres of state land • About 80,000 acres of private land • A total of about 75,000 acres in six separate areas within the monument borders have been evaluated for wilderness designation.

Four of those areas were not recommended for wilderness status because they did not meet the criteria for remote, relatively untouched landscape. Those four sites were also described as having high potential for natural gas development.

ment area from May 24 through June 13, 1805.

The 149 miles of the Missouri River within the monument was named a National Wild and Scenic River in 1976. It is part of the Lewis and Clark National Trail and the Nez Perce Trail, and it has historic and cultural sites from Native American to homesteader. It also includes unique geological formations and is home to an array of wild game, including bighorn sheep, and aquatic life, including paddlefish.

The Wild and Scenic River designation put many protections in place, said Clare and Ed Allderdice, whose Virgelle Valley Ranch stretches along the river from Coal Banks Landing to Little Sandy Creek and includes about half their 3,600 acre ranch and another handful of the 3,600 acres of state lands they

lease within the monument boundaries.

“As far as we’re concerned the monument was saved with the Wild and Scenic (River designation),” Clare Allderdice said.

But the National Wild and Scenic River website says that those regulations do not govern what private citizens can do with their land so much as what the federal government cannot do with theirs.

“It prohibits federal support for actions such as the construction of dams or other instream activities that would harm the river's free-flowing condition, water quality, or outstanding resource values. However, designation does not affect existing water rights or the existing jurisdiction of states and the federal government over waters as determined by established principles of law,” the website

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson A bridge crosses the Marias River near where the Marias River flows into the Missouri River.

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August 2017

metal posts and tall deer fencing.

And Friends staff, volunteers or interns will maintain the saplings for two years or until the trees are mature enough to survive on their own.

“Habitat,” Dwyer said.

“Essentially it’s wildlife habitat.

Without cottonwoods there you lose bird habitat and shade habitat for big game ... and shade for riparian habitat.”

This is the fifth year of the Friends’ restoration project planting cottonwoods at different sites along the 149 miles of the Breaks monument. The trees would normally reseed themselves if dams on the Missouri didn’t keep the river from flooding. Flooding, he said, is what makes the trees reproduce.

In place of flooding, the Friends of the Missouri Breaks steps in to plant, but it takes cooperation from landowners to make that happen, as it does for BLM to establish and maintain about 20 campgrounds, plus picnic areas, interpretive sites and restrooms.

The monument, which was established in 2001 under the Antiquities Act, has conservation easements with landowners to develop and maintain these sites, and to provide access to historic and other significant locations along the river.

Easements also provide public access to historic and other signifi-

cant sites located on higher ground than the river banks, Dwyer said.

As stewards and advocates of the monument, they have to be conscientious of the landowners, he said.

“The private landowners play a big role in the access to the monument, and for the most part they’re good natured,” he said. “If they don’t want to you cross their land — maybe they have something going on, maybe a planting or something and that isn’t going to happen — then they’ll send folks to the main sites like Coal Banks or Judith landing or walking in the Bullwhacker.

There’s a lot of public areas, public access points.”

The Terry Ranch, owned by Casey and KellyAnne Terry, has been named an Undaunted Stewardship Site, Dwyer said.

Undaunted Stewardship is a voluntary, incentive-based, land management program that is intended to foster protection and improvement of the environment and significant places while continuing agricultural production. Managed by Montana State University in Bozeman, BLM and the Montana Stockgrowers Association, it certifies ranches as land stewards for utilizing sustainable grazing and land management practices.

The 377,000 acres of public land,

■ See Monument Page 10

along with about 80,000 acres of private land and 40,000 acres state land, within the boundaries of the monument, which stretches from

Fort Benton to the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, encompasses a number of historically significant landmarks and offi-

www.havredailynews.com cial designations. Much of the interest in the monument stems from the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveling what is now the Breaks monu-

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson A bridge crosses the Missouri River at Fort Benton near the eastern tip of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

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Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

With Secretary of the Interior Zinke saying the monument is 'likely' to be kept intact, life goes on in the Breaks

Pam Burke community@havredailynews.com For two consecutive Saturdays in early spring groups of volunteers, guided by Friends of the Missouri River Breaks Monument and Bureau or Land Management staff, headed out to the upper end of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument to plant cottonwood trees at campsites along the river.

This effort was part of an ongoing improvement program in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument and a sort of symbol of the cooperative effort put forth in the daily operations of the monument.

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke shortly after his appointment was tasked with reviewing the status of monuments of 100,000 acres or more created since Jan. 1, 1996. The 377,000-acre Breaks monument falls well within those guidelines, but Zinke told a meeting of the Western Governors Association June 27 that the monument is not likely to be altered or declassified.

March 25, a group of 17 volunteers, who had camped overnight at Lone Tree Coulee Recreation Site along the river, caravaned to a prepared planting site about a mile downriver on the Terry Ranch, said Joe Offer, stewardship director for the Friends. This is the first year incorporating the camp out with the tree planting and it was such a success they plan on doing it for future planting days, Offer said.

The group planted 80 trees in five hours at the site called Pilot Rock Ranch, said Tim Dwyer, executive director of the nonprofit Friends.

The holes were pre-drilled to 8 feet the week before, he said, but the volunteers had to prep the holes with fertilizer, set and bury the saplings, which had been started from mature galleries, and put up a deer fence around each tree with two

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Thompson Cliffs loom over the Missouri River near the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center in Fort Benton which is at the uppermost end of the 149-mile long of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

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says.

It also limits how much land the federal government can buy within the wild and scenic area, even from willing sellers, but it does not supersede any existing water rights.

The possibility of the monument allowing land grabbing and water rights infringement by the federal government are sticking points that still rankle landowners 16 years after the monument was designated.

“The only thing that we really don’t like about the monument is that they’ve taken in so much deeded land,” Clare Allderdice said.

“They included the deeded land without our permission actually. They had a Wild and Scenic deal in place that allowed everybody to go down the river and keep it all good, and then all of a sudden they get the monument and they’ve taken in way more land than they needed.”

The Antiquities Act allows the president to reserve land not owned by the federal government within the boundaries of a monument to become part of the monument if the owner sells the land to the government. That is what President Bill Clinton did with the 80,000 acres of private land and 40,000 acres of state land when he created the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in 2001.

Proponents of the monument point out that nothing has changed for landowners and their rights on their own property, and no changes

FARM & RANCH have come to water rights. But opponents argue that the wording in the documents are too vague, leaving room for interpretations and regulation changes that will hurt landowners in the future.

Monument status wording says its water rights are, “a quantity of water … sufficient to fulfill the purposes for which this monument is established.”

A more specific quantity of water was supposed to be established after the monument was in place, but if any numbers have been agreed on, including the water pumped from the river for the young trees, it would be a surprise to him, Ed Allderdice said.

Still, the Allderdices, who attended the public hearings before the monument was signed into being, admit that their life hasn’t changed much living now within the monument.

“We’re still doing what we always did,” Clare Allderdice said.

This includes running about 250 head or more of cattle, pivot irrigating some alfalfa fields and giving people permission to hunt and fish on their property, Ed Allderdice said, including giving the Friends and their volunteers permission to access their tree planting site through their ranch.

On the second tree planting weekend, volunteers caravaned across the Allderdices’ ranch to the Little Sandy Creek site, after

their overnight stay at Coal Banks Landing.

April 1, 18 volunteers planted 70 trees at Little Sandy Creek, making the total number of cottonwoods planted by the Friends group sits at 520 over th last five years. The trees are maintained weekly and they have thus far had a 90 percent success rate with the saplings, Dwyer said.

While the Friends of the Breaks is working to restore the cottonwood habitat to its historical growth, the Allderdices are working to maintain their own family history.

Clare Allderdice’s grandfather originally purchased their 3,600-acre ranch in 1942, her husband said, along with a significant amount of other acreage that stretched farther along the Missouri and north almost to Big Sandy.

He divided the property into parcels to give to his children and those tracts have been passed along or sold over the years, much of it divided up.

They said, most likely, their son Russ, who already runs some cows on the place, will one day take over the ranch, which they have already incorporated. Along with the ranch and the corporation their son will inherit easements for campgrounds and for access to tree planting sites and the tepee rings on the bluff overlooking the river, as well as any changes to the monument regulations.

The only significant change they have noticed so far is that with the development of

www.havredailynews.com monument campgrounds they have had fewer people camping along their banks.

“We get along with the people going down the river and everything fine,” Clare Allderdice said.

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FARM & RANCH

Varied and broken terrain displays the characteristics that give the Upper Missouri River Breaks its name, as well as the nickname the Breaks.

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Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson

UNDAuNTED Monument