Hi-Line Farm & Ranch February 2020

12

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

www.havredailynews.com

Weather can’t make up its mind

2

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.havredailynews.com

North-central Montana weather hot and cold for winter Tim Leeds tleeds@havredailynews.com

The weather in north-central Montana can’t seem to make up its mind for winter.

After an unseasonably warm December and beginning of January, the region saw bitter cold temperatures, then warmed up again.

And the forecast for February calls for it to cool off again, although it hasn’t shown any sign of that in the end of January.

But after a spotty summer, the precipitation for the water year is not doing badly.

Meteorologists measure the water year from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, and this part of the Golden Triangle has seen some moisture in that period.

In Havre as of Jan. 30, the last date before this article was submitted for publication, Havre had received 2.51 inches of precipitation at the National Weather Service recording station at the Havre City-County Airport, almost an inch above the normal value for that date of 1.72 inches.

For the month of January, the Havre station had recorded .36 inches of precipitation, just more than the normal value of .31 inches.

The Weather Service forecast for the

■ See Weather Page 11

www.havredailynews.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

11

Timely filing of a NAP Notice of Loss required for assistance From USDA Farm Service Agency Montana Timely filing a Notice of Loss is required for all crops including grasses.

For losses on crops covered by the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, producers must timely report damage or loss to their administrative county office. For all low-yield and value-loss crop claims, a CCC-576 Part B Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of earlier of the date disaster occurs — or becomes apparent — or the normal harvest date. However, all producers should be aware that deadlines

to provide initial notice to FSA do now vary by method of harvest and crop.

Either hand-harvested crops or other crops determined by FSA to deteriorate quickly and therefore need prompt appraisal must notify FSA within 72 hours of the date of damage or when loss first becomes apparent. This initial notice may be by the filing of the CCC-576 Part B, email, FAX, or a phone call. When initial notice is by email, FAX, or phone, County Offices will provide a Receipt for Service with additional requirements. A signed CCC-576 Notice of Loss will

still be required within 15 calendar days of earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date.

Other crops, such as forages and grains, continue to have the 15 day requirement to file a required CCC-576, Notice of Loss, to report failed acreage and prevented planting and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. This Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of the earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date.

If filing for prevented planting, an acreage

report and CCC-576 Part B must be filed within 15 calendar days of the final planting date for the crop.

Further, to receive NAP assistance for claimed losses producers must timely file an Application for Payment on CCC-576 — Parts D through H — along with all required production records. Each producer on the unit must file their own application for payment.

The deadline to apply for payment is 60 calendar days after the end of coverage for the crop year on the unit. There are no late-file provisions for NAP Applications for Payment.

From USDA Farm Ser vice Agency Montana Winter months in Montana can be long and cold. For several years, farmers have faced propane storage shortages. FSA’s Farm Storage Facility Loan — FSFL — program provides funding for on-farm liquified petroleum tanks.

FSFL low-interest financing can be used to build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable — new or used — structures, equipment, storage and handling trucks. Liquified petroleum tanks are covered for eligible commodities for the use of fuel for grain dryer equipment.

Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a

promissory note/security agreement.

Loans exceeding $100,000 require additional security.

Producers do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, including conventional operations, small

and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underserved producers.

To learn more about FSFLs and how these loans can help with on-site propane tank storage needs, people can contact their local FSA county office.

From USDA Farm Service Agency Montana Guaranteed Conservation Loans are available for applicants to install a conservation practice.

These funds may be used for any conservation activities included in a conservation plan or Forest Stewardship Management plan. A copy of the conservation plan is

required to complete the application.

These loans are not limited to just family farmers. In some cases, applicants can operate non-eligible enterprises.

Loan funds are issued by a participating commercial lender and guaranteed up to 80 percent by FSA or up to 90 percent for beginning and historically underserved producers.

FSA can help ag producers deal with shortages with on-farm propane storage

Guaranteed Conservation Loans available to help producers install conservation practices Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert Wheat stubble protrudes from the snowy ground Jan. 11 outside of Havre. The weather has been hot and cold through the first months of winter, but the federal National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Adminstration predicts a 33 percent chance of colder temperatures — and up to a 40 percent chance of above-normal precipititation — in the next few months.

Weather: Hot, cold and hot so far — cold and wet expected next ■ Continued from page 2 region called for a chance of snow last weekend and a slight chance of snow today in parts of the forecast area, but no major precipitation was predicted through today.

But the long-range forecast predicted a 40 percent chance of more-than-normal precipitation for north-central Montana b o t h i n a o n e - m o n t h p re d i c t i o n fo r February and a three-month prediction for February through April.

And that forecast predicted colder temperatures to hit as well, with the one-month prediction giving a 33 percent chance of below-normal temperatures for the northeast part of this region in February, with a normal chance of above- or below-normal percent for the rest of the region, with a 40 percent chance of below-normal temperatures in the northeast corner of the state through North Dakota and to the Great Lakes.

The forecast for February through April gave a 33 percent chance of below-normal temperatures for most of Montana east of the Continental Divide, and a 40 percent chance of colder temperatures continuing in northeast Montana to the Great Lakes.

The temperatures already have seen wild swings.

In December, the first day of winter saw a high of 59 degrees in Havre, just short of the record 61 degrees on Dec. 21, 1888.

With a few dips into the 30s for highs, that warm weather generally continued through the first week of January in the

region, with Havre seeing highs in the 40s and 50s on several days.

Then the temperatures plummeted the second week of January, with highs dropping into the teens and lows hitting below zero. By the second week of January, the

region was seeing some highs below zero with lows at the 30-below-zero range.

Then the last two weeks of the month saw temperatures shoot up again, with highs hitting the 50s on some days and lows in the 20s and even 30s.

10

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.havredailynews.com

Plant Health: Ibach: ‘Protecting plants ... is far more cost effective than the alternative’ ■ Continued from page 3 “At USDA, we do all we can for our farmers, ranchers, foresters and producers so that they can continue to feed and clothe this nation and the world,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “That’s why we’re urging everyone to take this issue seriously and to do their part. Protecting plants from pests and diseases is far more cost effective than the alternative.”

According to USDA, everyone can help avoid the devastating impact of pests and diseases on agriculture, livelihoods, and food security. People can get started today by taking a few important actions, including: • Look for and report unusual signs of pests or disease in trees and plants to the local Extension, State department of agriculture, or local USDA APHIS state office, in Montana, state Plant Health Director Gary D. Adams, 1629 Ave. D. Suite A-5, Billings, MT 59102; mobile phone 406-431-6531; office 4065-657-6282.

• Don’t move firewood. Instead, buy heat-treated firewood or responsibly gather wood near the place it will be burned to ensure tree-killing beetles hiding inside can’t spread to new areas.

• Always declare food, plants, or other agricultural items to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when returning from international travel so they can make sure these items are free of pests.

• Contacting the local State Office before buying seeds or plants online from other countries to find out if they need to be inspected and certified as pest free or meet other conditions to legally bring them into the United States.

To learn more about the International Year of Plant Health and how people can help stop destructive invasive plant pests, people can visit USDA’s website at http://www. aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/2020 .

www.havredailynews.com

February 2020

3

UN declares 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health USDA kicks off awareness efforts in U.S.

From U.S. Department of Agriculture WASHINGTON — Plants make the oxygen people breathe and provide 80 percent of the food people eat.

But plants are under attack by invasive pests.

These pests destroy up to 40 percent of the world’s food crops and cause $220 billion in trade losses each year according to the United Nations. That leaves millions of people worldwide without enough food to eat and seriously damages agriculture — the primary source of income for rural communities.

To bring worldwide attention to this challenge, the U.N. has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. It is calling on people, organizations, industries, scientists, and governments to work together to protect plants against the introduction and spread of invasive pests.

The U.S. national plant protection organization — t h e U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f A g r i c u l t u re ’s Pl a n t Protection and Quarantine — is leading the effort in the United States.

■ See Plant Health Page 10

Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert The Bear Paw Mountains dot the background while rows of wheat stubble stick up from the snow Jan. 11 outside Havre.

FARM & RANCH

Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert Farmer Jeremey Hofman loads 1,000 bushels of malt barley into a semitracktor-trailer Monday afternoon outside Havre. Hofman planned to haul the barley to Great Falls to sell.

4

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.glasgowcourier.com

www.glasgowcourier.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

9

8

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.glasgowcourier.com

www.glasgowcourier.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

5

6

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.glasgowcourier.com

www.glasgowcourier.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

7

6

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.glasgowcourier.com

www.glasgowcourier.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

7

8

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.glasgowcourier.com

www.glasgowcourier.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

5

4

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.glasgowcourier.com

www.glasgowcourier.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

9

10

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.havredailynews.com

Plant Health: Ibach: ‘Protecting plants ... is far more cost effective than the alternative’ ■ Continued from page 3 “At USDA, we do all we can for our farmers, ranchers, foresters and producers so that they can continue to feed and clothe this nation and the world,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “That’s why we’re urging everyone to take this issue seriously and to do their part. Protecting plants from pests and diseases is far more cost effective than the alternative.”

According to USDA, everyone can help avoid the devastating impact of pests and diseases on agriculture, livelihoods, and food security. People can get started today by taking a few important actions, including: • Look for and report unusual signs of pests or disease in trees and plants to the local Extension, State department of agriculture, or local USDA APHIS state office, in Montana, state Plant Health Director Gary D. Adams, 1629 Ave. D. Suite A-5, Billings, MT 59102; mobile phone 406-431-6531; office 4065-657-6282.

• Don’t move firewood. Instead, buy heat-treated firewood or responsibly gather wood near the place it will be burned to ensure tree-killing beetles hiding inside can’t spread to new areas.

• Always declare food, plants, or other agricultural items to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when returning from international travel so they can make sure these items are free of pests.

• Contacting the local State Office before buying seeds or plants online from other countries to find out if they need to be inspected and certified as pest free or meet other conditions to legally bring them into the United States.

To learn more about the International Year of Plant Health and how people can help stop destructive invasive plant pests, people can visit USDA’s website at http://www. aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/2020 .

www.havredailynews.com

February 2020

3

UN declares 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health USDA kicks off awareness efforts in U.S.

From U.S. Department of Agriculture WASHINGTON — Plants make the oxygen people breathe and provide 80 percent of the food people eat.

But plants are under attack by invasive pests.

These pests destroy up to 40 percent of the world’s food crops and cause $220 billion in trade losses each year according to the United Nations. That leaves millions of people worldwide without enough food to eat and seriously damages agriculture — the primary source of income for rural communities.

To bring worldwide attention to this challenge, the U.N. has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. It is calling on people, organizations, industries, scientists, and governments to work together to protect plants against the introduction and spread of invasive pests.

The U.S. national plant protection organization — t h e U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f A g r i c u l t u re ’s Pl a n t Protection and Quarantine — is leading the effort in the United States.

■ See Plant Health Page 10

Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert The Bear Paw Mountains dot the background while rows of wheat stubble stick up from the snow Jan. 11 outside Havre.

FARM & RANCH

Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert Farmer Jeremey Hofman loads 1,000 bushels of malt barley into a semitracktor-trailer Monday afternoon outside Havre. Hofman planned to haul the barley to Great Falls to sell.

2

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

Hi-Line

www.havredailynews.com

North-central Montana weather hot and cold for winter Tim Leeds tleeds@havredailynews.com

The weather in north-central Montana can’t seem to make up its mind for winter.

After an unseasonably warm December and beginning of January, the region saw bitter cold temperatures, then warmed up again.

And the forecast for February calls for it to cool off again, although it hasn’t shown any sign of that in the end of January.

But after a spotty summer, the precipitation for the water year is not doing badly.

Meteorologists measure the water year from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, and this part of the Golden Triangle has seen some moisture in that period.

In Havre as of Jan. 30, the last date before this article was submitted for publication, Havre had received 2.51 inches of precipitation at the National Weather Service recording station at the Havre City-County Airport, almost an inch above the normal value for that date of 1.72 inches.

For the month of January, the Havre station had recorded .36 inches of precipitation, just more than the normal value of .31 inches.

The Weather Service forecast for the

■ See Weather Page 11

www.havredailynews.com

FARM & RANCH

February 2020

11

Timely filing of a NAP Notice of Loss required for assistance From USDA Farm Service Agency Montana Timely filing a Notice of Loss is required for all crops including grasses.

For losses on crops covered by the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, producers must timely report damage or loss to their administrative county office. For all low-yield and value-loss crop claims, a CCC-576 Part B Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of earlier of the date disaster occurs — or becomes apparent — or the normal harvest date. However, all producers should be aware that deadlines

to provide initial notice to FSA do now vary by method of harvest and crop.

Either hand-harvested crops or other crops determined by FSA to deteriorate quickly and therefore need prompt appraisal must notify FSA within 72 hours of the date of damage or when loss first becomes apparent. This initial notice may be by the filing of the CCC-576 Part B, email, FAX, or a phone call. When initial notice is by email, FAX, or phone, County Offices will provide a Receipt for Service with additional requirements. A signed CCC-576 Notice of Loss will

still be required within 15 calendar days of earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date.

Other crops, such as forages and grains, continue to have the 15 day requirement to file a required CCC-576, Notice of Loss, to report failed acreage and prevented planting and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. This Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of the earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date.

If filing for prevented planting, an acreage

report and CCC-576 Part B must be filed within 15 calendar days of the final planting date for the crop.

Further, to receive NAP assistance for claimed losses producers must timely file an Application for Payment on CCC-576 — Parts D through H — along with all required production records. Each producer on the unit must file their own application for payment.

The deadline to apply for payment is 60 calendar days after the end of coverage for the crop year on the unit. There are no late-file provisions for NAP Applications for Payment.

From USDA Farm Ser vice Agency Montana Winter months in Montana can be long and cold. For several years, farmers have faced propane storage shortages. FSA’s Farm Storage Facility Loan — FSFL — program provides funding for on-farm liquified petroleum tanks.

FSFL low-interest financing can be used to build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable — new or used — structures, equipment, storage and handling trucks. Liquified petroleum tanks are covered for eligible commodities for the use of fuel for grain dryer equipment.

Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a

promissory note/security agreement.

Loans exceeding $100,000 require additional security.

Producers do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, including conventional operations, small

and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underserved producers.

To learn more about FSFLs and how these loans can help with on-site propane tank storage needs, people can contact their local FSA county office.

From USDA Farm Service Agency Montana Guaranteed Conservation Loans are available for applicants to install a conservation practice.

These funds may be used for any conservation activities included in a conservation plan or Forest Stewardship Management plan. A copy of the conservation plan is

required to complete the application.

These loans are not limited to just family farmers. In some cases, applicants can operate non-eligible enterprises.

Loan funds are issued by a participating commercial lender and guaranteed up to 80 percent by FSA or up to 90 percent for beginning and historically underserved producers.

FSA can help ag producers deal with shortages with on-farm propane storage

Guaranteed Conservation Loans available to help producers install conservation practices Havre Daily News/Jack Lambert Wheat stubble protrudes from the snowy ground Jan. 11 outside of Havre. The weather has been hot and cold through the first months of winter, but the federal National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Adminstration predicts a 33 percent chance of colder temperatures — and up to a 40 percent chance of above-normal precipititation — in the next few months.

Weather: Hot, cold and hot so far — cold and wet expected next ■ Continued from page 2 region called for a chance of snow last weekend and a slight chance of snow today in parts of the forecast area, but no major precipitation was predicted through today.

But the long-range forecast predicted a 40 percent chance of more-than-normal precipitation for north-central Montana b o t h i n a o n e - m o n t h p re d i c t i o n fo r February and a three-month prediction for February through April.

And that forecast predicted colder temperatures to hit as well, with the one-month prediction giving a 33 percent chance of below-normal temperatures for the northeast part of this region in February, with a normal chance of above- or below-normal percent for the rest of the region, with a 40 percent chance of below-normal temperatures in the northeast corner of the state through North Dakota and to the Great Lakes.

The forecast for February through April gave a 33 percent chance of below-normal temperatures for most of Montana east of the Continental Divide, and a 40 percent chance of colder temperatures continuing in northeast Montana to the Great Lakes.

The temperatures already have seen wild swings.

In December, the first day of winter saw a high of 59 degrees in Havre, just short of the record 61 degrees on Dec. 21, 1888.

With a few dips into the 30s for highs, that warm weather generally continued through the first week of January in the

region, with Havre seeing highs in the 40s and 50s on several days.

Then the temperatures plummeted the second week of January, with highs dropping into the teens and lows hitting below zero. By the second week of January, the

region was seeing some highs below zero with lows at the 30-below-zero range.

Then the last two weeks of the month saw temperatures shoot up again, with highs hitting the 50s on some days and lows in the 20s and even 30s.

12

Hi-Line

February 2020

FARM & RANCH

www.havredailynews.com

Weather can’t make up its mind