Preserving ag in the valley

Page 6 - Agriculture Magazine, Summer, 2021

Photo courtesy of the Montana historical society

Partners vital in preserving ag in Bitterroot for future generations

KATRINA MENDREY WARC ORChARD PROgRAM MANAgER

When the Western Agricultural Research Center was established in 1906 the Bitterroot Valley was an agricultural hub in Montana, feeding miners in Butte and Anaconda. Much of this agriculture was fruit production, primarily apple but other specialty crops like berries, vegetables and dairy played an important role in the newly irrigated valley.

Over 100 years later agriculture remains a central part of life for many Bitterroot residents and the bucolic scene it sets is an attraction to new comers. But with any growing community conserving our most productive and fertile lands takes careful thought and a network of collaborators.

Organizations like the Bitter Root Water Forum, Bitterroot Land Trust, Right to Farm and Ranch Board and the Open Lands Program are vital partners for agricultural producers seeking to preserve their operations for the next generation.

“Land conservation in the Bitterroot Valley is more important than ever,” says Sharon Schroeder Open Lands Board Chair and owner of the Sunset Bench conservation easement near Stevensville. “The Open Lands Program, represents the community’s desire to see land preserved for many uses including agriculture, wildlife and clean water.”

The Open Lands Bond was approved by voters in 2006, allowing the county to sell bonds raising $10 million for conservation easements in the valley. To date it has conserved 7,830 acres of land, through 32 completed conservation projects, creating a network of farming and open land from Florence to Sula, creating wildlife corridors amongst sustainable agricultural operations. Four more projects to be finalized in the coming months, including Sutherlin Farms, Yoder Farms and the Triple D Ranch, will bring the total acres conserved to 9,589.

“When we evaluate a project we score based on many factors including how it is managed and its current and potential value as working land for agriculture, wildlife and the preser-

Agriculture Magazine, Summer, 2021 - Page 7

vation of clean water,” says Schroeder, “We are lucky to live in a valley where residents have prioritized preserving land by voting to approve this program.”

The Open Lands Program would not be possible, however, without the foresight of the Right to Farm and Ranch Board which saw the need to preserve agricultural and open lands amongst growing pressure from development in the early 2000’s. Today the same board works with agricultural producers and neighbors to ensure good communication about what it means to live and play in a farming community.

“Agriculture isn’t always pretty,” says Haydon Davis WARC Farm Manager and Right to Farm and Ranch Board Member. “But it is necessary. The groups working to preserve agricultural lands in our valley are an important resource for both the community and WARC as we research new opportunities for farmers to grow innovative specialty crops.”

In addition to land, clean water and access to irrigation are central to the Bitterroot’s farming community. The Bitter Root Water Forum is a local nonprofit that supports the traditions of agriculture, community, and recreation by protecting, enhancing, and restoring the Bitterroot watershed. The Water Forum can serve as a resource for landowners seeking to improve irrigation management and watershed health both for the benefit of their farms and our natural resources, including fisheries.

“The best projects are when we can work in partnership with ag producers to help their production and streams at the same time”, says Heather Mullee Barber, Water Forum Executive Director. A great example of partnership happened in 2020, when they worked with Jay Meyer, a local rancher, on the Burnt Fork to install an off-site watering system that improved pasture utilization and grazing efficiency while reducing erosional impacts to the creek. “We are lucky to live in a community where agriculture and natural resource conservation can work hand in hand,” says Barber.

While the Bitterroot Valley continues to evolve, organizations and groups like these play an important role in ensuring agriculture will continue to be a cornerstone of life in the Bitterroot Valley for the next 100 years, and residents, regardless of their way of life, will have local meat, fruits and vegetables to share with family, friends and neighbors for the next century. AG

Photo courtesy of the library of congress