The federal government’s reopening is a step in the right direction for farms and ranches, with the USDA reopening with full funding for many of the programs crucial for farm success, said Walter Schweitzer, who serves as president of Montana Farmers Union. “We appreciate that the Senate version to reopen government extends the Farm Bill to Sept. 30, 2026, fully funding the USDA and many

Slaughterhouses and butchers used to be scattered throughout the United States, numbering about 10,000 in 1967. Only about 3,000 remain and about 85 percent of the American meatpacking industry is controlled by four companies: JBS, Tyson Foods, Cargill and Smithfield. The other 20 percent of that market share is held in part by small and very small meat producers scattered across the country,

The Montana Department of Transportation is announcing and inviting the public to comment on a proposal that will rebuild a section of BIA Route 1, west of Fort Kipp. The project begins 1.5 miles west of Fort Kipp and extends west for about one mile. Proposed work includes reconstructing and widening the road, applying new plant mix, and finishing with a seal and cover (chip seal), upgraded

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and its partners, Sletten Construction and Morrison- Maierle, have completed the Timber Bridges-Glasgow project, successfully replacing 16 aging timber bridges across Valley, Daniels and Roosevelt counties in just three years. Seven timber bridges were replaced in 2023, and eight in 2024. Work on the final bridge, the West Fork Poplar River Bridge

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) season spans about six months each year, from November through March. Most of the time RSV causes a mild, cold-like illness, but it can also cause severe illness such as: • Bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) • Pneumonia (infection of the lungs) Two to three out of every 100 infants under six months are hospitalized with RSV

Technology may have been partly responsible for the data breach that may have exposed more than 460,000 Montanans financial and health information, and technology may be part of the answer to keeping compromised information safe, according to the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance. In response to a massive information breach by Montana Blue Cross-Blue Shield, announced publicly

The Culbertson/Froid/ Medicine Lake/Bainville speech and drama team traveled north to compete in the Plentywood Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 15, and met with great success. Placing for memorized public address were Josie Simonsen in first, Vala Gregor in second and Colt’on Rees in third. Harrison Green earned first for imprompt and Harper Anderson took first for dramatic solo. Jaxon

In Froid’s municipal election for two town council positions on Tuesday, Nov. 4, incumbents Tyler Harris and Laurie Young were each re-elected. Unofficial election results were Harris with 44 votes, Young with 41 votes, Robert Corbell with 22 votes and Penny Ryder with 14 votes.