By Bill Vander Weele The National Farmers Union reports that profits for farmers and ranchers are small when compared to what consumers spend on products. The website notes that farmers and ranchers receive only 14.3 cents of every food dollar spent. According to the USDA, off farm costs including marketing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing account for more than 80 percent

Last week, three bills sponsored by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, including one of Daines’ top forest management priorities that would stop frivolous litigation from holding up forestry projects. “My bipartisan bill would put an end to a procedural loophole being abused by fringe groups in the courts to block important forest

By Bill Vander Weele U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont, offered encouraging works during a video greeting for the Fort Peck Tribal Court’s Human Trafficking Conference in Poplar on Wednesday, July 20. Tester thanked the tribal court for organizing the event, and for law enforcement, prosecutors and community members for their interest in stopping the crimes. “Human trafficking happens

The Montana Supreme Court unanimously decided last week to void sanctions and a contempt order filed earlier this year against the Office of State Public Defenders by a Yellowstone County district judge. In the past year, Yellowstone County District Judge Donald Harris twice found OPD in contempt of court for not promptly assigning counsel to defendants, resulting in $24,000 worth of fines.

Gardening enthusiasts recognize that fall is not a time to rest on their laurels. In fact, fall is a great season to spend time in the yard. The Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment at the University of Massachusetts Amherst indicates fall is the ideal time to improve the soil for next season. Amending the soil in the fall allows it to react accordingly over time and reap the benefits

Buyer Beware: My name is Judy Leddige and I want to warn the public about a scam that happened to me about two weeks ago. I had just opened my Chrome book when I saw several tabs showing me a virus had been put on it. My computer was locked so I couldn’t do anything but to call the phone number at the bottom of the monitor. Virus Pros was the name of the business. I talked to a woman named

Montana VA Health Care System encourages all Montana Veterans and non-Veterans to share the news — the Veterans Crisis Line is adding a new number. Veterans and their loved ones can dial 988 then Press 1 to reach the caring, qualified responders at the Veterans Crisis Line, 24/7. Even after the new number launches, Veterans will still be able to call 800-273-8255 and press 1, chat at VeteransCrisisLine.

Governor Greg Gianforte joined members of the Governor’s Housing Task Force last week for its first meeting. “Nationwide, we have seen prices soar in recent years as housing supply has sputtered, along with a confluence of other factors. Montana is not immune to those trends,” Gianforte said in opening remarks to the task force at the State Capitol. “When it comes down to it, the health

Visits with state Farm Bureau leaders, public policy staff and federal agencies highlighted the summer meeting season last week as Montana Farm Bureau President Cyndi Johnson and Senior Governmental Affairs Director Nicole Rolf attended the American Farm Bureau Council of Presidents and Public Policy Conference. Additionally, a group of western state Farm Bureau presidents met with officials from