Rancher's Roundup and Producer Outreach

Published: 2019
By Liz Werk

Fort Belknap MSU Extension conducted ongoing educational outreach opportunities for local cattle producers and co-sponsored the Rancher's Roundup with Fort Belknap Livestock Marketing Co-Op and Native American Community Development Corporation Financial Services during the local Mid-Winter Fair. USDA, NACDC, MSU Extension specialists, NCAT, FSA, Blackfeet ARMP and local community garden leaders presented on relevant agricultural topics. Ryan Lankford, Fort Belknap veteran farmer, presented his experiences from his Farm Credit Farmer Veteran Fly-In to Washington, DC, where he was selected to help policymakers understand the importance of programs that enable returning service members to forge meaningful careers in agriculture. Ryan also served as a panelist at the Senate Agriculture Committee, sharing his journey with policymakers. Throughout the year, educational and on-farm events including Livestock Bull Test Day, Private Pesticide Applicator Training, and Farm & Ranch Management Workshops were held. Fort Belknap MSU Extension collaborated with Fort Belknap Livestock Marketing Co-op to provide economic opportunities to local ranchers and encourage new youth producers. The Extension agent aided with the completion of three rural ag loans and two junior ag loans to bring new, young ranchers into operation on Fort Belknap. The workshops provided agricultural producers opportunities to solve their everyday challenges and obstacles. Producers left with knowledge and resources to improve their ranching and farming techniques.