Montana

One of North America’s Largest Farms Files for Financial Protection, Is Restructuring

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:50:03 GMT

Earlier this week, Monette Group, which farms more than 400,000 acres in Canada and the U.S. filed for financial protection and is restructuring.

The company filed for creditor protector in Canada via the Companies’ Creditor Arrangement Act (CCAA) and filed Chapter 15 in Delaware Bankruptcy Court.

The Cost of Expansion: Efficiency Erosion and the Leverage Trap

The group’s recent financial trajectory highlights a cautionary tale of aggressive, debt-fueled expansion meeting a volatile economic climate. While the organization successfully scaled its footprint and top-line revenue over the last several years, operational efficiency and debt sustainability have reached a critical breaking point. [all dollars are Canadian]

The Era of Aggressive Growth (2017–2022)
Driven by substantial borrowing, the Group underwent a massive scale-up, growing revenue from $45 million to $198 million and expanding its cultivated land from 97,000 to 269,000 acres. While total EBITDA initially followed this upward trend, the underlying efficiency—measured by EBITDA-per-acre—began to signal trouble, dropping significantly from its 2015 highs.
Operational Headwinds and Margin Compression (2024–Present)
The transition into 2024 saw revenue climb to a record $347 million across 440,000 acres, yet profitability decoupled from growth. Diversification into produce and cattle, intended to broaden the portfolio, instead acted as a drag on the bottom line. By 2024, EBITDA-per-acre plummeted to a decade low of $83—a nearly 50% decline. This downward trend was exacerbated in 2025; despite a projected $72 million EBITDA, actual earnings reached only $31 million due to a “perfect storm” of poor crop prices, high input costs, and yield losses.
The Sustainability Crisis
The group’s reliance on cheap capital (approximately 3% interest rates) and rising real estate valuations proved successful in a low-rate environment. However, the convergence of flat property values, persistent inflation, and high interest rates has rendered the current capital structure unsustainable. Despite holding significant underlying asset value, the group is now overleveraged, with compressed margins leaving little room to service debt or maintain liquidity.

What Is Monette Group?

Since 2010, Monette Group has been aggressively expanding from its family farm in Saskatchewan to Manitoba and British Columbia in Canada. Current President Darrel Monette took over the family farm in 2013. In 2019, the company expanded into the U.S. first in Montana and then Arizona and Colorado. The company’s website says its core values are: teamwork, efficiency, growth and ‘get shit done.’

With its expansion and diversification, the business expanded into four main brands:

Monette Farms: growing pulses, wheat, corn, sugar beets, barley, and alfalfa in Canada and the U.S.
Monette Produce: with growing locations in California, Arizona and Canada
Monette Cattle: ranches located in Saskatchewan and British Columbia
Monette Seeds: located in Saskatchewan in partnership with NexGen Seeds

The 18 business entities of Monette Group employ between 300 and 600 people, depending on the season.

Grain production, primarily canola, wheat and durum accounted for over 60% of group revenue in 2024 and more than 50% in 2025. Grain operations dominate the Canadian footprint with 68% of the group’s production occurring in Canada.

Fresh produce operations are primarily located in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, with significant fall and winter production in Arizona. In 2025, produce accounted for approximately 15% of group revenue. Crops include carrots, squash, broccoli, cabbage, pumpkin, cauliflower and watermelon. The group’s produce is mainly sold to Loblaws and the Little Potato Company.

Cattle ranching accounted for approximately 10% of revenue in 2024 and 17% in 2025. Cattle ranching operations focus on Black and Red Angus cattle, including herd breeding in British Columbia and feedlots across Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Seed processing accounted for 19% of revenue in 2024 and 16% in 2025.

Its main crops 10 years ago were green and red lentils, durum, canola and malting barley.

According to the company’s website, Monette Farms’ newest addition is west of Phoenix, Arizona. It’s a certified organic farm and headquarters to Monette Seeds USA.

What Monette Farms Has Said

President Darrel Monette has penned a letter sent to landowners and leasing partners as well as a press release distributed with general counsel as the point of contact. Both are dated April 21, 2026.

In both Monette says this process will allow them to stabilize finances, restructure debt, and continue operating.

The letter read: “This filing is a proactive response to current industry pressures (higher input costs, higher interest rates, and tighter credit) and is not a liquidation.”

It continued: “We are working with our advisors and a court-appointed Monitor to develop a restructuring plan for credit and court approval.”

Per a company press release, the day-to-day farming activities, spring seeding and livestock care are continuing as planned. The release also said all employees are being retained at this time.

The Assets of Monette Group

According to its 2025 financial statements, the group has $1.24 billion of total assets booked at cost (and not reflective of market value.)

As of April 12, 2026, the group owns 274,000 acres of land. In the U.S. Monette owns 61,700 acres in Arizona, Montana and Colorado.

For crop production, it leases 175,000 acres in Canada and 43,000 acres in the U.S. with annual total lease payments of $29.4 million. For its cattle business, Monette holds grazing licenses on 1.2 million acres of land in Canada.

The group owns three seed processing facilities in Canada.

It leases more than 1,700 separate units of farm equipment, with 1,600 units leased from John Deere Financial. Annually, the group spends $26 million on leased equipment.In 2023, it was newsworthy when the business transitioned from Case IH equipment to John Deere equipment in a reported $100+ million deal.

What Else Is There To Watch?

Monette Group is one of the largest privately held farming operations in North America.

The timing of this filing is critical for the farm to put in a 2026 crop. In the CCAA filing, Monette Group said its seed expenses are $40 million per year. To get set up for seeding, Monette’s operations may receive 41 truck loads of product a day (nearly 15,000 truck loads a year).

The main filing is in Canada with proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) as part of a court-supervised restructuring process. From here is a process by which Monette will work with a court-appointed monitor to develop a restructuring plan for creditor and court approval.

The Chapter 15 filing asks the U.S. court to recognize the Canadian CCAA proceeding as the “foreign main proceeding” which can extend the protection of U.S. assets. It also prevents U.S. creditors from taking legal action such as seizing assets or filing lawsuits.

In the CCAA document, it is stated Monette Group held a $950 million secured credit facility dated December 5, 2018, which matured on April 15, 2026. Repayment of the obligations owing to the syndicate of lenders is a necessary component of the group’s overall restructuring strategy.

The CCAA filing comes after Monette per the guidance of its lending syndicate to sell assets. Two tracts were sold in 2025: in Regina, Saskatchewan for $41.18 million and 17,000 acres of land in Montana for $47.5 million. Additional sales were attempted this this winter, but with only one completed sale of 12,932 acres of farmland in the Stewart Valley of Swift Current, Saskatchewan for $54 million.

In the affadavit, Monette says a restructuring and selling of assets by the court appointed monitor is important to provide an orderly sale of assets and not cause a bulk liquidation which could result in lower values.

The farm has been active on social media:

Bull Tests Positive for Brucellosis: Herd Quarantined and Investigation Continues

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 16:08:05 GMT

On Friday, August 15, the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) received confirmation that an animal from a Beaverhead County herd within Montana’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) tested positive for brucellosis.

According to a press release , the herd has been placed under quarantine pending the completion of an epidemiological investigation.

The positive bull was identified as a brucellosis suspect during required testing at a livestock market in late July. The animal was euthanized and taken for necropsy at the Montana Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory where tissues were collected and sent to the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, for confirmatory testing. NVSL was able to grow the Brucella abortus organism from one of the lymph nodes collected from the animal.

The disease investigation will include testing and tracing of animal contacts and movements to ensure the disease is not present in other livestock herds. MDOL will work with the affected operation to minimize the impact of this diagnosis by conducting a tailored and focused investigation.

Montana’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA)

(Montana Department of Livestock)

Montana’s DSA exists due to the risk of disease spillover from infected wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA). Program testing requirements help ensure cases of brucellosis in livestock are detected before animals leave the DSA. Successful early detection provides confidence to Montana’s trading partners that any Montana cattle they may receive are brucellosis free. Brucellosis causes reproductive issues in livestock including abortions, still births and neonatal mortalities.

“While detections of brucellosis are a hardship on operations, this detection is still a reflection of the success of our state brucellosis program,” says Dr. Brenee Peterson, MDOL veterinarian. “Through the work of DSA producers and local veterinarians, we continue to detect the disease early and prevent the export of a brucellosis-infected animal to one of our trading partners.”

Previous Brucellosis Detection

This herd is the 14^th brucellosis-affected herd confirmed in Montana since the implementation of the DSA in 2010. The most recent detection was within the DSA in Madison County in April 2023. While the source of infection for this latest infected bull has not yet been determined, DNA genotyping and epidemiological investigations have concluded the previous 13 infections came from wild elk. Prior investigations have also confirmed brucellosis has not spread to neighboring herds through fence-line contact.

What is Brucellosis?

According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (AHIS) brucellosis (also known as contagious abortion or Bang’s disease) is a costly disease of livestock and wildlife. It is caused by a group of bacteria in the genus Brucella. The disease has significant consequences for animal health, public health and international trade.

Brucellosis occurs mainly in cattle, bison and swine, but can affect other animals (cervids, goats, sheep and horses) as well as people.

In cattle and bison, the bacteria of concern is Brucella abortus. It has been present in the U.S. since the 1930s. A longstanding national eradication program mostly eliminated the disease in U.S. cattle. Today, only occasional spillover cases occur in cattle and other livestock near the GYA. Wild bison and elk in the GYA are the last remaining reservoir of this disease in the U.S.

According to the APHIS website , when signs do appear, they’re most obvious in pregnant animals. Here’s what to look for:

Abortion (usually at five to seven months of pregnancy)
Birth of weak, unhealthy calves
Decreased milk production
Weight loss
Poor conception rates or infertility
Retained afterbirths with resulting uterine infections
Enlarged, arthritic joints (occasionally)

“Appearance alone isn’t an effective way to detect brucellosis,” according to the website. “Infected animals may appear healthy, even during pregnancy. However, they can still harbor and spread infectious bacteria and serve as dangerous sources of infection.”

Producers or owners who suspect an animal disease should contact their veterinarian to evaluate the animal or herd.

The Cost of Coexistence With Wolves

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:52:24 GMT

Wolves continue to cause ranchers havoc, including significant income loss. Recent research estimates the wolves are causing some impacted ranchers in the Southwest to lose 28% of their income potential.

“While the expansion of gray and Mexican gray wolf populations is often hailed as a conservation success, the consequences for ranching families can be gruesome, costly and complex,” says Daniel Munch, American Farm Bureau Federation economist. “They are threatening the safety of ranch families and their pets and livestock, as well as the long-term survival of multigenerational ranches and the rural economies they anchor.”

Munch summarized a recent University of Arizona study that focused on the Mexican gray wolf and analyzed both direct livestock depredation and indirect effects such as stress-induced weight loss and elevated management costs based on 2024 cattle prices. Findings are based on survey responses from impacted ranchers, modeling of herd-level financial outcome and county-level livestock performance trends.

“In areas with wolf presence, even a moderate level of impact, such as 2% calf loss, 3.5% weight reduction and average management costs, can reduce annual ranch revenue by 28%,” Munch says.

While the study focuses on Mexican gray wolves in the Southwest, the core challenges it identifies — livestock depredation, herd stress and weight loss, increased management costs and difficulties accessing timely compensation — are not unique to that region. Ranchers across the northern Rockies, Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes states report similar experiences as wolf populations have expanded.

“Because these economic stressors stem from common predator-prey dynamics and livestock production systems, the study’s findings provide a credible framework for estimating broader impacts,” he says. “This Market Intel draws on that foundation to illustrate the tangible financial risks associated with predator recovery and highlight the need for responsive, producer-informed wildlife policy in all regions affected by wolf activity.”

Key statistics shared by Munch in his article, “ Wolves and the West: The Cost of Coexistence ,” include:

$1,336 average value loss per calf due to wolves. Whether the calf was a day old or nearly ready for market, the rancher loses its full market value, estimated at $1,336 in 2024 for a 525 lb. calf.
A 2% loss of calves could reduce a 367-head ranch’s net income by 4%, or about $5,195, for that year. At higher loss levels, such as 14% of calves, net income could fall by as much as 34%, or roughly $42,599, in that same year.

When a cow is killed, the financial hit extends over multiple years.

“The operation not only loses that year’s calf, but also future offspring, along with the revenue and herd stability that cow would have provided,” Munch explains. “Ranchers then have to retain or buy replacements. This means fewer animals are available for sale, working capital must be used to buy additional replacements and herd development is ultimately delayed. Excluding these long-term impacts, the revenue loss associated with the loss of a single cow was estimated at $2,673.”

(Data: American Farm Bureau Federation)

Figure 2 displays the calculated value of calves lost under this scenario, assuming each calf is valued at $1,336. This generates a loss of 13,514 calves out of an inventory of 1.87 million calves valued at $18 million in wolf-occupied counties. The states with the highest number of calf depredations under this scenario are Montana ($3 million; approximately 2,307 calves) and Idaho ($2.7 million; approximately 2,044 calves).

Keep in mind this method assumes static wolf presence at the county level. Wolves regularly traverse dozens of miles per day, crossing county and state borders, so county-level presence can vary widely year to year.

58% of those surveyed had stress- or depredation-related wolf impacts on their operation (compared to just 38% reporting depredation).
3.5% reduction in average calf weaning weight (18.4 lb.). According to Munch a figure supported by published field research — can significantly reduce revenues across an entire herd.

At the $2.54 per lb. value reference in the study ($1,336/525 lb. average), a ranch that markets 80 head would lose out on $3,738 in marketable weight value.

“Weight loss can be much higher in regions with elevated wolf activity,” Munch says. “If that same ranch experienced a 10% reduction in weaning weight, the loss would exceed $10,600 before even factoring in additional impacts like reduced conception rates.”

(Data: American Farm Bureau Federation)

Using these assumptions about ranch exposure to wolf presence and average weight loss, Figure 3 presents the estimated revenue loss by state. In total, more than $50 million in potential calf weight value was lost due to wolf presence, including $8.6 million in Montana and $7.6 million in Idaho alone.

Ranchers reported an average cost of $79 per cow for conflict avoidance measures and associated labor.

Wolf presence forces ranchers to change the way they manage their operations — often at a steep cost. In wolf-occupied areas, ranchers routinely implement additional strategies to deter predation, respond to attacks and monitor herds across expansive rangelands.

“These management efforts are both labor- and resource-intensive,” Munch says.

Even before accounting for any depredation or stress-related weight loss, these management expenses alone reduced net returns for the average ranch by 19%. Through interviews and surveys, producers indicated they spent anywhere from several thousand dollars to over $150,000 per year on these efforts.

“For our analysis, we convert the $79 per cow figure to $55.30 per calf based on their 70% calf crop assumption,” he explains. “We then apply this per-calf cost to estimate statewide wolf-management expenses, using the study’s finding that 58% of ranchers in wolf-occupied counties experience wolf-induced stressors. Based on these assumptions, ranchers nationwide spend over $60 million each year on efforts to mitigate the impacts of gray wolves.” (Figure 4)

(Data: American Farm Bureau Federation)

All combined, on a ranch experiencing a modest 2% calf depredation and 3.5% weight loss that also spends the average reported amount on conflict avoidance, annual ranch revenues are reduced by 28% ($34,642). These combined costs, reflecting $128 million in annual costs to U.S. ranchers, are displayed in Figure 5.

(Data: American Farm Bureau Federation)

45% drop in the ranch’s long-term earning potential. The study projected what repeated losses from wolves would do to a ranch’s profitability over 30 years. Even a moderate level of impact — losing 2% of calves and 3.5% lower weights — would reduce the ranch’s net present value by more than $191,000.

“In plain terms, that’s a 45% drop in the ranch’s long-term earning potential,” Munch says.

The study estimates that, without wolf impacts, the ranch would generate about $420,000 in long-term profits (in today’s dollars). With average wolf-related losses, that shrinks to $228,000.

“While a single year’s loss might seem manageable, the effects compound over time,” Munch says. “Smaller calf crops mean fewer replacements and fewer animals to sell, while lower weights reduce revenue year after year. These cumulative impacts ripple through herd management and finances, steadily eroding profitability and increasing the odds that the operation may not be financially sustainable in the long run.”

Munch summarizes if predator recovery efforts are to be economically sustainable, they must be accompanied by policies that recognize the people on the front lines: those whose livelihoods now depend not only on their animals but also on a system that values and supports the cost of coexistence.

“That’s the heart of the issue,” Munch explains. “For many ranching families, the return of wolves is not just a wildlife management question, it’s a daily reality shaped by decisions made in distant urban centers, often by voters and officials who will never have to look into the eyes of a mother cow searching for her calf. Ranchers are the ones bearing the real-world costs of policies shaped far from the range. And they’re doing so while continuing to care for livestock, steward the land and feed a growing world.”

Montana Stockgrowers Association Elects Lesley Robinson As President

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 21:56:14 GMT

Fourth generation rancher, Lesley Robinson, was recently elected the first woman president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA). Robinson’s family has been ranching in Phillips County, which is in the north central part of the state, since the early 1900s. She and her husband, Jim, have been married for 39 years and have ranched their entire lives. Currently they own and operate the Lazy JD Cattle Company, a ranch purchased in 1958 by Jim’s family.

“You have to have a passion for ranching to love it,” Robinson says. “If you don’t have a passion for it, it’s going to be very hard to get up every day and go through everything that you have to do to make a ranch successful.”

Robinson’s interest in leadership was inspired by her parents, who were both involved with livestock associations.

She previoulsy served on MSGA’s board of directors from 1996-2000 and has spent the last two decades dedicating her time and knowledge to the livestock industry on the local, state and national levels.

“My vision for the cattle industry in Montana and across the nation is to keep agriculture land in production,” Robinson shares. “We need to keep the ranchers on the land producing beef and encourage young people to come into ranching. It’s important we find ways to help people be successful in ranching, so that we can keep the land in production.”

With a record number of dispersions in Montana and other states, Robinson says remaining sustainable is a top priority.

“Right now we have the good markets, but we need to be able to be sustainable when the markets drop also,” she says. “It’s important to find ways to make your place sustainable in the bad times along with the good times.”

This cattlewoman recognizes not everyone agrees on all the issues, but it’s important to work together.

“We need to work on the tax rules that are going to sunset next year in 2025 and I think that most of the organizations, if not all of them, can agree on estate tax needs to be either get rid of estate tax or at least keep the limits that we have in place right now,” she says.

A quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald inspires Robinson daily. She has a sign on her wall with it that reads ‘Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.’

“You can still have a loss, but don’t give up, because not every everybody can win, so just keep trying and come back,” Robinson says. “We have losses every day in ranching, so we’re resilient, and we have to just keep going.”

For more information, visit mtbeef.org .

Your next read: Nutritional Requirements of Cattle in Winter

Tradition, Trial and Targeted Implementation

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 21:24:35 GMT

Beneath wispy clouds set in a blindingly blue sky where Montana and Saskatchewan become indistinguishable from one another sits the Louie Petrie Ranch, an exemplary model in ranch tradition, innovative trial, and targeted implementation. It’s on this land outside of Turner where you’ll find multiple generations strategizing for the long-term viability of the ranch originally homesteaded in 1901.

“If you improve the resource, you’re improving your bottom line,” says Tyrel Obrecht, a fifth-generation member. “At the end of the day, these have to be viable businesses to bring families home.”

Obrecht followed the path of his father, Sam, to Montana State University, where he graduated in 2013 with a degree in agricultural economics. After spending some time in the finance industry, he came back to the family ranch with a money mindset. The numbers matter. Any approach towards the adoption of new practices at the Louie Petrie Ranch is vigorously vetted before implementation. What will it cost? What will it save?

Among those practices is a technology relatively new to the prairie landscape: virtual fencing. Using GPS technology and radio frequencies, it’s one tool the Louie Petrie Ranch has utilized with relative success in allowing for better grazing management. Where high-input electric cross fences were once strung to manipulate cattle into high-intensity grazing, sound cues and animal-safe electric pulses via cattle collars can now be used. As with any new technology, the world of virtual fencing has its hiccups. However, coupling the on-the-ground knowledge of rotational grazing benefits with this new management approach is something they will continue to further develop.

Other strategic practices implemented by the ranch have included calving later to be more in tune with Mother Nature and converting farmland to grass, allowing for more grazing flexibility in the spring and fall. Seeing opportunity in carbon markets, they quickly began their research. Research turned to action, and the ranch is now monitoring their carbon and getting paid for conservation practices beneficial to its sequestration. In a region highly susceptible to drought, a keen focus has been placed on water improvements, further developing springs and reservoirs, inputting water tanks and pipeline, and implementing solar panels for water utilization assistance in remote areas. Along with adding resilience for the ranch, it has improved water availability for wildlife along a key migration corridor.

Realizing power in collaboration, the ranch has partnered with Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, World Wildlife Fund, Western Sustainability Exchange, Pheasants Forever, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to bolster ranch projects. These relationships bring tremendous resources, both in financial contributions able to magnify the ranch’s investments and scholarly investigation. With a holistic approach at the forefront, all parties actively seek solutions workable for the land, livestock, and wildlife.

As Obrecht stands beside his father discussing ranch logistics, it’s hard to miss the sparkle in his eye when the conversation turns to his children. The twinkle is matched by that of his daughter as she, the ranch’s sixth generation, poses before a crisp spring rainbow, not knowing yet the blessing of the moisture behind it.

“Most of our considerations are long-term,” Obrecht says. “Agriculture’s a long game, so I think if you’re making business decisions on a year-to-year basis, you’re going to miss out on long-term opportunity.”

This unique blend of respect for the past and innovation for the future has allowed the ranch to thrive through the decades. As the ranch continues to evolve, it remains a shining example of how preserving heritage can coexist with progressive advancements and collaborative conservation, ensuring its legacy will stay intact for generations.

New Survey Shows Labor is Serious Challenge for Ag Industry

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 18:00:19 GMT

A new survey from the Minneapolis Fed found ag bankers rank labor availability as a top concern for their farm clients.

The survey, which was conducted with ag bankers from the ninth district (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin), found the issue is viewed as a “serious challenge” for 63% of respondents and a minor challenge for the majority of the remaining 37%.

“It’s becoming more and more difficult to obtain the labor needed to operate,” a Minnesota-based banker told the Minneapolis Fed.

The availability of livestock workers was seen as more limited than crop workers and those surveyed also shared that finding long-term help is more difficult than temporary help due to the seasonal nature of the ag industry.

As far as how this compares to past conditions, 39% of respondents said labor availability has gotten “much worse” over the past five years and 44% said it’s “a little worse”.

The Minneapolis Fed attributes this challenge to the region’s low influx of migrant workers and aging workforce.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 10% of animal production employees in the area are foreign born, compared to 18% nationally. The number is even lower for crop production with just 5% of workers being foreign born, compared to 32% nationally.

The region also has some of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S.

(Farm Journal)

At the same time, the median age of workers in the region rose from 51 to 56 in 2021. The number of workers between 45 to 54 has declined over the past decade with a small increase of those between the ages of 25 to 44 and a large increase of those over 55.

(Farm Journal)

Montana Rancher Receives Probation and Fined for BLM Scheme

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 20:20:37 GMT

A Montana rancher was sentenced to four years of probation, fined $35,000 and ordered to pay $143,714 in restitution last week after pleading guilty in January to mail fraud in connection with grazing cattle on Bureau of Land Management range.

In court documents, the government claimed that between 2017 and 2020, Gene John Klamert, 71, held a BLM grazing permit for public land near Minnett. The permit authorized Klamert to graze his own cattle, or other people’s cattle if he reported them to BLM and paid a surcharge for custom grazing.

In 2017 the BLM discovered Klamert underreporting cattle and when confronted, Klamert admitted grazing 100 cattle that did not belong to him and that he did not report. Court documents say Klamert actually grazed at least 620 cattle that he failed to report and thereby avoided paying the required surcharge.

Despite being warned by BLM, prosecutors allege Klamert continued misreporting cattle numbers the next three seasons. In order to avoid the surcharge for custom grazing, Klamert submitted to the BLM fake bills of sale purporting to have purchased 1,515 head of cattle between 2018 and 2020. The fraudulent bills of sale enabled Klamert to avoid paying $65,612 in surcharge fees. Klamert also defrauded the BLM by continuing to graze other people’s cattle that he simply never reported.

In total, Klamert grazed more than 2,000 cattle that did not report, avoiding an additional $78,884 in surcharges to the BLM. Klamert defrauded BLM of a total of $144,497. He paid back $782 after his reprimand in 2017, bringing the fraud loss to $143,714.

Montana Co-op to Open Meat Processing Facility

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 18:41:21 GMT

A producer-owned meat processing facility is set to open in north-central Montana this fall.

The Prairie Star reports USDA-inspected Montana Premium Processing Cooperative (MPPC) will initially process 3,000 to 3,500 head of cattle, sheep, hogs and bison a year in Havre, Mont. Owned by Montana member ranchers, the co-op purchased a building and a $300,000 semi-trailer that was modified to be a kill floor and is parked inside the renovated building.

MPPC is the result of local ranchers working to capture more value and retail their own beef, according to Matt Rains, chief of staff for Montana Farmers Union and a fifth-generation rancher from Simms, Mont.

“Essentially, producers leave $1,500-$2,000 on the table for every steer they sell to the large out-of-state meat processing facilities. Montana producers are at a stage where they want to be retailing their own beef and that is a value-added concept,” Rains told the Prairie Star, pointing out that these large meat processors are making more than a fair price for processing a steer.

The co-op is also partnering with Montana State University-Northern in Havre to train students in the meat business.

Alberta Man Linked To Multi-Million-Dollar Hay ‘Scam’

Tue, 17 May 2022 18:28:37 GMT

A Canadian man alleged to have orchestrated a multi-million-dollar hay fraud scheme in the U.S. has been charged with similar crimes in Canada.

Scott James Piggott will go on trial May 1, 2023, in Lethbridge, Alta., on two charges of theft over $5,000 and one count of fraud over $5,000. Piggot also faces similar charges in Drumheller and Taber, Alta.

Last month Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen warned Montana ranchers about hay scams. The state’s Office of Consumer Protection said in a statement it estimated a Canadian company has stolen up to $5 million from Montanans.

The company, New Way Ag, according to the statement, promised grain hay, barley straw, and wheat straw at low prices to quickly make sales, collected payments, and then never delivered any product to their victims. To aid in the investigation, Montanans who made payments to New Way Ag should contact the Montana Office of Consumer Protection at 406-444-4500. The Monana Attorney General’s office believes Piggot is linked to New Way Ag, though the details still remain unclear.

According to CBC News, the specialized prosecution unit involved in the Piggott case ordinarily handles cases involving alleged frauds and thefts greater than $500,000.

Kyler Nerison, communications director for the Montana Department of Justice, told CBC News that New Way Ag was brought to their attention through tips from across the state. One Montana rancher lost $100,000, Nerison said, and since the department put out the warning they’ve received numerous calls from other people who claim to have had the same experience.

“They took the money and ran, essentially. It’s bad news. It’s distressing to see people take advantage of others in that way,” Nerison said.

Rupert Murdoch Buys Sprawling Montana Ranch From Koch Industries

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 18:48:59 GMT

Fox News founder and Wall Street Journal owner Rupert Murdoch has purchased the 340,000-acre Beaverhead Ranch in Southwest Montana from Koch Industries. The deal, worth $200 million according to reporting by both the Wall Street Journal and CNBC, makes it the largest ranch sale in Montana history.

“This is a profound responsibility,” the 90-year-old Murdoch said through a spokesman. “We feel privileged to assume ownership of this beautiful land and look forward to continually enhancing both the commercial cattle business and the conservation assets across the ranch.”

Spread across more than 500 square miles of private and leased land, the Beaverhead Ranch was purchased nearly 70 years ago by Fred Koch, founder of Koch Industries, and was operated under Matador Cattle Co. Koch Industries, which is now led by Charles Koch, who along with late brother David Koch, is known for bankrolling Republican politicians and conservative causes. The Beaverhead Ranch has 7,000 cow-calf pairs and is home to 15 families who are employed on the ranch.

John Jackson, chairman of the Beaverhead County Commission and a rancher himself, told the Billings Gazette that he’d heard about the transaction but had no details yet.

“The Koch brothers have been good neighbors,” he said, employing residents and families in Beaverhead County at the Beaverhead Ranch. He said he anticipates the Murdochs won’t make major changes.

Broker, Tim Murphy, with Hall & Hall, had this to say about the change in ownership: “It was an honor to work with the Murdoch family during the discovery process and ultimately through the completion of the sale. The (Matador) truly represents one of the great ranches in America. It offers greater scale, a robust agricultural operation, and takes in multiple mountain ranges and expansive valleys which all makes it one of the more scenic ranches of its kind.

“The Murdochs understand the importance of this landscape, and the depth of history in its operations. They have respect for the culture that continues to steward the lands through generations of ranching families who have also called the ranch their home. It takes an incredible family to own an incredible ranch. The Murdoch’s could not be more ideal to that regard; it will be fun to observe the next chapters in the history of the ranch during their tenure.”

Famous Montana Ranch Under Contract For $136 Million

Tue, 11 May 2021 21:07:19 GMT

A famous Montana ranch of nearly 80,000 acres went under contract for sale this week – including a 2,000-cow commercial Angus herd – for $136.25 million after just one week listing.

The Climbing Arrow Ranch, featured in the 1992 Robert Redford movie “A River Runs Through It,” sold for its asking price following a bidding war, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal. The listing agent, Mike Swan of Swan Land Company, confirmed the property was under contract.

“Since our public release of the listing of the Climbing Arrow Ranch, we have received an extraordinary response from the market, with multiple parties stepping forth immediately,” Swan said in a statement. “We can confirm that the sellers have engaged with a prospective buyer who is currently conducting their inspections of the ranch.”

The sale of Climbing Arrow Ranch, located on the north end of the Bridger Mountain Range in southwest Montana and believed one of the largest private undeveloped ranches in the West, will be one of the most expensive ever sold in the U.S. The ranch is about 30 miles from Bozeman, MT.

Swan said the ranch was sold by the Anderson family, who have owned the ranch since 1959. Buck Anderson, grandson of Bank of California president Frank B. Anderson, made the original purchase.

The ranch is comprised of five separate, noncontiguous parcels that span four counties. Total acreage is 79,582 acres, of which about 73,180 are deeded. There are seven modest ranch homes on the ranch, most of which are for staff.

Cowboys Are Not Proud of Miss Montana

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:52:58 GMT

Merrissa Underwood probably didn’t intend to pick a fight with Montana cowboys. But after she was crowned Miss Montana in September, Underwood’s social media posts encouraging folks to switch to a plant-based diet were… let’s say, not well received.

On Sept. 20, just four days after being named Miss Montana USA, Underwood Tweeted: “Today we marched the streets of Bozeman in the pouring rain to stand in solidarity for climate action! It is vital to take a stand and do everything we can individually to battle climate change!”

Today we marched the streets of Bozeman in the pouring rain to stand in solidarity for climate action! It is vital to take a stand and do everything we can individually to battle climate change! I recently removed… https://t.co/FjlXjP7ZON
— Miss Montana USA 2024, Shelby Dangerfield (@RealMissMTusa) September 20, 2019

It was an Instagram post on Oct. 21, however, that most rankled the state’s cattle producers. Underwood shared a meme with the statement, “Animal Agriculture is the most destructive industry facing our planet today.” Ummm… no, Merrissa, not even close.

The meme shows statistics on climate change, water use, deforestation, species extinction, fisheries and waste, taken from the anti-beef documentary “Cowspiracy.” Don’t look there for accurate information.

The Montana Stockgrowers Association responded with an open letter to Underwood, stating the group appreciate her passion, but want to correct what the organization calls misleading and inaccurate information.

View this post on Instagram Ms. Underwood, We recently saw your Instagram Stories on your thoughts on climate change and animal agriculture. As @missmtusa we think it’s vital to use your platform to represent Montana and the things that are important to our beloved state. Agriculture and the cattle industry are some of those things. Montana’s #1 industry is agriculture and we are proud to raise some of the best, most sustainable beef in the world. Ranchers care deeply for the animals they raise and the environment they raise them in. There’s a saying between ranchers, “If you take care of the land, the land will take care of you.” This is our passion. While we appreciate your passion, we are disappointed in the misleading and inaccurate information you shared and wanted to share some facts about the beef industry that might help educate you and others. Swipe through these images to see the rest of our response⏩ Please like and share this message so we can continue to educate others! **EDIT: In our post we stated 91% of farmers and ranches are family owned and operated, the actual number is 96%!** A post shared by Montana Stockgrowers (@mtstockgrowers) on Oct 23, 2019 at 12:35pm PDT

That Underwood wandered out of her lane with posts about cows and climate change is not uncommon in today’s society. Celebrities and wannabe celebrities feel obliged to comment on a host of issues they know little about, and cow gas seems to have floated to the top of their list.

Following the response to her original posts, Underwood said on social media she wants to have an open conversation about agriculture and would be willing to tour a ranch.

It’s rapidly becoming more important to respond to beef critics. Here’s a few talking points:

About two-thirds of all agricultural land in the world is marginal, meaning either the soil or water availability can’t support growing crops. Such land is used to raise livestock that convert cellulose-containing feedstuffs into animal-source foods.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, all activity consuming fossil fuels – transportation, power production, etc. – combined are responsible for 80% of all U.S. greenhouse gas production. All of livestock and feed production in the U.S. combined represent 3.9% of U.S. greenhouse gases.
American farmers are by far the world’s most efficient at producing food and fiber. For instance, India requires 15 to 20 cows to produce the same amount of milk as one cow in the U.S. American cattlemen produce as much beef today as they did in the mid-1970s with one-third fewer cows.

Montana Ranchers Donate Cattle to South Dakota

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:37:36 GMT

Source: Associated Press

Montana ranchers have donated 45 head of cattle for breeding stock to their South Dakota counterparts who lost thousands of cattle in a freak blizzard in October.

The Great Falls Tribune reports that the cattle shipped Friday.

Montana ranchers Rene Brown and Alisha Burcham decided they wanted to do something and began gathering cattle donations from Montana’s Hi-Line area in the northern part of the state.

“Twelve hours this way with that storm and that could have been us,” said Brown, a Chinook-area rancher.

South Dakota officials say the Oct. 4 blizzard dumped up to 4 feet of snow in the western part of the state, killing about 14,000 cattle, 1,257 sheep, 287 horses and 40 bison.

Brown and Burcham used social media and word-of-mouth to gather cattle donations. Brown’s brother-in-law, Earl Brown, started moving the cattle Friday.

“I told him I wanted to get a pot load of cattle together to send to South Dakota,” Rene Brown said. “He told me I couldn’t do it and that if I did, he would drive them there. We’ll, we did and even have donations for the fuel, so he’s donating his time for the drive.”

The organization Heifers for South Dakota accepted nominations for the donated cattle. The group chose family ranches that had herds of about 160 head, but lost 50 to 60 percent of them in the storm, Brown said.

She said many small producers don’t have insurance because of the cost.

“Congress may approve some disaster aid, but that’s not a sure thing and they can’t even pass a Farm Bill,” she said. “This donation will make a big difference to ranchers in South Dakota. I knew the Hi-Line would come through, but it is humbling to see this come together.”

Ranchers Own Valuable Dinosaur Fossils, Court Says

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:29:38 GMT

Valuable dinosaur fossils found on a Montana ranch belong to the owners of the land’s surface rights, not the owners of the mineral rights, according to a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The appeals court decision, handed down June 17, upheld a 2016 decision by a U.S. District Judge in Billings, MT, that found dinosaur fossils were part of the surface estate, not the mineral estate, in cases of split ownership.

The decision means ranchers Mary Ann and Lige Murry own the dinosaur fossils worth millions of dollars found on their ranch. The dinosaurs unearthed on the ranch include a T. rex found in 2013, a triceratops skull discovered in 2011 and the 2006 discovery of a pair of dinosaurs that appeared to have been locked in battle when they died.

The T. rex was sold for millions of dollars. The so-called dueling dinosaurs drew a bid of $5.5 million in a 2014 auction but failed to reach the $6 million reserve price. In a legal effort to clarify the ownership of the dueling dinosaurs before trying to sell them, the Murrays sought a court order saying they owned the fossils.

Following District Judge Susan Watters decision the fossils belonged to the surface rights owners, brothers Jerry and Bo Severson, who owned two-thirds of the mineral rights on property once owned by their father, appealed Watters’ decision to the 9th Circuit.

Before making its decision, the 9th Circuit asked Montana’s Supreme Court to rule on whether fossils were minerals under state law because at the time the case was filed, there was not a definitive law. In a 4-3 ruling last month, the Montana justices said dinosaur fossils are not considered minerals under state law.

“Because Mary Ann and Lige Murray are the undisputed owners of the surface estate here ... the (Montana) Supreme Court’s decision requires a resolution in their favor,” Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas wrote on behalf of himself and 10 other members of the 9th Circuit.

Related stories:

Frozen Dinosaur: Farmer Finds Huge Alligator Snapping Turtle Under Ice

Montana Pays Record Amount For Predator Losses In 2019

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:26:38 GMT

Montana ranchers made claims on more than 360 animals killed by mountain lions, grizzly bears or wolves in 2019. Those claims led the state of Montana to pay a record amount of money to ranchers for those livestock losses.

The Montana Livestock Loss Board has paid ranchers more than $247,000 in 2019, the third consecutive year a new record was set for the payouts.

Madison County, located southwest of Bozeman, saw the most livestock losses with 44 animals killed. The number of losses to grizzly bears almost doubled the losses to wolves, board Executive Director George Edwards said.

The number of confirmed livestock deaths is rising, and officials predict the trend will continue.

The Montana Legislature approved an increase in funding for the Livestock Loss Board from $200,000 to $300,000 in 2019.

The statistics tracked by the loss board since 2008 include the county location and type of animal killed and the predator responsible, but that only provides a snapshot of the state’s losses, Edwards said.

Livestock killed by one of the three listed predators must be inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be eligible for market rate payouts, Edwards said.

Grizzly Euthanized After Killing Cattle in Montana

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:24:14 GMT

Officials in Montana have euthanized a grizzly bear after it killed cattle on a ranch.

The male adult grizzly bear was trapped and euthanized on June 22 near Red Lodge in the south-central area of Montana. An investigation led by Federal Wildlife Services officials in cooperation with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks determined that bears had killed four yearling calves within two miles of one another.

Live traps were set to catch the bear around the rolling sagebrush hills where the cattle had died. FWP wildlife biologist Shawn Stewart estimates that the bear was five to seven years old and the bear that was caught had paws similar in size to tracks found near the dead cattle.

Biologists made the decision to euthanize the bear because it was not a candidate to be transplanted since it had killed multiple cattle.

In the past few years more grizzly bear sightings have been witnessed in the area east of Red Lodge. The area is approximately 20 miles from the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park. The National Park Service estimates that there are 150 resident grizzly bears in Yellowstone , but there are 690 grizzly bears reported in the greater Yellowstone area as of 2016.

Stewart says biologists will continue to monitor for bears in the area and watch for any depredation.

In 2015, the Associated Press reported that a rancher in Idaho near Yellowstone had 14 cows killed by bears during a four year period.

A map of the area where the grizzly bear was killed can be seen below:

Montana Rancher Shoots Wolf-Like Creature

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:24:11 GMT

A Montana rancher shot and killed a wolf-like animal that was threatening his livestock last month, and officials are still trying to determine the animal’s species. The animal’s canine teeth were too short and the front paws too tiny for a wolf, and the claws were too long. The ears were also too big and the coat was wrong for a wolf.

What officials have determined is the animal was a non-lactating female and a canid, or member of the dog family, which includes dogs, foxes, coyotes and wolves.

“We have no idea what it is,” Bruce Auchly, information manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said. “And we won’t until we get the DNA tests back.”

The animal was shot on a ranch outside Denton on May 16. It has long grayish fur, a large head and a snout, but its legs and body were too short to be a wolf.

“The animal came within several hundred yards of the rancher’s livestock,” The Montana FWP said in a statement. “He shot it and reported it as required by law.”

The DNA process may take weeks or even months for the laboratory to identify the animal, Montana FWP said.

Rancher Sentenced for Fraudulent Cattle Numbers, Must Pay $2.1 Million

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:23:59 GMT

A federal investigation has resulted in a Montana rancher going to prison after he committed wire fraud when lying to a bank about cattle numbers on his ranches in multiple states.

On Aug. 27, Darrell Alan Hatley, 67, of Miles City, Mont., was sentenced for a single count of wire fraud by the U.S. District Court in Billings . He was sentenced to two years in prison and must repay the bank more than $2.1 million in restitution.

“I’ve seen quite a number of wire fraud cases come through here since I’ve been on the federal bench,” Judge Susan Watters said. “I have yet to have a case in front of me where I’m talking about more than $2 million in restitution.”

In 2002, Hartley began borrowing money from Texas-based Capital Farm Credit to cover expenses for his ranching operations in Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming and other states. Starting in 2015, Hartley began to inflate the amount of cattle he was running on those properties. This violated a condition of his loan that required him to accurately report the herd numbers along with other ranch assets.

According to court documents, the loan totaled up to $8 million. As part of the loan agreement Hartley was to pay down the loan when cattle were sold.

Auditors from Capital Farm Credit attempted to schedule an inspection of Hartley’s cattle in July 2017. A month later the vice president of lending for Capital Farm Credit flew to the Wyoming ranch to inspect the cattle. It was at this time that Hartley told the representative of the loan agency his numbers would be off. He admitted that he had been “padding his numbers” since approximately October 2015.

Despite admitting to law enforcement officials about not having the correct herd counts for two years, he said the money from unreported sales was being reinvested. Hartley hoped the money could be used to pay back Capital Farm Credit “once the cattle market had recovered.”

Through this scheme Hartley allegedly gathered approximately $2.1 million from the fraudulent cattle numbers.

After sentencing Hartley apologized to those impacted by his crime. “I’m sorry for the embarrassment that I’ve caused my family and friends,” he said.

After reaching a plea deal, Hartley plead guilty to the wire fraud charge in April. As part of the plea agreement federal prosecutors selected a lower offense and he was required to pay restitution.

Grizzly Kills Calf in Central Montana; Bears Expanding Territory

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:23:31 GMT

A grizzly bear killed a calf on a ranch in central Montana earlier this week, evidence that bears are moving further out of their territory.

Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks announced that a calf was killed by a grizzly after an investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services confirmed the death was depredation by a bear.

The calf was killed on a ranch near Two Dot, an area of the state where grizzlies are not common. Wildlife officials believe that the bears are expanding their territory from the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem where there are established grizzly populations.

Trail cameras took photos of a grizzly bear at the start of September near the Haymaker Wildlife Management Area approximately 12 miles north of the ranch. Once it was determined that a grizzly bear had killed the calf, Wildlife Services attempted to capture the bear at the depredation site. However, because of a high number of black bears in the region traps were pulled from the site on Oct. 10.

It is not clear if the grizzly bear came from the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem or the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. However, biologists from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks are investigating the case. They are attempting to find either scat or hair samples from the bear for DNA analysis to indicate where it came from.

This is not the first time that grizzly bears have ventured out of their territory and killed livestock in Montana. Last year two sub-adult male bears were captured and euthanized after killing cattle near Stanford, the farthest east that grizzlies had been seen in 100 years .

In June, an adult male bear was euthanized in southcentral Montana after killing at least four cattle . That area of the state has seen more grizzly activity due to its close proximity to Yellowstone National Park.

Grizzly bears are still listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. For a short time grizzlies were temporarily delisted last year . Protections for grizzly bears was reinstated by a federal judge in September , halting what would have been the first grizzly hunts in the Lower 48 states since 1991.

Online Petition Seeks to Sell Montana to Canada

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:22:53 GMT

An online petition posted to Change.org suggests the U.S. sell Montana to Canada for $1 trillion to eliminate the national debt.

“We have too much debt and Montana is useless,” reads the petition. “Just tell them it has beavers or something.”

The petition had nearly 11,000 signatures Wednesday morning, many from Montana. The petition, which is at least partially in jest, has offended many Montanans. In an editorial, The Great Falls Tribune asks:

“No. 1: How dare you?”
“Does Montana keep the nuclear missiles or what?”
“What do Americans do about the other $20 trillion in national debt? $1 trillion would only cover a year’s federal deficit (projected to be $985 billion in 2019).”
“Does Canada have an extra trillion?”
“Would Montana still be named Montana or would we be Southern Alberta? Better Saskatchewan?”
“ Does the universal healthcare start right away or is there a waiting period?”
“Do we build a wall against North Dakota? Or pile snow there in a Game of Thrones situation?”

One Canadian wrote: “Love you my American friends. Love you more because you aren’t here. We have enough trouble with Trudeau’s (our Prime Minister) socialism,” George Lyche wrote. “We don’t need to import more from your whacko-democrats. Here’s the new ‘green deal’ - we’ll pay you to stay home!!”

Montana Grizzly Bear Euthanized After Killing Cattle

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:22:36 GMT

A grizzly bear in Montana has been euthanized by wildlife officials after it was believed to have killed five cattle in the past year.

On April 23 , Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) euthanized a sub-adult male grizzly bear in the Helmville Valley after reports of multiple livestock depredations.

The grizzly bear was captured by USDA Wildlife Services after killing a calf on April 20 and another calf prior to that. The same bear is believed to have been responsible for three other livestock depredations near the same area last year.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advised FWP to euthanize the bear because of its history with livestock depredations. The decision was also in accordance with Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee guidelines.

Montana Grizzly Bears Previously Killing Cattle

This is not the first time that a grizzly bear killed livestock in Montana. In June 2017, two sub-adult male bears were captured and euthanized after killing cattle near Stanford, the farthest east that grizzlies had been seen in 100 years .

Last June, an adult male bear was euthanized in southcentral Montana after killing at least four cattle . That area of the state has seen more grizzly activity due to its close proximity to Yellowstone National Park. Then in October, a grizzly killed a calf on a ranch near Two Dot after the bear had ventured out of its traditional territory.

Grizzly bears are still listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. For a short time grizzlies were temporarily delisted last year . Protections for grizzly bears was reinstated by a federal judge in September , halting what would have been the first grizzly hunts in the Lower 48 states since 1991.

Ranch Buy Adds to Huge Montana Wildlife Reserve

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:17:01 GMT

A huge Montana nature reserve added a 47,000-acre historic ranch to its patchwork of lands along the Missouri River on Friday, a significant step in a privately funded effort to stitch together a Connecticut-sized park where bison would replace livestock and cattle fences give way to open range.

The PN Ranch north of Winifred sprawls across rugged badlands, tall grass prairie and cottonwood-filled valleys. It’s almost wholly within the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

It includes the remnants of the Montana Territory’s first military post, Camp Cooke, and was reportedly a rendezvous point for American Indian tribes on the Great Plains.

Its purchase by the American Prairie Reserve comes amid tensions with some in central Montana who see the project’s rapid expansion over the past decade as an encroachment on their way of life.

For now, reserve representatives said, it will be managed as a livestock operation. But the long-term goal is to restore the land to its natural state and open it to the public — campers, bird watchers and others seeking a glimpse into how the West once looked.

“Over time the goal is an all-wildlife, public access situation,” said Sean Gerrity, president of the Bozeman-based reserve. “People will come and the first thing they will notice is ‘Welcome’ signs instead of ‘Keep Out’ signs. They will notice fences down and a distinct openness to the landscape, unfettered by fences, power lines, power poles.”

Terms of the sale were not disclosed. The cattle ranch founded in the late 1800s had been listed for more than $20 million.

Since 2001, American Prairie Reserve has raised $95 million and established a 353,000-acre footprint of leased and private land stretching across five counties.

The purchase of the PN — inside the 378,000-acre Upper Missouri River Breaks — continues the organization’s strategy to use private real estate deals to leverage public lands. Other reserve holdings are within and adjacent to the million-acre C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.

The reserve has 620 bison, which currently don’t have access to the refuge or national monument. That herd is expected to increase to 1,000 bison within the next two years and more than 10,000 animals by late next decade.

Whether wild bison re-inhabit the public lands around the reserve will be largely up to state wildlife officials.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials said last year that they would consider bison on large-scale landscapes like the C.M. Russell refuge. But there’s no timeline for a decision, agency spokesman Ron Aasheim said.

Rare Triplet Calves Born on Montana Ranch

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:16:27 GMT

A cow on a Montana ranch has delivered healthy triplet calves, a rare occurrence that happens only once in 105,000 live births.

The Great Falls Tribune reports the three calves owned by rancher Iain McGregor were born Saturday. McGregor says it took the cow a while before she warmed up to the trio, but that she’s now letting them all nurse.

While the birth of twin calves is fairly common, triplet births are much rarer. The fact that all three of McGregor’s calves have survived and are of the same gender brings the odds even lower, occurring about once every 700,000 births.

The heifers weigh 45 pounds, compared to most newborn single birth calves that weigh about 80 pounds. Despite their small size, all three appear to be healthy.

Livestock Disease Found in Montana Cow

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:04:45 GMT

Montana livestock officials say a cow from a Madison County cattle herd has tested positive for the disease brucellosis.

The Department of Livestock said Friday that the animal was identified during testing by a rancher whose cattle graze inside a designated disease surveillance area around Yellowstone National Park.

Brucellosis can cause pregnant animals to abort their young.

State veterinarian Marty Zaluski says the ranch where the infection was found has been quarantined and adjacent livestock producers notified.

Brucellosis was first introduced by infected livestock brought in by European settlers. It’s since been largely eradicated from cattle in the U.S., but persists in elk and other wildlife in and around Yellowstone.

The disease has been found in Montana cattle in five of the past eight years.

Grizzly Euthanized After Killing Cattle in Montana

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 01:37:49 GMT

Grizzly Kills Calf in Central Montana; Bears Expanding Territory

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:16:43 GMT