- [VOICEOVER] MONTANA AG

LIVE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT

OF AGRICULTURE,

THE MSU EXTENSION SERVICE,

THE MSU AG EXPERIMENT STATION,

THE MONTANA WHEAT

& BARLEY COMMITTEE,

THE MONTANA BANKERS ASSOCIATION,

THE MSU COLLEGE OF

AGRICULTURE AND,

THE GALLATIN GARDENERS CLUB.

♪ IF YOUR HERBICIDES

OR FUNGICIDES OR

♪ THE VEGGIES YOU ARE GROWING

IN YOUR GARDEN START TO MOLD.

♪ IF THE ANTS ARE ATTACKING

AND YOU£RE HAVING A HARD TIME.

♪ CALL MONTANA AG LIVE.

♪ KNAPWEED IN THE DITCH AND

THE OLD BULL'S GOT AN ITCH

♪ TICKS UPON THE SHEEP AND

THE WOOL IS REALLY CHEAP

♪ THE GOPHERS IN THE PASTURE

ARE EVEN WORSE THAN LAST YEAR

♪ MONTANA AG LIVE

WHERE ARE YOU? ♪

- [JACK] GOOD EVENING,

WELCOME TO MONTANA AG LIVE

ORIGINATING TONIGHT

FROM THE STUDIOS OF KUSM

ON THE BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS OF

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY

HERE IN BOZEMAN, I'M JACK

RISSELMAN, I'LL BE YOUR

MODERATOR AND HOST THIS EVENING.

TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA HAVE

A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE

KIND OF A DIFFERENT TYPE

OF PROGRAM WHICH SHOULD

BE REAL INTERESTING AND

WE'RE GONNA WELCOME ALL

THE PHONE CALLS YOU CAN

POSSIBLY GIVE US TONIGHT

AND WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM

TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA HAVE

KIND OF TWO SPECIAL GUESTS

AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK

ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S A LOT

OF PEOPLE PERCEIVE AS

CONFLICT AND THAT IS THE ROLE

OF PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE

AND CONSERVATION

AND HOW THEY SEEM AT

ODDS WHERE IN REALITY

IN MOST INSTANCES THEY WORK

VERY NICELY AND WE'RE GONNA TRY

TO VISIT THAT THIS

EVENING AND TALK ABOUT IT.

SO LET ME INTRODUCE

THE PANEL THIS EVENING,

Y'ALL RECOGNIZE TOBY

HE'S HAD A LITTLE ISSUE

AROUND HERE AND I THINK

HE'S GONNA HAVE TO

DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

NEXT TO TOBY IS BOB SANDERS,

BOB SANDERS IS DIRECTOR

OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

FOR MONTANA FOR DUCKS UNLIMITED.

I'VE KNOWN BOB

FOR SEVERAL YEARS,

VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE

IN THAT AREA AND

HE WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS

TONIGHT ABOUT CONSERVATION

PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY

SOME OF THOSE

THAT DU IS INVOLVED WITH.

NEXT TO HIM IS KENT WASSON,

I'VE KNOWN KENT FOR I

HATE TO SAY HOW MANY YEARS

BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME,

KENT IS A FARMER AND RANCHER

A COMBINATION OF BOTH UP IN

PHILLIPS COUNTY NEAR WHITE

- [KENT] WHITEWATER

- [JACK] WHITEWATER AND LORING.

- [KENT] YEP.

- [JACK] AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW

WHERE LORING IS LOOK NORTH

IT'S ABOUT AS FAR NORTH

ON THE MONTANA MAP NORTH

OF MALTA THAT YOU CAN SEE

AND HE'S ALSO INVOLVED

WITH SARE SUSTAINABLE AG

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM

SO WE'LL GET INTO THAT AS TO

HOW IT EFFECTS CONSERVATION

AND AGRICULTURE, NEXT TO

THAT IS BARRY JACBOSEN,

BARRY IS AN ADMINISTRATOR

BUT I'M GONNA REFER TO HIM

TONIGHT AS A PLANT PATHOLOGIST

'CAUSE I THINK HE WOULD

MUCH PREFER TO BE KNOWN

AS A PLANT PATHOLOGIST.

ANSWERING THE PHONES THIS

EVENING IS BARB SCHOFF,

DON MATHRE, AND CHERYL

MOORE-GOUGH AND WE THANK 'EM

FOR BEING HERE AND ANY

TIME YOU WANT YOU CAN START

PHONING IN THE QUESTIONS AND

WE'LL GET TO 'EM BUT WE'RE

GONNA START OFF BY ASKIN' BOB

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO

FOR DU AND HOW IT IMPACTS

AGRICULTURE HERE IN MONTANA.

- [BOB] SURE, YEAH,

DUCKS UNLIMITED'S

SINCE 1984, WE'VE DONE OVER

80,000 ACRES OF PROJECTS AND

A LOT OF THOSE ARE

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

PARTICULARLY RANCHERS WHERE

WE GET OUT ON THE GROUND,

WE RESTORE WETLANDS, WE ALSO

DO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS

AND OTHER FORMS OF WHAT WE

REFER TO AS LAND PROTECTION

AND THEN DO A LITTLE BIT ON

THE PUBLIC POLICY FRONT, TOO.

LOBBY FOR GOOD BILLS THAT HAVE

A POSITIVE IMPACT NOT ONLY

ON THE WILDLIFE RESOURCE

BUT ALSO RANCHING.

- WE'LL GET INTO THAT, KENT

DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING

ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND YOUR

PREVIOUS INVOLVEMENT WITH

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY?

- [KENT] UH, YES, I'VE BEEN

FARMING AND RANCHING SINCE I WAS

THIS BIG IN NORTH PHILLIPS

COUNTY, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH

MONTANA STATE EVER SINCE I

WAS A STUDENT AND, AND THEN

I GOT ON THE MONTANA AG

EXPERIMENT STATION BOARD FOR

NORTHERN, CENTER AND THEN

WAS ELECTED TO COME ON THE

STATE BOARD AND ENDED UP

TO BE ON I THINK THAT BOARD

FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS SO,

AND SINCE I'VE RETIRED AND

WENT BACK ON AND THEN I WAS

APPOINTED TO WESTERN SARE

WHICH IS SUSTAINABLE AG

RESEARCH WHICH WE GO OVER ALL

WESTERN UNITED STATES

AND ALL THROUGH

THE ISLANDS AND ALASKA.

- [JACK] RIGHT.

OKAY, SOMEBODY NEW

HERE ON THIS PROGRAM

BECAUSE ONE OF THE FIRST

QUESTIONS WE HAD THIS

EVENING CAME FROM MALTA

AND IT'S ACTUALLY FOR BOB

AND THIS PERSON FROM MALTA

WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT

IF HE IS A RANCHER IN

PHILLIPS COUNTY, WHAT BENEFITS

WOULD A CONSERVATION

EASEMENT PROVIDE FOR HIM?

- [BOB] CONSERVATION EASEMENTS

I GUESS THE FIRST WORD IS

THERE'S, THERE'S NO ONE SIZE

FITS ALL, BUT THE BENEFITS CAN

INCLUDE OBVIOUSLY SOME PRETTY

GOOD INCOME FROM THE SALE

OF THE EASEMENT BUT ALSO

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I VIEW

AS RANCHERS CAN PARTNER WITH

AN AGENCY, AN ORGANIZATION,

LIKE DUCKS UNLIMITED TO FULFILL

THAT FUTURE VISION OF THEIR

LAND, WHAT THEY WANT THAT

LAND TO BE NOT ONLY FOR THE

NEXT 10 OR 20 YEARS BUT FOR

GENERATIONS DOWN THE LINE

SO FOR RANCHERS IT'S A

POWERFUL TOOL TO KEEP THAT LAND

IN RANCHING.

- [JACK] AND IT'S WORKING

PRETTY WELL IN THIS STATE?

- [BOB] IT'S WORKING GREAT

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF

DIFFERENT CONSERVATION

EASEMENT OPTIONS,

,^ USDA, NATURAL RESOURCE

CONSERVATION SERVICE,

FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE HAS

A LOT IN THIS PARTICULAR

CALL FROM MALTA, THEY'RE

VERY ACTIVE UP THERE,

FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICES

AS WELL AS MONTANA FISH,

WILDLIFE AND PARKS, DUCKS

UNLIMITED NATURE CONSERVANCY

HAS A PRESENCE UP THERE

AS WELL SO THERE ARE A LOT

OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND

THAT'S REALLY FINDING THAT

EASEMENT HOLDER THAT

YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH

AND THAT HAS A SHARED

VISION OF WHAT YOU WANT TO

SEE ON THE LANDSCAPE.

- [JACK] HOW WOULD A

RANCHER, WHAT TYPE OF LAND

WOULD HE NEED TO QUALIFY

FOR ONE OF THESE EASEMENTS?

- [BOB] TYPICALLY IT'S

INTACT NATIVE PASTURE,

IN THE CASE OF THE

FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

IT HAS A HIGH DENSITY

OF WETLANDS OUT THERE

AND NOT ALL WETLANDS ARE

CAT-TAIL RINGED, DEEP WATER,

PERMANENT HABITATS, A

LOT OF THOSE MAY BE THAT

KIND OF THAT ODD WET AREA

THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE

SPRING, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY

WETLANDS AND THOSE ARE

VERY VALUABLE FOR A LOT

OF SPECIES OF WILDLIFE.

- [JACK] OKAY, WE'LL GET

BACK TO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.

I'M GONNA JUMP OVER TO

BARRY QUICKLY AND THEN WE'LL

MOVE OVER TO BOB AND WE'RE

NOT GONNA FORGET YOU,

YOU'RE HERE, TOO.

(LAUGHING)

BUT ANYWAY, THIS QUESTION

CAME IN LAST WEEK, BARRY,

IT'S FROM POWER AND THEY WANT

TO KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION

WITH THE GMO WHEAT THAT WAS

FOUND AT THE HONLEY AREA

AROUND THE STATION AND WHAT

IS MSU DOING TO PROTECT THE

BREEDING PROGRAM FROM

GMO CONTAMINATION?

- [BARRY] THE LONG AND THE SHORT

OF IT THE LAST GMO RESEARCH

WORK WAS DONE IN 2003, 2001

THRU 2003 AND WAS BASICALLY

TO LOOK AT WAYS OF CONTROLLING

GROUND UP READY WHEAT.

WE'VE MONITORED UNDER THE

AFIS AGREEMENT THAT LAND

EVER SINCE AND THIS YEAR

ABOUT IN LATE JUNE, EARLY JULY

WE FOUND SOME WHEAT THAT

DIDN'T GET KILLED BY ROUND-UP,

ACTUALLY TWO DIFFERENT

APPLICATIONS, WE REPORTED IT

AS WE HAD TO, TO THE ANIMAL

PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE,

WE'VE BEEN COMPLYING WITH

ALL OF THEIR THINGS AND

THE PROBLEM IS PRETTY CLOSE

TO RESOLVED, IT WAS ONLY IN

A VERY SMALL AREA, IT WASN'T

ALL OVER THE AREA, THE OTHER

THING IS WHERE WE'VE WORKED

WITH ROUND-UP READY OR

OTHER GMO WHEATS, WE ALWAYS

KEEP OUR BREEDING PROGRAM

VERY FAR AWAY FROM THAT

AND EVEN OUR FOUNDATION

SEED OPERATIONS SO

THERE'S NO CO-MINGLING.

THERE'S VERY STRICT

REGULATIONS AS TO WHAT YOU

CAN DO IN THOSE FIELDS THAT

WHEAT HAS TO BE DESTROYED

AND THAT'S WHAT HAS HAPPENED

AT HUNTLEY THIS LAST YEAR

AND THERE'S NO EVIDENCE IN

ANY OF OUR BREEDING LINES

OR IN OUR FOUNDATION SEED

OF ANY TRACE OF GMO AND

I THINK THIS JUST REALLY GOES

BACK TO THE SYSTEM WORKED

THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK.

- [JACK] I WOULD

AGREE, ABSOLUTELY.

KENT, AGAIN THE SAME

PERSON FROM MALTA,

YOU MUST HAVE A FRIEND

OR TWO UP THERE.

(LAUGHING)

- [KENT] OR SOMETHING.

- [JACK] OR SOMETHING, THEY

KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD SOME

EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST WITH

DUCKS UNLIMITED AND THEY

WOULD LIKE YOU TO EXPOUND

A LITTLE BIT ON HOW YOU'VE

WORKED WITH CONSERVATION

AGENCIES AS A FARMER

- [KENT] YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN

A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR US

AS A FAMILY FARM AND RANCH,

I THINK WHEN WE FIRST WENT

INTO IT AND I STOOD IN FRONT

OF BOB AND TOLD HIM THAT WE'RE

A VERY PROGRESSIVE FAMILY,

THAT WE INTEND TO YOU KNOW,

TO TELL EVERYTHING STRAIGHT

UP THE WAY WE SEE THINGS

AND WE'LL WORK WITH THEM

AND THEY WORKED, HAVE WORKED

VERY WELL WITH US, WE'VE

LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HIS

NON-PROFIT OR THAT NON-PROFIT

ORGANIZATION THAT HAS

HELPED US MAYBE ENHANCE

OUR HABITAT, HE'S LEARNED

A LOT FROM US ON OUR GRAZING

SYSTEMS AND WHAT WE HAVE

TO DO IN NORTH PHILLIPS

COUNTY TO GET GRASS TO GROW,

YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T POP UP

IN MARCH, IT POPS UP IN JUNE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE

LEARNED AND WE'VE DONE A LOT

OF THINGS, HE'S HELPED US

FACILITATE A, NOT WITH THE

EASEMENT BUT WITH A SHARE,

WITH FISH & GAME TO PUT

IN A BUNCH OF STOCK TANKS,

PIPELINES TO SPREAD OUT

THE RIPARIAN AREAS THAT, YOU

KNOW, I THINK ONCE WE WILL GET

'EM ON THE GROUND AND

RUNNING WILL REALLY BE

AN ENHANCEMENT TO THAT GROUND

FINANCIALLY AT THE TIME

WHEN THEY BOUGHT IT,

MY FAMILY COULDN'T AFFORD

IT AND SO, AND WE'RE IN

THE PROCESS NOW OF PURCHASING

IT FROM DUCKS UNLIMITED

AND I THINK IT'S

GONNA BE A GOOD DEAL.

WE DIDN'T SHARE COMPLETELY

IN THE AMOUNT OF THE EASEMENT

BUT IN THE LONG RUN IT'S

GOING TO BE A BENEFIT TO US.

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [KENT] PARTIALLY.

- [JACK] WE'LL GET BACK TO

THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND

TALK ABOUT HOW SOME OF

THESE PROGRAMS WORK.

TOBY, THIS PERSON IS FROM

BILLINGS AND THEY'RE CONCERNED

ABOUT THE PONDEROSA PINES

IN THE AREA THAT SEEM

PEAKED WITH ABOUT TEN TO

TWENTY PERCENT OF THE NEEDLES

BROWN IN THE TREES,

WHAT'S GOING ON?

- [TOBY] THAT'S WHAT THEY

CALL SEASONAL NEEDLE DROP,

I'M GUESSING AND IT'S A

NATURAL OCCURRENCE THAT

HAPPENS IN PONDEROSA PINES

EVERY TIME THIS YEAR.

THE TREE CANNOT SUSTAIN ALL

OF THOSE NEEDLES GOING INTO

WINTER SO IT DROPS A LOT OF

THOSE NEEDLES AND YOU'LL SEE

THAT HAPPEN FOR NOT ONLY

PINES, YOU'LL SEE IT,

MY DOUGLAS FIR IN MY

BACKYARD HAS GOT A SEASONAL

NEEDLE DROP, IT'LL HAPPEN

WITH FIRS, SPRUCE, PINES,

JUST ABOUT ANY KIND

OF THE CONFIERS.

- [JACK] OKAY.

THIS PERSON HAS ACTUALLY

CALLED IN LAST WEEK

AND THIS WEEK SO THEY

ARE PRETTY SERIOUS ABOUT

HOW DO THEY KILL A

RUSSIAN OLIVE TREE?

KENT, I KNOW YOU GOT

SOME OF THOSE WEEDS

UP IN YOUR COUNTRY,

YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT

OR TOBY OR WHOEVER?

- [KENT] WELL IN OUR

COUNTRY AND MORE IN THE

MILK RIVER VALLEY THAN

UP IN OUR COUNTRY BUT

YOU KNOW IT'S A NOXIOUS WEED

IN THE MILK RIVER VALLEY

AND THE ONLY WAY THEY

KILL IT IS WITH A CHAINSAW

IT'S, IT JUST SEEMS TO

SPREAD IN DITCHES AND STUFF

ANYWHERE THERE'S WATER AND,

YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY UP IN OUR

COUNTRY THERE'S A LITTLE

BIT OF IT AROUND USING

SNOW BREAKS AND WIND

BREAKS AND STUFF BUT

MOSTLY CARAGANAS BUT.

- [TOBY] YEAH, THE,

IN FACT I WAS JUST AT

ROCKY MOUNTAIN TREE

SCHOOL IN CODY, WYOMING

AND THEY WERE TALKING

ABOUT PROGRAMS IN WHICH

THEY WERE GOING THROUGH

ERADICATING RUSSIAN OLIVE

IN PASTURE AND IT WAS

PRETTY INTERESTING HOW THEY

WOULD CUT THAT AND THEN ALSO

USE A BASIL SPRAY ON THAT

STUMP AND IT WAS NICE 'CAUSE

IT HAD A MARKER TO IT SO THEY

KNEW HOW TO KILL IT OR WHAT

THEY HAD KILLED AND THEY HAD

PRETTY GOOD CONTROL AND IT

WAS PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE

KIND OF THE BEFORE AND AFTER

PICTURES ALL THE WAY THROUGH

I THINK WYOMING AND INTO

NEBRASKA OF WHAT THEY DID

SO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY,

IT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW,

TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO

DO THAT, YOU KNOW,

UNLESS YOU HAD THE

TIME TO GO THROUGH

OR HAD THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT.

- [JACK] OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD.

THAT CALL CAME FROM

LIVINGSTON AND I HOPE

THEY CAN GET THEIR TREES,

RUSSIAN OLIVE UNDER CONTROL.

BOB, FROM SAKEL, THIS

PERSON WANTS TO KNOW DOES

DUCKS UNLIMITED BUY LAND OR

DO THEY JUST GIVE EASEMENTS

AND HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT

SELLING LAND TO DU IF THEY

HAD LAND THAT THEY

WANTED TO SELL TO DU.

- [BOB] YES, DUCKS

UNLIMITED DOES BUY LAND,

WE'VE GOT A PROGRAM THAT

WE CALL REVOLVING LANDS

AND THAT STEMS FROM THE

APPROACH THAT WE USE AS

OPPOSED TO BEING A

LONG-TERM LAND OWNER IN ANY

GIVEN LOCALITY WE TRY TO BUY

THE LAND, DO A CONSERVATION

EASEMENT, TYPICALLY WITH A

FEDERAL OR A STATE AGENCY

DO IMPROVEMENTS, AS KENT

MENTIONED EARLIER, WE PUT IN

CROSS-FENCING FOR BETTER

PASTURE MANAGEMENT,

ALTERNATIVE STOCK WATER

SOURCES, A LOT OF AMENITIES THAT

MAKE IT BETTER RANCH, A

BETTER CATTLE RANCH AND WE'LL

HOLD THAT FOR THREE TO FOUR

YEARS AND THEN WE SELL IT

AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING

THROUGH OUR FIRST ONE RIGHT

NOW WITH KENT, KENT'S BEEN

OUR GRAZING LESSEE OUT THERE

FOR THREE YEARS AND WE

IDENTIFIED KENT AS A GOOD,

RESPONSIBLE OPERATOR, WE

LIKED EVERYTHING ABOUT, YOU

KNOW, HIS STOCKING RIGHTS OUT

THERE AND ALL THE POSITIVE

ATTRIBUTES NOT ONLY ON THE

LAND THAT HE LEASES FROM US

BUT ALSO HIS OWN LANDS THAT

HE GRAZES, EVERYTHING LOOKED

GOOD AND SO WE'RE PURSUING

THAT WITH KENT RIGHT NOW,

IN FACT WE'VE GOT AN

OPTION WE SHOULD BE CLOSING

HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

- [KENT] ABSOLUTELY.

- [JACK] HOW DOES, WHAT

QUALIFIED THAT LAND

THAT YOU'RE TALKING

ABOUT TO FALL INTO THAT

CATEGORY WHERE YOU

WOULD BUY IT RATHER THAN

TRY TO LEASE IT OR

PROVIDE AN EASEMENT TO THE

PREVIOUS OWNER?

- [BOB] YEAH, TYPICALLY OUR

FIRST APPROACH IS TO WORK

WITH THE LAND OWNER AND IF

HE OR SHE WANTS TO DO IT

THEMSELVES THAT'S PREFERRED,

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THESE,

THESE PROPERTIES COME ON THE

MARKET A LOT OF TIMES I'LL DRAG

MY FEET BECAUSE I WANT TO

MAKE SURE THAT THE LOCAL FOLKS

HAVE A CHANCE TO

DO IT LIKE KENT.

UM, IF THAT'S NOT

POSSIBLE, THEN WE'LL GO IN

AND WE'LL BUY THESE, NOW,

THROUGH THE REVOLVING

LANDS WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS

SHOWCASE AS MANY DIFFERENT

PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE

SO DUCKS UNLIMITED CAN LOOK

THE LANDOWNER, LOOK A RANCHER

IN THE EYE AND SAY, "HEY,

"WE'RE NOT ONLY JUST

RECOMMENDING THESE PROGRAMS,

"WE'VE DONE THEM."

AND I'M VERY TRANSPARENT WITH

THE NUMBERS, WHEN I WORKED

WITH KENT IT'S LIKE HERE'S

WHAT'S THE EASEMENT'S WORTH

AND A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL

DO WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED,

NUMBERS WE'VE EXPERIENCED

BECAUSE EACH APPRAISAL

ON EACH PROPERTY'S A LITTLE

BIT DIFFERENT SO YOU DON'T

WANT TO GIVE, I'M A BIOLOGIST,

I'M NOT A LAND APPRAISER--

- [JACK] RIGHT.

[BOB] OR A REAL ESTATE

EXPERT SO I TRY TO SPEAK FROM

EXPERIENCE AND, YOU KNOW,

LIKE ANYTHING, YOUR EXPERIENCE

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE COULD BE

DIFFERENT BUT THE PROGRAMS

ARE OUT THERE, THEY'RE

SHOWCASED AND THE POSITIVE

ATTRIBUTES, THE COST SHARE,

THE MATCHING RATES, THAT'RE

OUT THERE THROUGH THESE FEDERAL

PROGRAMS, THEY'RE TESTED

AND DEMONSTRATED TO WORK

THROUGH DUCKS UNLIMITED

AND THEN LOCAL LANDOWNERS

CAN PICK THOSE UP AND

YOU KNOW DUCKS UNLIMITED,

WE'RE NOT GONNA TOUCH

EVERY PARCEL UP THERE THAT

COMES FOR SALE BUT IF OTHERS

CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY,

"HEY, THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM,

"AND THIS WORKS," THEN WE

DON'T HAVE TO TOUCH THAT,

IN FACT WE'LL PROBABLY, WE

MAY WORK OURSELVES OUT OF

BUSINESS UP THERE AND LOCAL

FOLKS WILL DO IT ON THEIR OWN

JUST BASED ON THE EXAMPLE

OF HOW IT WORKED FOR

DUCKS UNLIMITED ON

THESE PROPERTIES.

- [JACK] SOUNDS

LIKE A GOOD PROGRAM,

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GET BACK

TO SOME MORE QUESTIONS

THAT HAVE COME IN

ON SIMILAR THINGS.

BARRY, FROM CLANCY, THIS

PERSON HAS A MASSIVE

AMOUNT OF SCABBY POTATOES

THIS YEAR, SHE THINKS IT

MIGHT BE A RESULT OF TOO

MUCH MOISTURE SHE'S THINKING

GYPSUM SHOULD BE USED NEXT

YEAR, IS THIS A GOOD SOLUTION?

- [BARRY] NO.

- [JACK] OKAY.

WHAT IS A GOOD SOLUTION?

- [BARRY] THE BEST SOLUTION

IS TO GROW A VARIETY THAT HAS

SOME RESISTANCE AND THE, I

JUST REDID THE MSU POTATO

GARDEN GUIDE AND LISTED ALL THE

DISEASE RESISTANCE IN THERE,

SHE SIMPLY NEEDS TO GROW

A RESISTANT VARIETY.

THE OTHER THING, TOO MUCH

MOISTURE IS NOT THE CASE.

SCAB LIKES IN WHEN IT'S

DRY SO BASICALLY FROM TUBER

INITIATION THROUGH ABOUT

THREE-QUARTERS BULKING

IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY KEEP

THE SOIL FAIRLY MOIST YOU'LL

HAVE LESS SCAB EVEN ON

A SUSCEPTIBLE VARIETY.

- [TOBY] AND BARRY,

DOES, IF YOU HAVE A SOIL

THAT HAS SCAB, WILL

YOU ALWAYS HAVE SCAB OR

CAN YOU ROTATE OUT OF IT?

- [BARRY] YOU'LL

ALWAYS HAVE SCAB.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT'LL

SAY, "OH, WE CAN TREAT IT

"WITH SULPHUR OR SOMETHING

TO MAKE IT MORE ACIDIC."

YOU'VE GOT TO GET DOWN

BELOW PH 5.3 AND THAT'S NOT

THE BEST FOR FERTILITY SO,

JUST GROW RESISTANT VARIETY

AND WE'VE GOT RED ONES,

AND WE'VE GOT RED FLESH

WITH YELLOW, RED SKINNED

YELLOW FLESH, WE'VE GOT

RUSSETS, WE'VE GOT

ALL KINDS OF POTATOES.

- [JACK] AND WHERE DO THEY

GET A LIST OF THESE POTATOES?

- [BARRY] THE MSU EXTENSION

SERVICE HAS A POTATO

GARDEN GUIDE AND ACTUALLY

WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE

SITUATION HERE WITH OUR

SEED POTATO GROWERS THAT

ACTUALLY GROW MONTANA SEED

AND THEY DISTRIBUTE IT OUT

TO THE COUNTIES AND IT'S

REALLY A NEAT PROGRAM, JACK.

- [JACK] EXCELLENT

PROGRAM, I AGREE.

TOBY, QUICK QUESTION,

COTTONWOOD TREE IS SENDING

UP SUCKERS THROUGH THE

ASPHALT, WHAT CAN THEY DO?

- [TOBY] WELL, IF IT'S OUT

THROUGH THE ASPHALT IT'S MORE

THAN FIVE FEET AWAY FROM

THE TRUNK OF THE THREE JUST

SPRAY IT WITH YOUR REGULAR

OLD LAWN WEED HERBILIZ-

OR HERBICIDE 240

WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.

- [JACK] OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD.

A QUESTION CAME IN, KENT,

ABOUT SARE AND LET'S

GET INTO SARE A LITTLE BIT.

- [KENT] YEP.

- [JACK] EXPLAIN WHAT SARE

IS AND THE GOALS OF SARE

AND HOW IT MAY RELATE TO

CONSERVATION AND WHATEVER

YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

- [KENT] OKAY, WHAT WE'RE

WESTERN SARE WE CALL IT FROM

THE BIG WEST, THERE'S

FOUR SARES ALL THROUGH THE

UNITED STATES DIVIDED OUT

BUT WE DEAL IN WESTERN SARE

AND WE HAVE THE 13 WESTERN

UNITED STATES, WE HAVE ALL

THE MICRONESIA, MARIANA AND

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AND

ALL OF ALASKA AND IT'S A FEDERAL

USDA PROGRAM THAT THERE'S

THERE'S A LOT OF GRANT OPTIONS

AND IT BECOMES A GRANTING

PROCESS THROUGH EDUCATORS,

THROUGH PRODUCERS, THROUGH

PROFESSIONALS THAT THEY HAVE

A CHANCE TO GO AFTER SOME

MONEY FOR SPECIFIC THINGS THAT

HAVE TO BE SUSTAINABLE AND

SUSTAINABLE IS A WORD

THAT NOBODY HAS DEFINED,

YOU KNOW, IN MY

BUSINESS IT'S THAT WE'LL

LEAVE THIS LAND IN

A BETTER PLACE THAN

WHAT WE GOT IT, WE'LL LEAVE

IT FOR THE GRANDKIDS AND

THEIR KIDS IN A BETTER SPOT

FOR THEM TO CARRY ON THE

LEGACIES THAT WE LIVE IN

AND IN WESTERN SARE WE HAVE

ABOUT 16 PEOPLE ON OUR

BOARD AND WE COVER A LOT

OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

FROM EPA TO ARS, YOU KNOW,

WE HAVE SOME PRODUCERS,

WE HAVE SOME BUSINESS,

AGRI-BUSINESS PEOPLE AND

WE JUST STUDY AND WE MAY

DO THINGS WITH POLLINATORS,

VINEYARDS, ONE-ACRE HORSE

BARNS, YOU KNOW, WE GET ALL

KINDS, IT ISN'T JUST A FOR

BIG, ACTUALLY IT'S AND IT

ISN'T JUST ORGANIC, A LOT OF

PEOPLE THINK WELL IT'S JUST

ORGANIC, SARE IS NOT ORGANIC,

IT'S ALL ABOUT AGRICULTURE AS

A ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM OF WHAT

HAPPENS AND WHAT CHANGES

AND WE TRY TO HELP

THAT AND EDUCATE PEOPLE.

- [JACK] WHAT, WHAT IS THE

ACTUAL GOALS OR, BARRY,

YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED

WITH SARE WHAT?

- [BARRY] YEAH, I'VE

HAD A COUPLE OF SARE

ONE OF THE REAL STRENGTHS OF

THE PROGRAM IS YOU HAVE TO

INVOLVE PRODUCERS IN THE--

- [KENT] YEAH.

- [BARRY] IN THE FORMULATION,

GUIDANCE, DISSEMINATION

OF THE RESULTS AND, YOU

KNOW, THAT'S HOW YOU CHANGE

THINGS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE

PERSON SEES IT WITH THEIR OWN

HANDS OR EYES, IT'S

GONNA GET ADOPTED.

- [KENT] YES.

- [BARRY] AND I THINK IT'S

A VERY, VERY STRONG PROGRAM

BECAUSE OF THAT, AND THAT

PRODUCER INVOLVEMENT.

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT

THAN OUR SOME OF OUR OTHER

RESEARCH PROJECTS WHICH

ARE PRETTY MUCH MORE

IN THE LAB AND WE GO OUT

TO THESE GUYS AND SAY,

"WELL, LOOK AT THIS."

AND THEY SAY, "WELL, I'M NOT

QUITE SO SURE ABOUT THAT."

- [KENT] YEAH, AND THAT IS

THE GREAT THING THAT SINCE

I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THERE FOUR

YEARS AND IT HAS EVOLVED

INTO EXACTLY THAT IF YOU'RE

GONNA PUT A GRANT IN YOU HAVE

TO HAVE AT LEAST THREE TO

FIVE PRODUCERS INVOLVED,

THOSE TYPE OF THINGS AND THERE'S

AND THERE'S A PROFESSIONAL

PDP GRANT SYSTEM, TOO, THAT'S

STRICTLY FOR FARMERS AND

PRODUCERS AND A FARMER DOESN'T

HAVE TO BE A BIG FARMER,

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE MAYBE

$1,200 GROSS INCOME A YEAR

OFF OF, OFF OF,

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES,

SO IT'S A GREAT

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

TO GET THINGS OUT AND IT'S

SUPPOSED TO BE NEW AND

INNOVATIVE, THERE'S THE

TWO THINGS: SUSTAINABLE AND

NEW AND INNOVATIVE, YOU

CAN'T REINVENT THE WHEEL

AND DO IT THROUGH SARE, YOU

HAVE TO DO IT SOMETHING NEW.

- [BARRY] AND I THINK THE OTHER

THING, KENT, YOU MENTIONED

IS THE EDUCATION, EVERY ONE

OF THOSE PROJECTS HAS GOTTEN

AN EXTENSION

EDUCATION PIECE TO IT.

- [KENT] YES, YEP.

- [BARRY] AND THAT GETS

EVALUATED AND IF YOU DON'T

DO A GOOD JOB YOU GUYS'LL

SAY NO TO US THE NEXT TIME.

[KENT] YEP.

WE SPENT TWO SUMMERS NOW,

ONE IN PORTLAND PUTTING ON

AN INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE

TO JUST TO HELP PEOPLE GET

THEIR MARKETING AND

THE INFRASTRUCTURE

MARKETING, TRANSPORTATION

AND THINGS, IT'S AMAZING.

WE WENT TO GUAM THIS SUMMER

AND PUT ON THE SAME ONE

FOR ALL THE ISLANDS, IT'S

AMAZING THAT A LOT OF THE SAME

TROUBLES THAT WE HAVE HERE

IN THE MAINLAND THEY HAVE

THERE IN A DIFFERENT

SCALE BUT IT'S MARKETING,

TRANSPORTATION THOSE

TYPE OF THINGS.

- [JACK] WHAT ARE SOME OF

THE GRANTS THAT RESEARCHERS

HERE IN MONTANA HAVE

RECENTLY RECEIVED?

- [KENT] YOU KNOW A LOT OF

'EM WILL BE A WHOLE SYSTEM

AND IT'LL BE GROWING AN OIL

SEED TO PRODUCE A VIABLE

BIO-DIESEL TYPE OF SYSTEM,

I'VE SEEN SOME CROPPING

SYSTEMS, AGRI-NOMIC CROPPING

SYSTEMS THAT COME THROUGH

THAT HOW THEY ROTATE THE

CROPS IN DIFFERENT WAYS THAT

ENHANCES THE SOIL AND

LIKE I SAY WHEN I'M,

WHEN MONTANA COMES IN TO

THE PICTURE I HAVE TO STEP

OUT OF THE ROOM SO I CAN'T BE,

I CAN'T BE IN THE ROOM WHEN

THEY'RE DISCUSSING IT TOO

MUCH, I CAN SEE THE END RESULT

BUT MONTANA IS MAYBE

NOT NEAR THE TOP

BUT THEY'RE THERE, YOU KNOW,

THEY'RE NOT AT THE BOTTOM

FOR THE AMOUNT OF GRANTS

AND IT JUST, IT JUST TAKES

A PROCESS AND IT'S A LITTLE

TOUGHER PROCESS.

- [JACK] YOU KNOW I THINK

I READ ABOUT ONE WHERE SOIL

AND THE ANIMAL AND RANGE

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT GOT A BIG

GRANT TO LOOK AT SAGE GROUSE

AND GRAZING PRACTICES.

- [KENT] THEY DID.

- [JACK] AND, YOU KNOW,

SAGE GROUSE ARE DEFINITELY

AN, I WON'T SAY AN

ENDANGERED SPECIES, THAT'S

THE WRONG TERM BUT A

THREATENED SPECIES.

- [KENT] IT IS.

- [JACK] AND THE GRAZING

PRACTICES I THINK THAT'S A GREAT

GRANT THAT THEY COULD DO.

- [KENT] THERE WAS ANOTHER

ONE AFTER THE FIRES IN

THE ROUND-UP AREA THERE THAT

THEY GOT A REALLY NICE GRANT

TO STUDY OF HOW THAT

GROUND COMES BACK.

- [JACK] OKAY.

TOBY, QUICKLY, WHAT KIND

OF GRASS SHOULD I PLANT FOR

A NEW LAWN THIS FALL OR IS IT

TOO LATE TO PLANT A NEW LAWN?

- [TOBY] UM, IT'S NOT TOO

LATE TO SEED, I WOULD WAIT

JUST A LITTLE BIT UNTIL WE'RE

GONNA GET THE SNOW COVER AND

TRY TO SEED RIGHT BEFORE SNOW

COVER, HOWEVER, I USUALLY

WOULD JUST WAIT UNTIL

SPRING AT THIS POINT.

- [JACK] BLUE GRASS?

- [TOBY] YEAH, KENTUCKY BLUE

GRASS IS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD

UNLESS YOU WANT TO GO WITH

SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS--

- [JACK] NOT ZOYSIA?

- [TOBY] NOT ZOYSIA GRASS, NO.

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [TOBY] I DO TELL PEOPLE

THERE'S REALLY, I MEAN THERE'S

A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE BUT

THERE'S NOTHING THAT REALLY

YOU KNOW OUT THAT'S TAKES THE

PLACE OF KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS.

- [JACK] ALL RIGHT.

- [BARRY] RIGHT, YOU KNOW,

I'M GONNA JUST STEP IN 'CAUSE

WE GET A LOT OF YARDS THAT

HAVE MIXED SHADE AND OTHER

THINGS, BLUE GRASS

DOESN'T DO WELL IN SHADE.

- [TOBY] NO, IT DOESN'T.

- [BARRY] AND I WOULD REALLY

SOMEBODY'S GONNA SEED SOMETHING

USE A MIXTURE OF THE FINE

FESCUES AND BLUE GRASSES AND

LET NATURE SORT OUT WHAT'S

GONNA BE PREDOMINANT BASED

ON THE GROWING CONDITIONS

IN THAT PARTICULAR LAWN.

- [TOBY] YEAH, YOU'RE

LOOKING AT YOU KNOW PROBABLY

60%-65% KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS,

PROBABLY 30% FINE FESCUE

IN A SUNNY SITUATION, IN A

SHADED SITUATION IT'S GONNA

REVERSE, YOU'RE PROBABLY

LOOKING ABOUT 65% FINE FESCUE

AND ABOUT 30%

KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS.

- [BARRY] IF YOU SEED

THAT, SEED A MIXTURE

IT'LL SORT ITSELF OUT.

- [TOBY] YEAH AND EVERYBODY'S

WONDERING WHERE'S THE OTHER

5% THAT'S PROBABLY PERENNIAL

RAG GRASS, THE ONLY REASON THEY

REALLY PUT THAT IN THERE IS

BECAUSE IT GERMINATES IN ONE

TO TWO DAYS SO YOU SEE, "AH,

I HAVE A GRASS COMING UP."

(LAUGHING)

WHEREAS EVERYTHING ELSE TAKES

ABOUT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.

- [KENT] THAT WORKS.

- [JACK] BOB, THIS QUESTION

CAME IN FROM SHOTO,

THEY WANT TO KNOW FIRST IS A

CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOREVER

OR CAN YOU PUT A TIME LIMIT

ON IT, SAY 10-20 YEARS?

- [BOB] TYPICALLY THEY'RE

PERPETUAL, THEY'RE PERMANENT.

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [BOB] THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS

WE CLASSIFY THOSE MORE AS

A LONGTERM LEASE SIMILAR TO

CRP, CRP WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT

EXAMPLE OF A 10 TO 15 YEAR

PROGRAM THAT YOU COULD PUT YOUR

LAND INTO AND THEN GET IT OUT.

WETLAND RESERVE EASEMENT

IS ONE THROUGH USDA

THROUGH THE NRCS OFFICE AND

THEY HAVE A 30 YEAR OPTION

ON THAT SO YOU WOULD HAVE

A THEORETICALLY IF YOU PUT

IT IN AND YOU WERE MAYBE IN

YOUR 30S OR 40S YOU WOULD

HAVE ANOTHER OPTION TO EITHER

RENEW THAT DOWN THE LINE

OR DO SOMETHING

ELSE WITH THAT LAND.

- [JACK] OKAY, TO CARRY THAT

FURTHER THEY WOULD ALSO LIKE

TO KNOW IF THERE'S A PRICE

DIFFERENCE IF YOU JUST SELL

THE PROPERTY OR IF YOU

GET AN EASEMENT INSTEAD.

- [BOB] YEAH, TYPICALLY AS

WE'RE FINDING OUT WITH THE LAND

THAT KENT'S LOOKING TO BUY THAT

EASEMENTS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE

A BIG IMPACT ON THE VALUE

OF RANCH LAND BECAUSE YOU'RE

BASICALLY TAKING RANCH LAND

AND YOU'RE ELIMINATING THAT

OPTION TO CROP IT DOWN THE

LINE SO IN THE CASE AND WE WENT

INTO THE LAST FARM BILL OUR

MANTRA WAS "FARM THE BEST,

"CONSERVE THE REST"

MEANING RANCH GROUND TRY

TO KEEP WHAT REALLY IS MEANT

TO BE IN NATIVE PASTURE

OR IN OTHER GRASSES, KEEP

THAT IN GRASSLAND AND FARM

THE QUALITY GROUND THAT

REALLY GOES TOWARDS,

IS CONDUCIVE TO ROW CROPS.

- [JACK] YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET

BACK TO THE FARM BILL AND HOW

THAT IMPACTS CONSERVATION

AND PRODUCTION HERE IN

A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE THERE IS

A QUESTION IN HERE ON THAT

BUT I WANT TO THROW THIS ONE

OUT FOR BOTH BARRY AND KENT,

WITH RAIN CAUSING SPROUTING

AND LOW FALLING NUMBERS ARE

THERE STORAGE PROBLEMS

ON THE HORIZON?

IS THE QUESTION AND # 2, KENT

OR BARRY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN

WHAT FALLING NUMBERS

ARE FOR THE AUDIENCE.

- [BARRY] FALLING NUMBERS AS

I UNDERSTAND IT IS IF IT'S

ABOVE 300 AND SOMETIMES

THEY GO UP TO AROUND 400

THIS WILL MEAN THAT YOU'VE

GOT VERY GOOD GLUTEN STRENGTH

IN YOUR DOUGH THAT YOU'RE

GONNA MAKE FROM YOUR FLOUR.

IF IT'S VERY LOW THAT SEED HAS

ALREADY STARTED TO GERMINATE

AND IT'S USED UP SOME OF THAT

AND IT RELEASES SOME ENZYMES

DIASTASE AND SOME OTHER THINGS

AND SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET

THE RISE IN THE DOUGH, YOU'RE

NOT GONNA GET THE GLUTEN

STRENGTH, IT'S NOT AS

GOOD FOR THOSE THINGS AND

UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD

THOSE LATE AUGUST RAINS

EARLY SEPTEMBER CAME

JUST AT THE WRONG TIME,

GOT A LOT OF SPROUT DAMAGE.

ANYTIME THAT YOU CAUSE

DAMAGE TO THE SEED COAT.

- [KENT] YEAH.

- [BARRY] YOU'RE GONNA

GET INCREASED MOLD DAMAGE

AND, JACK, WE HARVESTED A LOT

OF GUYS UP IN HIS COUNTRY,

WE'RE HARVESTING 18%

MOISTURE WHEAT AND THEY

DON'T ALL HAVE DRYING

FLOORS IN THEIR BINS.

- [KENT] NO, THEY DON'T.

- [BARRY] AND YOU CANNOT

STORE YOU MIGHT GET

IF THE TEMPERATURE STAYED

LOW WE MIGHT GET AWAY WITH

IT COME SPRING THOUGH IT'S

GONNA BE A MESS SO IF YOU

GOT SOME HIGH MOISTURE WHEAT,

GET IT DRIED DOWN AS BEST

YOU CAN OR MAYBE MOVE IT TO

SOMEPLACE WHERE IT CAN GET DRY.

ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS SAY

IF WE GOT A 10,000 BUSHEL BIN

OUT THERE, IF I HAD 80

$1,000 BILLS OUT THERE ON

A CLOTHESPIN WITH A STRING,

KENT'D BE OUT THERE REAL

REGULAR TO SEE IF

ALL 80 WERE THERE.

- [KENT] YEP.

- [BARRY] AND THAT'S EXACTLY

WHAT YOU'VE GOT IN A BIN SO

IF YOU'RE DETECTING ANY

HEATING OR MUSTY ODORS THAT BIN

REALLY NEEDS TO BE

UNLOADED AND AERATED.

- [KENT] AND WE ALL DID, WE

ALL COMBINED A LOT OF WHEAT

AT 18%, 16%, 15%, 14%, YOU

KNOW, 14 1/2% AND WE HAVE

BLOWERS IN SOME OF OUR BINS

AND SOME NOT AND WE BROUGHT

A LOT OF IT DOWN TO 13

1/2%-14% STILL GONNA BE SOME

STORAGE PROBLEMS.

- [JACK] YEP.

- [KENT] YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL

GONNA HAVE TO GO IN ON THOSE

COOL DAYS AND SUCK A COUPLE

THOUSAND BUSHELS OUT OF IT AND

MOVE IT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S

NO SPOTS IN ALL THE BINS AND

WITH THESE FALLING NUMBERS IT'S

NOT ALL SALABLE AT THIS TIME

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MIX AND

MATCH AND SO IT IS GONNA,

IT'S GONNA BE A

VERY BIG PROBLEM.

- [JACK] OKAY, I'D HEARD

THAT AND WE'VE HAD THAT

IN YEARS PAST OCCASIONALLY, TOO.

TOBY, BRUSSELS SPROUTS

WERE COVERED WITH APHIDS

THIS YEAR WHAT CAN YOU DO

NEXT YEAR TO PREVENT THE

APHIDS OTHER THAN NOT

GROW BRUSSELS SPROUTS?

- [TOBY] YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY

DON'T GROW BRUSSELS SPROUTS,

UM, THE APHIDS THAT ARE

ON THOSE BRUSSELS SPROUTS,

THE PROBLEM WITH THOSE IS

THAT THEY ARE FAIRLY WAXY

AND SO A LOT OF THE SOAPS

AND WHAT-NOTS HAVE SOME

CONTROL ON THEM BUT, MAN, YOU

CAN SPRAY 'EM AND SPRAY 'EM,

AND SPRAY 'EM, UM, WHAT I WOULD

TRY TO DO IS FIRST ROTATE,

TRY TO ENCOURAGE BIOLOGICAL

CONTROL AND THEN SOON AND DO

A LOT OF SCOUTING BECAUSE ONCE

YOU START SEEING THEM THAT'S

THE TIME TO TAKE CONTROL BUT,

YOU KNOW, YOUR INSECTICIDAL

SOAPS ARE PROBABLY GOING

TO HAVE TO MOVE INTO AND

INSECTICIDE THAT'S A

LITTLE BIT MORE POWERFUL.

- [KENT] TOBY, I GOT A

QUESTION, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE TAKE

ORIENTAL MUSTARD MEAL AND

THOSE TYPE OF THINGS AND

PUT ON POTATOES AND BRUSSELS

SPROUTS, CAN, WILL THAT

CONTROL THE APHIDS?

- [TOBY] BOY, I

WOULDN'T HAVE A CLUE.

- [KENT] YOU KNOW IT WILL

AND THE BUGS AROUND BINS

AND STUFF LIKE THAT IF YOU

BUGS, WE WERE CRUSHERS AT ONE

TIME IN MALTA AND WE CRUSHED

SOME ORIENTAL MUSTARD SEED

AND WHEW, YOU KNOW, YOU

CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT BUT

I SPREAD IT AROUND HERE

AND THERE AND THAT'S WHAT

I WAS TOLD, THAT

IS REALLY HELPS.

- [JACK] SOUNDS LIKE A

GOOD SARE PROJECT TO ME.

(LAUGHING)

- [KENT] NOT FOR ME.

- [BARRY] THE OTHER THING I

THINK THAT PEOPLE REALLY GET

THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE WHEN THEY

BUY THEIR SEEDLING BRUSSELS

SPROUTS OR IF THEY RAISE THEIR

OWN VERY OFTEN YOU'RE MOVING

THOSE APHIDS FROM WHERE THOSE

PLANTLETS ARE GROWN TO YOUR

GARDEN AND, YOU KNOW, A THUMB

AND A FOREFINGER SEARCH 'EM

OUT AND SQUASH ALL THOSE APHIDS

YOU'RE GONNA BE, START OUT

WITH CLEAN PLANTS YOU'RE GONNA

TEND TO KEEP CLEAN PLANTS.

- [JACK] YOU KNOW,

THEY EAT FINE, TOO.

IF YOU LIKE BRUSSELS SPROUTS.

OKAY, KENT, THIS PERSON

ACTUALLY FROM SHERIDAN COUNTY

HAS HEARD OF THE MISSOURI

COTEAU THEY WOULD LIKE

AN EXPLANATION WHAT

THE MISSOURI COTEAU IS.

- [KENT] OKAY, YOU?

- [BOB] I'LL GO AHEAD AND

ANSWER THAT, MISSOURI COTEAU

IS ACTUALLY THE EXTENT OF THE

LAST GLACIATION THAT MOVED

DOWN GENERALLY FROM THE

HUDSON BAY AREA 7,000 YEARS

AGO IT STARTED TO RECEDE

AND IT LEFT THAT REAL HILLY

TERMINAL MORAIN IS THE

TECHNICAL TERM BUT WHAT WE

REFER TO IT NOW AS A PRAIRIE

POTHOLE REGION SO THAT

EXTENDS FROM PRAIRIE, CANADA

JUST TOUCHES SHERIDAN COUNTY

NORTHEAST CORNER OF SHERIDAN

COUNTY IN MONTANA AND EXTENDS

ALL THE WAY THROUGH NORTH AND

SOUTH DAKOTA BUT IT'S SOME OF

THE BEST PRAIRIE POTHOLE AND

SUBSEQUENTLY SOME OF THE BEST

DUCK BREEDING

HABITAT IN THE WORLD.

- [JACK] AND IT'S ALSO PRETTY

GOOD GRAZING LAND, ISN'T IT?

- [BOB] VERY GOOD GRAZING

LAND AND TYPICALLY VERY POOR

CROP GROUND.

- [JACK] YEAH.

- [BOB] VERY ROCKY BECAUSE

OF ALL THOSE MATERIALS

THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED

DOWN BY THE GLACIER.

- [BARRY] YOU KNOW ONE OF

THE THINGS, AND I THINK GETS

LEFT OUT WHEN YOU, BOB, YOU'RE

WITH DUCKS UNLIMITED AND

I DO STUFF WITH ELK

FOUNDATION, OH YOU GUYS JUST

WANT MORE THINGS TO HUNT,

WHEN WE CONSERVE LAND

LIKE THIS IT HELPS

ALL OF THE WILDLIFE.

- [BOB] ABSOLUTELY.

- [BARRY] AND YOU GO UP TO

MEDICINE LAKE AND LOOK AT THE

DIVERSITY OF BIRDS UP THERE.

- [BOB] YEAH

- [BARRY] IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE.

- [KENT] YES.

- [JACK] YOU KNOW, ONE OF

THE CRITICISMS OF A LOT OF

WILDLIFE AGENCIES RECEIVE IS

THAT MOST OF THE MONEY THAT

THEY GET IS ACTUALLY USED TO

PAY ADMINISTRATORS AND PEOPLE

THAT WORK FOR 'EM, I THINK MANY

OF THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

AGENCIES DO NOT, BOB,

YOU CAN, WHAT DOES DU PUT

INTO ACTUAL

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS?

- [BOB] DUCKS UNLIMITED, WE

PUT ABOUT 80¢ TO 81¢ GIVEN

ANY PARTICULAR YEAR ON THE

GROUND INTO CONSERVATION

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST

IN THE NATION OF ALL THE

CONSERVATION GROUPS ONE OF THE

BEST INVESTMENTS IS ACTUALLY

THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP THAT

ALL HUNTERS ARE REQUIRED

TO PURCHASE TO HUNT WATERFOWL

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY UP IN THE

90% RANGE WHICH, YOU KNOW

YOU ALWAYS KIND OF HAVE THIS

STEREOTYPE OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

BEING INEFFICIENT, THAT ONE

IS VERY, VERY EFFICIENT AND

THEN ONCE WE GET THOSE DOLLARS,

TYPICALLY WITH DUCKS UNLIMITED

WE'LL TRY TO LEVERAGE THAT

AND THAT MEANS WRITING GRANTS,

LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT FEDERAL

AND STATE SOURCES TO LEVERAGE

THOSE FUNDS AND A LOT OF TIMES

THAT DOLLAR THAT'S DONATED

TO DUCKS UNLIMITED THROUGH

A BANQUET OR THROUGH OTHER,

OTHER SOURCES WE'LL TURN

THAT INTO FOUR, FIVE IN

SOME CASES 10 DOLLARS,

WE'VE GOT SOME FARM BILL

BIOLOGISTS RIGHT NOW IN THE

STATE THAT WORK TO HELP USDA

AND NRCS DELIVER PROGRAMS

LIKE WETLAND RESERVE PROGRAMS

LIKE CONSERVATION RESERVE

PROGRAM, ANYTHING THEY NEED

WE'RE OUT THERE TO HELP AND

IT'S A WIN/WIN, IT'S A WIN FOR

THE LANDOWNER AND IT'S A WIN

FOR USDA FOLKS IN THE COUNTY

OFFICES AND ALSO FOR THE FOLKS

THAT ENJOY WILDLIFE.

- [JACK] YEAH, I REALLY

HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH HOW

THE CONSERVATION AGENCIES IN

MONTANA, WHICH I'VE WORKED

WITH SOME, HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB.

BARRY, YOU WANT TO

MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE

ELK FOUNDATION AND HOW THEY...?

- [BARRY] AH, YOU KNOW,

WE'RE IN A SIMILAR FASHION,

I THINK WE'RE A LITTLE BIT

HIGHER ON OUR, WE GOT A LITTLE

MORE VOLUNTEER STAFF AND

FEWER PROFESSIONAL STAFF BUT

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE DOING

85 TO 90 PLUS PERCENT OF

YOUR DONATED MONEY GOES

FOR WORK ON THE GROUND

AND THEN IT GETS MAGNIFIED

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

THE OTHER THING IS

LANDOWNERS THEY GET INVOLVED.

THEY'RE MAKING A DONATION

IN TIME AND OTHER THINGS

TO LEAVE THAT LAND FOR

THEIR GRANDCHILDREN BETTER

THAN THEY'VE GOT IT.

- [JACK] OKAY, LET'S MOVE

ON, GREAT FALLS, IT'S

COME IN TWICE SO YOU'RE

GONNA HAVE TO ANSWER IT,

BUNCH GRASS, PROBABLY

QUAY GRASS AND THEY CAN'T

GET RID OF IT WITHOUT KILLING

THEIR LAWN, IS THAT CORRECT?

- [TOBY] YES, YOU WOULD

HAVE TO PROBABLY USE A BROAD

SPECTRUM HERBICIDE SUCH AS

GLYPHOSATE AND KILL IT OUT AND

RESEED IF THAT IS,

IN FACT, WHAT IT IS.

JUST GOT A NEW REPORT OF

CRAB GRASS THAT SHOWED

UP IN A LOT OF PLACES IN

RAVALLI COUNTY SO WHAT I WOULD

DO IS PROBABLY GET THAT GRASS

IDENTIFIED BECAUSE IF IT IS

A CRAB GRASS THERE

ARE HERBICIDES THAT

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [TOBY] IT COULD ALSO

BE CRESTED WHEAT GRASS,

SEE THAT A LOT OF TIMES IN

LAWNS, IT'S A BIG BUNCH GRASS

THAT SHOWS UP.

- [JACK] ANOTHER QUICK

QUESTION, WOUND TREATMENT

FOR PRUNING INJURIES, DO

YOU RECOMMEND IT OR NOT?

- [TOBY] NO, NOT AT ALL.

YOU'LL SEE THE PRODUCTS OUT

THERE, USED TO BE SOMETHING WE

DID YEARS, DECADES AGO.

THE NEW RESEARCH IS TO

JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.

- [JACK] OKAY, BACK TO BOB

AND KENT, QUESTION CAME IN

FROM GREAT FALLS, THEY'VE

HEARD THAT THE CRP ACRES

HAVE BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL

FOR ALL WILDLIFE.

IS IT A WIN/WIN DO YOU

THINK FOR BOTH PRODUCERS

AND FOR THE CONSERVATION GROUPS?

- [KENT] CRP?

- [JACK] YOU'RE

THINKING TOO HARD.

- [KENT] WELL, IT, IT'S A

WIN/WIN FOR CERTAIN AREAS,

CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU

KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD ON

A LEGACY TO BRING MORE KIDS IN

IF THERE'S NO LAND AVAILABLE.

IF THAT JUST CONTINUES THROUGH

THE FAMILY AFTER A DEATH,

BUT A LOT OF IT'S BEEN, THE

GOOD LAND'S BEEN TAKEN OUT

AND IT'S BECOMING IN

PRODUCTION AND WE HAVE SUCH

NEW GOOD WAYS OF FARMING THAT

THE CONSERVATION IS STILL

THERE, IT ISN'T

JUST IN A THING SO

IT'S WIN/WIN BUT I THINK

THERE'S OTHER WAYS THAT

THEY CAN LOOK AT IT.

IF IT'S PRODUCTIVE LAND

GET IT OUT THERE AND PUT

IT IN PRODUCTION 'CAUSE STALE

LAND IS NOT GOOD FOR WILDLIFE

IN MY POINT OF VIEW IS AS

IT BECOMES STALE IT BECOMES

JUST ISN'T GOOD FOR WILDLIFE,

YOU KNOW, PRETTY SOON THEY'RE

ALL IN OUR TREES,

IN OUR HAYSTACKS,

CRP 'CAUSE IT'S STALE SO,

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THEY'VE

TRIED TO ADDRESS THAT SO I

THINK THERE'S CIRCUMSTANCES

WHERE IT'S GOOD AND BAD SO

I WOULDN'T PUT A GOLD STAR

ON A WIN/WIN.

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [BOB] AND I THINK

NRCS HAS ADDRESSED THAT

PRETTY EFFECTIVELY WITH

WHAT THEY CALL A CONTINUOUS

CRP SIGN-UP AND SAFE,

S-A-F-E, SAFE CRP

WHERE IT'S TARGETED

FOR SPECIFIC WILDLIFE

SPECIES IN CERTAIN AREAS,

CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

SO IT'S NOT BROAD BRUSH

ACROSS THE STATE OF MONTANA,

I THINK YOU'D AGREE,

KENT, IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE

SAY YOU'RE IN THE GOLDEN

TRIANGLE AROUND GREAT FALLS

WHICH I THINK THIS QUESTION

CAME FROM GREAT FALLS AND

TAKE GOOD WHEAT GROUND OUT

OF PRODUCTION AND PUT A

SMALL SEGMENT, 'CAUSE YOU CAN

ACTUALLY GET, YOU CAN ATTRACT

WILDLIFE INTO AN AREA SAY

TO NEST AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW

DUCKS IF YOU ATTRACT THEM

INTO A SMALL ENOUGH CHUNK OF

HABITAT ON THE LANDSCAPE THAT'S

BARREN ALL THE WAY AROUND

YOU CAN ACTUALLY CREATE WHAT

WE CALL A SINK OR A REDUCTION

OF BIRD POPULATIONS JUST

BECAUSE IT'S EASIER FOR A

PREDATOR TO SEARCH THAT HABITAT

AND FIND THOSE NESTS.

- [KENT] YEP, ABSOLUTELY.

- [BOB] SO YOU WANT TO

WORK IN BIGGER BLOCKS

AND THAT'S SOMETHING

THAT WE LOOK AT FROM

A MACRO SCALE, WHAT I REFER

TO AS 30,000 FOOT PERSPECTIVE

IS HEY, WHAT ROLE DOES THIS

PARTICULAR AREA OF THE STATE

PLAY IN, IN MY CASE, NORTH

AMERICA'S WATERFOWL PRODUCTION.

- [KENT] AND CROP

PRODUCTION, TOO.

- [BOB] YEAH.

- [KENT] I AGREE.

- [BOB] BUT WE HAVE

GONE DOWN, I MEAN CRP

I THINK WE TOPPED OUT IN

2006 AT 3.6 MILLION ACRES

AND WE'RE DOWN BELOW

1.9 MILLION ACRES OF CRP

NOW IN MONTANA AND

THAT'S A HUGE LOSS WHEN

YOU LOOK AT STARTING TO

APPROACH 50% LOSS OF THAT

TYPE OF GRASSLAND.

- [TOBY] DO YOU THINK THAT

THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE

IN WATERFOWL AND WILDLIFE

POPULATIONS SINCE THEY'VE KIND

OF CHANGED THE ORIGINAL

CRP USED TO SEEM TO BE JUST

CRESTED WHEAT GRASS AND YOU

SAW THAT ALL ACROSS MONTANA

AND NOW YOU SEE THAT, YOU

KNOW, YOU'RE SEEING MORE

SPECIES OF GRASSES AND

FORBES IN THOSE MIXES BECAUSE

IT'S COMPETITIVE, DO YOU

SEE MORE WILDLIFE SHOWING UP

IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE OF

THAT OR DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S

JUST THE COVER?

- [BOB] TYPICALLY, I THINK,

IF YOU'VE GOT A GOOD MIX OF

GRASSES BUT ONE OF THE

THINGS THAT OVER THE LAST FEW

YEARS, KENT'S TAUGHT ME, IS

FROM A RANCHING PERSPECTIVE

I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME

CRESTED WHEAT ON THE PROPERTY

THAT YOU--

- [KENT] WE DO.

- [BOB] GRAZE AND YOU ALWAYS

SAY THAT'S A GOOD THING

TO HAVE BECAUSE WHEN YOU

FIRST TURN OUT WHAT USED TO BE

YEARLINGS YOU COULD HIT THAT

EARLY, IT GRAINS UP, THE FORAGE

QUALITY IS PRETTY GOOD AND,

I THINK, FROM A WILDLIFE

PERSPECTIVE MORE IMPORTANTLY

IS IT TAKES PRESSURE OFF

YOUR NATIVES, THE NATIVES

ARE ALLOWED TO GO TO SEED

AND THEY'RE NOT HIT EARLY.

AND, KENT, YOU'RE MORE OF

AN EXPERT ON THAT THAN I AM.

- [KENT] OH, I BELIEVE IN

THAT ADAMANTLY, YOU KNOW,

IN OUR COUNTRY IT'S ALMOST

LATE MAY BEFORE WE START TO SEE

THE WESTERN THOSE TYPE OF

GRASSES START TO GREEN UP AND

GET TO WHERE, YOU KNOW,

YOU CAN'T GRAZE 'EM, I HAVE

A THEORY, YOU HAVE TO LET IT

GET BIG ENOUGH THAT YOU WON'T

HURT IT, IF YOU GRAZE IT DOWN

TO THE FLOOR YOU'LL NEVER,

YOU'LL HURT THAT GROUND ALL

THE TIME AND SO WE, WE DO

HAVE SOME CRESTED WHEAT GRASS.

IT'S OLD FARM GROUND THAT

WAS SEEDED IN 40 YEARS AGO

INTO CRESTED, IT'S NOT AS

PRODUCTIVE AS IT USED TO BE

BUT I THINK WE CAN WORK

THROUGH IT, THE EASEMENT IS

DETRIMENT THAT WE CAN'T

GO IN AND TEAR IT UP AND

RE-SEED IT, WE NEED TO, WE

NEED TO DO IT A DIFFERENT

WAY AND WE'LL FIND A DIFFERENT

WAY TO DO THAT BUT IT

DOES TAKE PRESSURE OFF OF

THAT AND LEAVE THE NATIVE

GROUND IN THOSE POTHOLES

AROUND THOSE POTHOLES,

'CAUSE MOST OF THIS GROUND

IS NOT POTHOLED GROUND

AND IT'LL LEAVE THAT GROUND

TO WHERE THEY CAN DO THEIR

NESTING AND THE CATTLE REALLY

DON'T EVEN HIT THAT AREA

VERY MUCH SO IT, I

THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.

WE NEED COOL AND WARM SEASON

GRASSES IN OUR COUNTRY

AND THEN WE TRY TO GET OFF AS

QUICK AS WE CAN IN THE FALL

SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE CATTLE

OFF OF THERE, TOO, TO LEAVE

AT LEAST AT 30-50%

RESIDUAL AND THAT'S GOOD

FOR THE HABITAT, WE'VE, I'VE

LEARNED A LOT FROM BOB, TOO.

- [BARRY] THE OLD SAYING

"TAKE HALF, LEAVE HALF."

- [KENT] THAT'S, EXACTLY.

- [JACK] SOUNDS GOOD.

- [KENT] THOSE WHO DON'T

DO IT THE NEXT YEAR

IT, YOU CAN'T GRAZE IT AS WELL.

- [BARRY] THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

- [JACK] OKAY, LET'S

MOVE OVER TO BARRY,

ANOTHER QUESTION

FROM SHOTO, HOW OFTEN

DO THEY NEED TO ROTATE

THEIR POTATO PATCH

AND WHAT WOULD YOU

SUGGEST THEY ROTATE WITH?

- [BARRY] WELL, POTATO

IS A MEMBER OF THE PLANT

FAMILY SOLANACEAE, SO

TOMATOES, EGGPLANTS, PEPPERS

ARE IN THAT FAMILY SO YOU

CAN ROTATE WITH ANY OTHER

VEGETABLE CROP, THE

CUCURBITACEAE, YOUR SQUASHES OR

CUCUMBERS, SPINACH IS A

CHENOPODIACEAE, ANY OF THE

LEGUMES ARE WONDERFUL AND

IDEALLY YOU'D LIKE TO NOT

HAVE POTATOES ON A PIECE

OF GROUND MORE THAN ONCE

IN THREE YEARS, THERE'S A

NUMBER OF CELL-BORN DISEASES.

THE OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT

THING IS DON'T SAVE YOUR OWN

POTATOES, BUY NEW CERTIFIED

SEED THAT'S DISEASE FREE

AND WITH A THREE YEAR ROTATION

YOU'LL SEE THE BENEFITS.

- [JACK] ABSOLUTELY.

- [TOBY] WELL ANOTHER THING,

TOO, IS IF YOU'RE GROWING

POTATOES IN THE SAME SPOT YEAR

AFTER YEAR YOU'RE DEPLETING

THE NUTRIENTS, ESPECIALLY

PHOSPHORUS IN THOSE SOILS

AND THAT CAN BE AN

ISSUE IN SOME GARDENS.

- [BARRY] WELL, ONE OF THE

THINGS A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK

POTATOES ARE LIKE OTHER

CROPS, THEY'RE DEEP ROOTED.

THEY'RE GONNA BASICALLY GET

THEIR WATER AND NUTRIENTS

OUT OF ABOUT A FOOT OF SOIL.

- [JACK] ON THAT NOTE, AND

THE SARE PROGRAM, THERE WAS

A THERE SARE GRANT TO SIGNED

THIS YEAR AT MSU, DAVE SANDS,

TO LOOK AT REDUCING THE GLYCEMIC

INDEX WHICH SPIKES BLOOD

PRESSURE AND THAT WAS A SARE

GRANT WHAT, TWO, THREE YEARS

AGO I BELIEVE.

- [KENT] MAYBE FOUR

OF FIVE YEARS AGO.

- [JACK] FOUR OR FIVE

YEARS AGO THERE'S--

- [BARRY] I'M ON THAT.

- [JACK] IT'S INNOVATIVE.

- [KENT] IT IS.

- [BARRY] AND THAT HAS TO DO

WITH STRAIGHT CHAIN STARCHES

VERSUS BRANCH STARCHES,

MOST POTATOES HAVE A STARCH

THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS AND WE

DIGEST STARCH FROM THE ENDS.

- [JACK] YEAH.

- [BARRY] IF IT'S ONE STRAIGHT

CHAIN YOU CAN ONLY NIBBLE

WITH THE ENDS.

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [BARRY] SO WE CAN ENJOY OUR

POTATOES AND NOT PAY FOR IT.

(LAUGHING)

- [JACK] ALL RIGHT, TOBY, THIS

REPORT CAME FROM BILLINGS,

THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT THE

EMERALD ASH BORER WILL BE

IN THE STATE IN THE NEXT COUPLE

YEARS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

- [TOBY] I DON'T THINK SO.

THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN

REALLY SEE THAT COMING INTO

MONTANA IS FROM FIREWOOD

THAT IS MOVED FROM AN AREA

THAT HAS GREEN ASH AND THAT

GREEN ASH IS MOVED HERE,

AND EVEN IF IT IS RIGHT NOW

OUR RECOMMENDATION IS, IS NOT

TO WORRY ABOUT IT AT

THIS POINT IN TIME.

UNTIL IT GETS INTO THE STATE,

AGAIN, LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS

AT THIS TREE SCHOOL THAT I

WENT TO ABOUT TRYING TO PROTECT

TREES AT THIS POINT IN TIME

WHICH, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO

SAY IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE

GIVING, YOU KNOW, CHEMOTHERAPY

TO SOMEBODY THAT DOESN'T

HAVE CANCER, YOU KNOW, TO TRY

TO PREVENT CANCER, IT DOESN'T

MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SO

EXTENSION'S RECOMMENDATION

IS NOT TO TREAT FOR EMERALD

ASH BORER, HOWEVER, YOU STILL

CAN TREAT YOUR, FOR YOUR TREES,

AND THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION

FOR OTHER INSECTS THAT MAY HAVE

SOME CONTROL FOR EMERALD ASH

BORER IF IT COMES IN BUT I

WOULDN'T ADVISE IT, IT'S.

- [BARRY] WELL, I THINK WITH

TREES, THOUGH, TOBY, THERE

A LONG TERM THING, WE'RE

TALKING 30, 40, 50 PLUS YEARS

AND I LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE,

THIRD STREET IN BOSEMAN,

ASH, ASH, ASH, ASH, ASH, WE

NEED TO HAVE A DIVERSITY.

- [TOBY] YES.

- [BARRY] IN DIVERSITY YOU

HAVE STRENGTH, WE'VE GONE

THROUGH IT WITH

DUTCH ELM, ELM TREES.

- [TOBY] CHESHIRE BORER.

- [BARRY] A LOT OF DIFFERENT

THINGS SO I THINK IF PEOPLE

OR MUNICIPALITIES, FORESTERS

AND WHAT NOT, PLANT A DIVERSITY

OF THINGS THAT ARE

ADAPTED TO THAT AREA.

- [TOBY] WELL, AND I SHOULD

ALSO SAY THAT WE HAVE

FORESTER, URBAN FORESTERS

THROUGHOUT MONTANA,

WE'RE DOING A LOT OF

TRAINING ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR.

WE'RE HAVING THEM SEND IN

SAMPLES SO THAT WE CAN TEST

TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE

ACTUALLY HAVE IT BECAUSE

IN SOME OF THESE AREAS

THEY EXPECT, OR SUSPECTED

THAT THEY HAD EMERALD ASH

BORER FOR FIVE OR TEN YEARS

BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FOUND

IT AND SO WE ARE PROACTIVE

OUT THERE IN THE STATE LOOKING

FOR THIS AND I GUARANTEE

YOU WHEN WE DO FIND IT

YOU'LL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW.

- [JACK] OKAY, EARLIER IN

THE PROGRAM THE FARM BILL

CAME UP AND WE MENTIONED

THAT THERE WAS A PERCEIVED

CONFLICT BETWEEN PRODUCERS

MANY TIMES AND CONSERVATION

PROGRAMS, THERE'S AN ISSUE

WITH THE FARM BILL OR PART OF

THE FARM BILL THAT COUPLES

CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE TO THE

AVAILABILITY OF SUBSIDIZED CROP

INSURANCE AND I'M TOLD THAT

90% OF THE PRODUCERS ARE

UTILIZING SUBSIDIZED CROP

INSURANCE BY MAINTAINING

CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE.

WHAT IS CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE?

- [KENT] WELL, CONSERVATION

COMPLIANCE, THEY CHANGE

THE RULES ALL THE TIME.

- [JACK] RIGHT.

- [KENT] SO I THINK IT'S A LOT

OF RECORD KEEPING, IT'S A LOT

OF HERBICIDE PRODUCTION

RECORDS THAT YOU KEEP,

IT'S THE WAY YOU

FARM AND THE WAY YOU

TELL THE FSA OF HOW YOU

FARM, IF YOU'RE CHEMFO,

AND YOU KNOW RECREATION TILLAGE

THOSE TYPE OF THINGS AND I

THINK WE NEED TO EXTEND THAT

A LITTLE FARTHER, I'VE BEEN

TALKING, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN

ON SARE, I'M OPEN TO A LOT

OF THESE THINGS, OR HAVE

AVAILABILITY TO THE COVER

CROP CONFERENCES AND

THINGS TO ENHANCE THIS LAND

AND I AGREE THAT THEY'RE

GONNA TRY TO PUSH US TO TAKE

AWAY THAT SUBSIDY ON THE

CROP INSURANCE AND IF THEY

DO IT'S A HUGE DETRIMENT TO

AGRICULTURE IN MONTANA, WE

CAN GET RID OF THE OTHER

SUBSIDIES AND THAT'S FINE,

WE'LL PLAY OUR GAME, BUT THE

CROP INSURANCE, WE'RE OUT

THERE DOING A GOOD JOB

OF FERTILITY, WE'RE OUT

THERE PUTTING THE DOLLARS OF

THE INPUTS IN THE LAND AND

I THINK WITH THE COVER CROPS

WITH THE CHEMFO, WITH THE

ROTATIONS, I THINK THERE OUGHTA

BE BONUS SYSTEM, A POINTS

SYSTEM THAT WOULD ENHANCE THAT.

THAT WOULD HELP YOU GO

TOWARDS THE CROP INSURANCE.

I'M NOT SURE THEY'VE GOT TO

THAT POINT YET, BUT IT'S TIME

TO DO THAT.

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [BOB] YEAH, THERE IS A

PROVISION IN THE FARM BILL NOW

CALLED THE SOD SAVER

PROVISION AND, BASICALLY,

THAT ADDRESSES THE BREAKING

OUT OF NATIVE PRAIRIE

AND A LOT OF FOLKS BELIEVE

THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN

ON THE LANDSCAPE FOR 150

YEARS IN MONTANA FARMING

AND RANCHING, YOU KNOW, THE

BEST LAND, IF THERE'S GOOD

FARM LAND OUT THERE, IT'S

PROBABLY ALREADY BEEN BROKEN

OUT SO YOU'RE REALLY STARTING

TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS

TO FARM VERY MARGINAL,

SEMI-PRODUCTIVE GROUND SO WHAT

THE SOD SAVER PROVISION

IN THE FARM BILL SAYS IS,

"HEY, IT'S AMERICA. IT'S YOUR

LAND, IF YOU WANT TO BREAK

"IT OUT, DO IT," BUT DON'T

DO IT WITH, YOU FOREGO CROP

INSURANCE FOR A PERIOD OF

TIME AND IN MY MIND THAT'S

A LOT LIKE, WELL, IT FORCES

A FARMER TO MAKE SOUND

STEWARDSHIP DECISIONS

ON THEIR LAND.

IF YOU CAN DO IT WITHOUT

CROP INSURANCE, GREAT.

BUT IF YOU CAN'T, A LOT

OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT

THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER,

IT'S BASICALLY THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT INSURES THE

INSURERS THAT INSURE

THE LANDOWNER AND INSURE

THE PRODUCER AND ABOUT

75% OF THAT BILL IS PICKED

UP BY THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER,

SO, AGAIN, IT'S IF YOU'RE MAKING

GOOD STEWARDSHIP DECISIONS

ON THE LAND I THINK IT'S

GOING TO BE GOOD ALL THE WAY

DOWN THE LINE.

- [KENT] I AGREE.

- [BOB] FROM THE TAXPAYER ALL

THE WAY DOWN TO THE FARMER

AND THE AG ECONOMY AS A WHOLE.

- [JACK] I AGREE.

OKAY, I WAS CORRECTED,

THE GLYCEMIC INDEX EFFECTS

BLOOD SUGAR, NOT BLOOD PRESSURE.

SO, I'VE BEEN WRONG

BEFORE, I ADMIT IT.

BARRY, IF YOU NEED TO

ROTATE EVERY THREE YEARS,

HOW DOES IDAHO GET AWAY

WITH PLANTING POTATOES

YEAR AFTER YEAR, IF THEY DO?

- [BARRY] THERE'S A LOT OF

POTATOES, COMMERCIAL POTATOES

IN IDAHO THAT ARE MORE THAN

THREE YEAR ROTATIONS, THERE'S

SOME THAT ARE EVERY OTHER

YEAR, THEIR YIELDS REFLECT IT.

WE SEE HERE IN MONTANA

WITH OUR SECRET GROWERS

WE'LL SEE YIELD BENEFITS AND

QUALITY BENEFITS ALL THE WAY

UP THROUGH SIX AND SEVEN

YEARS OUT OF POTATOES

SO TRUST ME IN OUR FARM BACK

IN ILLINOIS, WHEN WE WENT

FROM A THREE YEAR TO A FOUR

YEAR ROTATION WE BUMPED

YIELDS AN EXTRA 10% SO

IT, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

- [JACK] ACTUALLY MANY OF

OUR PRODUCERS HERE IN THE

GALLATIN VALLEY ARE NOW FOUR

TO FIVE YEARS AREN'T THEY?

- [BARRY] YES, AND THEY'D,

IF THEY HAD ENOUGH AVAILABLE

LAND THEY'D GO FARTHER.

- [JACK] OKAY.

BOB, HOW RESTRICTIVE ARE DU

EASEMENTS AND THIS, AGAIN,

CAME FROM MALTA?

- [BOB] OKAY, DUCKS

UNLIMITED, WE DON'T DO A LOT

OF OUR OWN EASEMENTS.

- [JACK] OKAY.

- [BOB] WE RELY ON OTHER

PROGRAMS WHICH ARE SET UP

TO DO THAT, USDA IS A GOOD

EXAMPLE, FISH & WILDLIFE

SERVICE IS PROBABLY THE

GO-TO ONE, WE WORK A LOT

WITH THE FISH & WILDLIFE

SERVICE BOTH IN NORTH AND

SOUTH DAKOTA AS WELL AS

MONTANA AND THE REASON WHY

WE DO THAT, MULTIPLE REASONS,

BUT THE MAIN REASON IS

THAT THEY'RE VERY

RANCHER FRIENDLY.

BASICALLY YOU LOOK AT THE

TERM OF THE EASEMENT AND

I THINK THERE ARE

SIX RESTRICTIONS IN

ON GRAZING WHATSOEVER, THEY

RELY ON THE GOOD STEWARDSHIP

OF THE RANCHER TO

DICTATE STOCKING RIGHTS,

THE ONE RESTRICTION AS FAR

AS REMOVAL OF GRASS COVER IS

INVOLVED, THE ONE RESTRICTION

IS HAYING, HAYING CAN NOT

OCCUR UNTIL AFTER JULY 15TH

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE LOOK

AT THE PEAK OF NESTING FOR

DUCKS, PHEASANTS, SHARP TAILS,

AND AFTER JULY 15TH YOU HAVE

LESS OF A PROBABILITY OF

MOWING NESTS, THAT'S REALLY

ONE OF THE ONLY RESTRICTIONS

ON THE WETLANDS SIDE, BASICALLY

NOT DRAINING AND FILLING

WETLAND POTHOLES WHICH, FOR

A RANCHER, IS A GOOD SOURCE

OF NOT ONLY FORAGE AROUND

THAT WETLAND BUT ALSO

A STOCK WATER SUPPLY.

- [JACK] YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY, THIS PERSON FROM

MISSOULA'S CALLED BEFORE,

THEY HAVE A 7" LINDER

PINE WHICH IS BROWNING

AT THE TOP, IT WAS

PROFESSIONALLY SPRAYED BUT

"IT ISN'T LOOKING GOOD".

- [TOBY] OKAY.

- [JACK] CAN SHE DO

ANYTHING ELSE FOR THIS TREE?

- [TOBY] OH, IT COULD BE

A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT

THINGS AND I'M GUESSING

IT'S A LIMBER PINE,

WHICH IS, WOULD BE

COMMON TO MONTANA

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS

THAT CAN CAUSE TIP DIE BACK

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR

THIS IS, WHAT I WOULD DO

IS GIVE ME A CALL, WE CAN

WORK THROUGH THIS IF THEY'VE

CALLED A COUPLE TIMES

994-6523 IS MY OFFICE NUMBER

AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT

'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS

TO LOOK FOR.

NOW IF IT WAS COLORADO

SPRUCE THE TOP THREE INCHES,

WHITE PINE WEEVIL ALMOST IS

ALWAYS ACROSS THE STATE BUT

IN A PINE THAT MIGHT BE

A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

- [JACK] ALL RIGHT, I WANT TO

GET INTO A TOPIC THAT I THINK

IS REAL INTERESTING,

IT'S HOW CROPS HAVE

EVOLVED INTO MONTANA.

WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 1979,

WE USED TO GROW A LOT OF

SPRING WHEAT DOWN INTO

THE HARDIN AREA WITH 100

TEMPERATURES COMMON IN

SEPTEMBER OR IN JUNE NOW

DURING POLLINATION

WE CAN'T DO THAT.

YOU USED TO BE IN THE

NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE

STRICTLY SPRING WHEAT, NOW

YOU'RE INTO WINTER WHEAT.

WINTER WHEAT WITH THE

CANADIAN PROGRAM HAS BEEN

VERY BENEFICIAL FOR WILDLIFE.

WELL AND BETWEEN BOTH OF

YOU EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS

OF WINTER WHEAT OVER SPRING

WHEAT FOR WILDLIFE AND

ALSO HOW EXTENSIVE AND

HOW YOU GOT IT INTO CANADA

IN NORTHERN MONTANA.

- [KENT] WELL, WINTER WHEAT

IN OUR AREA, YOU KNOW WE LIVE

UP NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER

AND WE NEVER COULD GROW

WINTER WHEAT WORTH A DARN

BEFORE THE VARIETIES HAVE

COME SO FAR OF WINTER

HARDINESS THAT WE CAN, WE CAN

EVEN DETERMINE SEPTEMBER

TO OCTOBER AND THEN WE CAN

GO INTO A MORGAN OR SOME

TYPE OF WINTER WHEAT THAT'S

WINTER HARDIER YET IF WE

HAVE TO, IF WE CAN GET IT IN

THE GROUND, IT BREAKS

UP OUR ROTATION,

YOU KNOW, OF TIME

SEEDING, OF TIME SPRAYED,

THOSE TYPE OF THINGS

TO GET MORE WHEAT

IN THE GROUND IN THE SPRING

WE HAVE, WE'RE RIGHT THERE.

YOU GET THE FIRST OF

OCTOBER AND SEED IN WINTER,

SPRING WHEAT IN OUR COUNTRY

WILL BEAT IT, USUALLY,

98% OF THE TIME, BUT IT'S BEEN

A GOOD DEAL FOR COMBINING,

WE CAN COMBINE IN JULY,

YOU KNOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN

WE'RE COMBINING PEAS AND

WINTER WHEAT AND FLAX AND

THESE TYPE OF THINGS FOR

ROTATIONS AND IT'S GOOD FOR,

IT'S GOOD FOR OUR CATTLE,

IT'S GOOD FOR OUR GROUND,

IT'S GOOD FOR OUR DISEASE,

IT'S GOOD FOR THE HABITAT,

AND THE WILDLIFE, I

THINK IT'S A WIN/WIN.

- [JACK] CANADA, WE GROW

A LOT MORE WINTER WHEAT

IN CANADA NOW AND DU WAS

VERY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT,

YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN

HOW THAT OCCURRED?

- [BOB] RIGHT, YEAH, WE

WORKED WITH OUR STAFF

IN PRAIRIE, CANADA AS

WELL AS IN THE DAKOTAS

PRIMARILY WE WORKED

WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE

BEAR CROP SCIENCE TO

DEVELOP DIFFERENT STRAINS

OF WHEAT AND ALSO TO

PROMOTE THE PLANTING

OF WINTER WHEAT AND

AGAIN, AS YOU POINTED OUT,

EARLIER, JACK, THE,

WHEN THE BIRDS ARRIVE,

MIGRATORY BIRDS ARRIVE IN

THE SPRING IF YOU'RE LOOKING

AT ANYTHING OTHER THAN WINTER

WHEAT YOU TYPICALLY DON'T

HAVE A LOT OF COVER ON THE

GROUND WHEN THEY ARRIVE

IN THE SPRING, NOW THEY'VE

GOT SOME COVER AND SPECIES

LIKE PINTAIL, DUCK SPECIES

LIKE PINTAIL THAT REALLY LIKE

A FAIRLY SHORT GRASS

PRAIRIE TYPE SCENARIO AND

MONTANA'S PINTAIL HABITAT

MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE

YOU GET INTO THE DAKOTAS

AND A LOT OF MALLARD

AND TEAL BUT PINTAILS IN

MONTANA AND WHEN YOU LOOK

AT OTHER SPECIES OF DUCKS

THEY ALL KIND OF RESPOND

WHEN THERE'S WET CYCLES,

PINTAIL HAVE CONTINUED

KIND OF A LONG TERM DECLINE

SO THERE A SPECIES OF

CONCERN TO SAY THE LEAST

BUT THEY REALLY THRIVE ON

HABITATS THAT

INCLUDE WINTER WHEAT.

IT'S NOT A PANACEA, NATIVE

PRAIRIE, NATIVE GRASS IS STILL

MOST LIKELY THE BEST BUT

WINTER WHEAT IS A VERY

GOOD ALTERNATIVE IF YOU'RE IN

A HEAVILY CROPPED LANDSCAPE.

- [JACK] YOU KNOW, AND THE

OTHER THING THAT HAS HELPED

WINTER WHEAT AND WE TALKED

ABOUT THIS BEFORE IS GOING

INTO A NO-TELL SITUATION

AND IT WILL SURVIVE SO MUCH

NICELY, MUCH NICER IF

YOU HAVE SOME PROTECTION

FROM THE PREVIOUS CROP.

- [KENT] YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE

STUBBLE AND THE SEED TREAT--

- [JACK] YEAH.

- [KENT] THE SEED TREAT THAT

IS OUT THERE NOW IS QUITE

AN ENHANCEMENT TO THIS TO

THE SPRING AND WINTER WHEAT.

- [JACK] I AGREE.

FOLKS, WE'VE COME TO

KIND OF THE END OF OUR

PROGRAM AGAIN, NEXT

WEEK WE'RE GONNA HAVE

JESS ABER WITH DNRC HERE

TALKING ABOUT DROUGHT

COUNCIL FOR THE GOVERNOR

AND ALSO SOME WATER ISSUES

FOR MONTANA, I APPRECIATE

THE GUESTS THIS EVENING,

THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING.

ENJOYABLE AND THANK YOU FOR

CALLING IN THE QUESTIONS.

GOOD NIGHT.

- [VOICEOVER] MONTANA AG

LIVE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT

OF AGRICULTURE

THE MSU EXTENSION SERVICE

THE MSU AG EXPERIMENT STATION

THE MONTANA WHEAT

& BARLEY COMMITTEE

THE MONTANA BANKERS ASSOCIATION

THE MSU COLLEGE

OF AGRICULTURE AND

THE GALLATIN GARDENERS CLUB.