Choteau County has a rich agricultural tradition that has transcended generations with many farm and ranch operations surpassing the century mark in recent years. This week, March 18-24, has been designated by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA) as National Ag Week. This Tuesday, March 20 was deemed to be National Ag Day.
Each year the ACA picks a theme for the week long celebration with many events taking place on National Ag Day. This years theme is “Agriculture: Food for Life”. About 100 college students will celebrate the week in Washington D.C. promoting the Ag Industry. Throughout the country Ag producers, associations, students and government organizations will celebrate Ag life.
The goal of the week is to help educate students and communities to better understand how food and fiber products are produced and become more appreciative of the ag communities role in everyday life, regardless of where you live.
This year we have had a head scratcher of a winter and the road ahead seems paved with more questions than answers. Significant snowfall and cold through January and February has continued deep into March, hindering calving operations and pushing back any thoughts of farmers getting in their fields. In true Montana fashion our local farmers and ranchers will find a way to get the job done and we certainly all appreciate that.
The Ag Industry is the backbone of the local economy and is easily recognizable with the many grain elevators and wheat, barley, oats and or a number of other grains covering fields stretching as far as the horizon.
The Choteau County Fair includes many livestock and farm related entries from the very young to the very experienced. The 4H and FFA Livestock Sale highlights the abilities of the next generation to produce quality for years to come.
As a student growing up in Chouteau County all in some way end up involved, at some point, in the farming and ranching business. Whether its a branding, a sale, picking hay bales, driving a truck or whatever is needed everyone is affected by the trends in the ag community.
