Montana farming news, insights, and analysis covering the crops, markets, weather, and innovations shaping agriculture across Big Sky Country. This section of Montana Outdoor News focuses on the farmers who produce Montana’s wheat, barley, hay, pulses, and specialty crops, along with the equipment, irrigation systems, and agronomic practices that keep operations productive from the Hi-Line to the Yellowstone Valley.
Here you’ll find updates on Montana crop conditions, planting and harvest progress, market trends affecting grain and hay prices, drought and water outlooks, agricultural policy developments, and the technology transforming modern farming. We also highlight the challenges and opportunities facing Montana producers, including soil health, input costs, labor, and changing climate patterns.
Whether you’re a farmer, landowner, ag professional, or simply interested in the agricultural backbone of rural Montana, this category delivers timely reporting and practical insights on the people and operations driving Montana’s farming industry.
New weekly export sales numbers are giving grain markets fresh direction, and the headline for wheat is constructive. Reports indicate U.S. wheat export sales came in stronger than many traders expected, while corn continued a solid run and soybeans didn’t deliver the same kind of punch. Montana isn’t the Gulf Coast export corridor, but export […]
Fertilizer has been one of the most stubborn line items in farm budgets since the price spikes of the early 2020s. Now, reports indicate the U.S. Department of Justice is taking a closer look at the fertilizer industry, including concerns raised by farm groups about pricing and market concentration. For Montana producers—whether you’re raising spring […]
Grain and oil markets don’t feel like “Montana weather,” but they can move ranch and farm budgets just as fast as a dry May wind. Reports from national market watchers indicate corn and soybeans drifted lower overnight alongside crude oil, a reminder that energy markets still set the tone for a lot of ag commodities. […]
Montana producers are heading into another planning cycle with fertilizer still near the top of the worry list. Reports indicate the U.S. Department of Justice has been taking a harder look at fertilizer markets and pricing behavior, following complaints from farm groups about steep price swings and a highly concentrated industry. The investigation itself doesn’t […]
Montana producers have spent the last few seasons juggling high interest rates, volatile cattle markets, and weather that can turn on a dime. But for many grain and hay operations—especially those buying nitrogen and phosphate—one line item keeps landing near the top of the budget: fertilizer. Reports indicate federal officials are taking a closer look […]
Montana producers have been living with high input costs for several seasons, and fertilizer remains one of the biggest line items for anyone pushing yield on small grains, corn silage, irrigated pasture, or hay. Now, reports indicate the U.S. Department of Justice is taking a harder look at the fertilizer industry amid ongoing complaints from […]
Grain markets started the week with a familiar tailwind: energy. Reports from national market analysts indicate crude oil moved higher overnight, and soybeans followed with a noticeable pop. Corn often tags along when traders believe stronger energy demand could support ethanol margins and broader commodity sentiment. For Montana farmers and ranchers, the bigger question isn’t […]
Grain markets don’t always feel local in Montana, but price moves in soybeans, corn and winter wheat often ripple into what ranchers pay for feed, what farmers pencil out for rotations, and how lenders view risk. Reports indicate soybeans posted strong, double-digit gains in a recent afternoon session, while corn and winter wheat traded firm. […]
Thursday’s midday-to-afternoon grain trade featured a notable push higher in soybeans, with corn and winter wheat also holding firm, according to market recaps and trader chatter from the broader commodity complex. Montana doesn’t grow many soybeans compared to the Midwest, but soybean moves still matter here because soymeal is a key protein ingredient in many […]
Weekly U.S. export sales numbers can feel like a distant coastal story, but they often reach all the way to Montana’s grain bins, feedyards, and hay stacks. Recent reports indicate wheat export sales came in above many market expectations, while corn sales continued a strong pace and soybean volumes didn’t generate the same enthusiasm. For […]