U.S. Department of Agriculture

A judge dismisses a challenge to the 2024 initiative that enshrined abortion access in Montana’s Constitution; The BLM revokes bison grazing permits for American Prairie reserve; USDA grants an extension for rural water system program.

The Roadless Rule is back on the chopping block. And what happens next could have really big implications for Montana, the region, and the country – for grizzlies, for other endangered species, and for entire ecosystems. What do we lose, or gain, when our bedrock environmental regulations go away, along with public input on how it all happens?

Surging fuel and fertilizer costs due to the Iran war are hitting Montana farmers hard this spring. This comes on top of cost increases for machinery, labor and gas already in effect. Local producers are coping with the financial strain and looking to legislation aimed at alleviating it, for both farmers and consumers.

The federal government says it will give farmers $12 billion in aid payments early next year. State agriculture leaders are torn on the plan.

After months of pleading from the nation’s agricultural sector, the federal government says farmers and ranchers will get much needed financial aid at the end of the year. Numerous federal policy changes this year led to record-high costs for things like fertilizer and equipment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that it’s partially reopening local offices that help farmers get federal financial support. That’s happening as Montana’s farmers say they’re on the brink of disaster.

More than six million acres of Montana forests could be opened up to road development under a new proposal from the Trump administration. Public comment on the proposal is open until September 19.

A U.S. Forest Service office in Missoula will close as part of President Donald Trump’s push for consolidation. A department memo says all nine regional offices will be phased out over the next year.

Montana’s Food Bank Network is slated to lose $400,000 worth of food from a federal program intended to provide emergency food assistance to low-income populations. That’s according to the food bank network President Gayle Carlson, who said she learned of their financial loss on March 21.

President Donald Trump is slashing the Department of Education’s workforce. MTPR’s Austin Amestoy speaks with Montana Superintendent of Schools Susie Hedalen to learn how public education in Montana may be impacted.