News and analysis related to Montana and the northern Great Plains.
Tracking COVID-19 in Rural America
Coronavirus has been directly affecting U.S. communities for approximately two months. The majority of the…
Browsing: News & Posts
COVID-19 and Commodity Prices
This analysis examines changes in September 2020 agricultural commodity futures prices (hard red spring wheat,…
Economic Recession Impacts on Cattle Markets: Lessons from 2008
The past several weeks have been unusual and uncertain, to put it mildly. The COVID-19…
Preventing an Economic Plague
The Coronavirus is bringing economic calamity to every corner of the country. Unemployment claims in…
Being there for each other by staying apart: Coronavirus and social distancing
We are starting to contend with COVID-19 in the United States. Ag markets have fallen…
The Cobell Settlement: A $600 Million Land Purchase
Three years ago, I wrote a post about a $280 million dollar Agricultural Land Purchase…
The Role of Reclamation in Managing Coal’s Decline
The Trump administration has made every effort to arrest the decline of coal in the…
Major Box Store Retailer: Friend or Foe?
Wal-Mart’s presence in rural and urban communities is rising.[1] In Montana, there are currently 16…
Montana Wheat and Barley Planted Varieties: A Visual Overview for 2019
Wheat and barley are two of the most economically important crops produced in Montana. Buyers…
2020 Presidential Candidates: Stances on U.S. Agricultural Issues
I must admit: I’ve been wanting to post about this topic for a while, but…