by Ravalli County Right to Farm and Ranch Board members— Al Babel, Haydon Davis, Joann Hosko, Howard Lyons, Alan Maki, Jay Meyer, Kimberly Richardson (ex-officio), Darrel Sperry, Cherie Turnbull
The Ravalli County Right to Farm and Ranch board has a wonderful track record of supporting agriculture in Ravalli County. From spearheading the popular Ravalli County Open Lands Program to encouraging our local schools to start FFA chapters (which several have) with stunning enrollments. We have also pushed to not only invest in agricultural research and education with Montana State University (MSU) via the Western Agricultural Research Station (WARC), but even expanding it, diversifying our local agriculture and its opportunities. Meanwhile, WARC and MSU have been fundraising to reach a 300 thousand dollar “match” toward constructing a new modern laboratory/research/office/educational outreach building.at the Western Agricultural Research Center (WARC) in Corvallis.
In 2021, Montana’s 67th Legislature passed House Bill 14, providing state capital project funding to improve Montana University System infrastructure, including the new WARC facility. It was originally budgeted for 1.2 million dollars with the authority to raise 300 thousand dollars for a 1.5 million dollar total. Currently, the legislature is in the process of adding inflationary budgeting amounts to previously passed building projects across the state, such as the Corvallis facility.
Over 100 years ago the WARC was established to help growers in Western Montana. Although there have been booms and busts we will always have beautiful productive farms and fields (thank you Open Lands Program). We will certainly have another generation lined up to take the reins of our farms (thank you FFA program) and there will always be interest in growing new crops by our farmers when feasible (thank you WARC). As a community we have a lot to gain by the investment that MSU and the State of Montana want to make in us. Just imagine!
We highly encourage members of our community that appreciate local fruits, and vegetables and productive open fields, orchards and vineyards to consider the value of this important horticultural research that is being performed here to benefit our region.
To help support this investment in our community see the following links, or better yet call up the WARC directly (1-406-961-3025) to learn about the great horticultural research they are doing and how you can help our valley thrive! Thank you!
https://www.msuaf.org/give-warc
Checks: MSU Alumni Foundation; Memo: 93627 – Western Ag Research Center Improvements
Mailing address: MSU Alumni Foundation, PO Box 172750, Bozeman, MT 59717