Powder River County

Powder River County is a rural, agricultural county of 3,297 square miles, located in southeastern Montana. The town seat of Broadus is 90 miles from Miles City, Montana, Belle Fourche, South Dakota and Gillette, Wyoming. The major highways 59 and 212 intersect at Broadus. An average of 3,000 cars and trucks pass through the community each day. Just 458 people live in Broadus; an additional 1,725 live in Powder River County. We have more cows than people with a ratio of about 50 cows for every person. Approximately 65% of the land is privately held and 35% is public land, primarily BLM and the Custer National Forest. Agriculture, outdoor recreation such as hunting and guiding for deer, elk, antelope and turkey, oil production and government agencies make up our economy. 2024 was a year of changes for the agents of Powder River County. Julie Riley and Mary Rumph retired in June 2024, after providing Extension services for 33 years and 39 years respectively. Current agent Jackie Beardsley joined MSU Extension Powder River County in July 2024.

4-H/Youth Development: Youth Build Geospatial Skills in Powder River County

Rural Montana youth deserve the same learning opportunities and experiences as youth in larger more populated areas. By partnering with the Airforce Office of Scientific Research and Montana State University Science Math Resource Center, MSU Extension Powder River County offered those opportunities.

Nine local youth learned about maps for analysis and navigation, collecting and analyzing aerial photos from kites, satellites, drones and airplanes, remote sensing and geospatial analysis tools. During the week, one student learned to scout several areas at his ranch for grasshoppers and created a map of where the population exceeded thresholds and where control measures should be initiated. His goal is to use his drone and ArcGIS to map fences on his ranch. “I’m available for hire,” he said with a grin.

Five attendees of the Geospatial Skills Camp went on to attend GIS Day on the MSU campus, furthering their understanding of geospatial skills, and receiving a personal drone to continue developing their new skill set. Of those students, one brought his mapping of their ranch to the county fair and demonstrated to a judge how he applied his geospatial skills to his aerospace project. This youth opportunity was offered through the dedication of three retiring community members, the two MSU Extension agents leading the program who retired at the end of June, and the local science teacher who retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. There is no age limit on learning a new skill and Powder River County is lucky to have lifelong learners and teachers.

Caption: Clint Pedersen, CM Thermal & Fire, shows the Geospatial Camp participants the camera view while flying his drone.

Credit: MSU Extension Powder River County

Community Vitality in Powder River County

In MSU Extension, we often see impacts in short timelines. But in the case of Big Sky, Big Leadership 2022, sponsored by MSU Extension and the Powder River Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, the impact took a bit longer. This program revitalized the Powder River Area Economic Development Council, which in 2024 completed a face lift on a building at the major town intersection, restoring the paint on an old Texaco station to its original colors. This council also applied for and received a 2.5-million-dollar Montana Pilot Tourism grant, becoming the first Southeastern community to receive this grant and work with a local steering committee to develop funding spending.

The Powder River Area Economic Development Council also applied for and received a Montana Main Street grant, bringing another $30,000 to our community. A community survey is being done to determine how to develop the main street in a way that serves the community that lives, works and plays here. The council is applying to become a Heart and Soul community and offer a 2024-2025 Big Sky, Big Leadership program for local leaders.

MSU Extension serves an integral role in the council, assisting with programming, facilitating meetings and assisting with grant writing and deliverables. This community funding would not have been possible without MSU Extension Powder River County and the work of the MSU Extension Community Vitality team to bring Big Sky, Big Leadership to our rural communities.

Caption: 2022 Big Sky, Big Leadership participants share the different personality types that leaders must account for.

Credit: MSU Extension Powder River County

Agriculture in Powder River County

In January, the annual Extension Ag Winter Series had 75 producers attend the program. Topics included the biology of grasshoppers and rangeland treatment program through APHIS, livestock pests, behavioral health and stress reduction and drought mitigation tools. Three private applicator credits were available to participants. Drought mitigation tools included information on weather stations being installed across Southeastern Montana. These weather stations are a part of the Upper Missouri River Basin (UMRB) Project and provide soil moisture, snowpack moisture and other weather measurements currently unavailable through existing weather station networks in Montana. In September, the Powder River County Extension Agent assisted the Montana Mesonet Development Manager in connecting with three Powder River County producers to assess potential weather station sites for the UMRB 2024 station goals.

Caption: New potential weather station site to be assessed in 2025

Credit: Jackie Rumph

Family and Consumer Sciences in Powder River County

The Eating Smart Being Active Air Fryer Series began in January with an average of 11 people attending and included a new audience for Extension programs. Participants learned how to cook healthy foods using an air fryer. The course was taught via zoom by another MSU Extension Agent and funded by a $5000 Powder River Community Endowment Fund grant. Nutrition topics included being more physically active and shopping on a budget. In March, current participants of the virtual class and the community joined MSU Extension Custer County’s agent for an in-person, hands-on cooking class. Participants learned the practical application of air fryers by testing recipes and testing the provided air fryers before purchasing or testing theirs at home. The kind of partnerships provide essential healthy living programs in Powder River County.

Caption: Extension presents to Powder River County residents on air fryer use, as they prepare for the hands-on portion.

Credit: MSU Extension Powder River County

Contact

P.O. Box 200
Broadus, MT 59317
406-436-2424
https://www.montana.edu/extension/powderriver/