Powder River Examiner -

1-5 pm Broadus Community Center

By Powder River Extension Office

The most recent update to the rangeland grasshopper suppression program through APHIS is discouraging news with no increase in federal funding, according to Gary Adams, Director of Montana APHIS in an email shared Tuesday with Mary Rumph, MSU Extension, Powder River County Agent.

“I sincerely regret to inform you that funding for the USDA, APHIS, PPQ Grasshopper funding is much less than the projected need for the 17 western grasshopper states. As a result, I will need to make some tough decisions for Montana cooperators as the next couple weeks progress. I expect that this week’s warm weather will be triggering the first real flush of hatches across the state. I ask you to continue to keep a watchful eye out for the little ones and let us know what you see. We have our scouts out this week and will continue to monitor things to be ready for action for any areas we can assist with.”

Adams continued, “Some of the criteria I will use to prioritize our limited funding will be:

• Grasshopper populations (scouts are in our area this week)

• Size and contiguousness of blocks. Any block under 10,000 acres will certainly fall out of consideration at this point.

• Blocks and all the cooperators that have completed all of the required cooperative paperwork:

o Reimbursable agreement

o Letter of Request/Questionnaire

o Map shape files.

• Available contractors to do the work.”

“The first round of contracting closes this Thursday, which will give us a better idea of costs and available contractors. Traditional contracting on a block by block basis will be used for anything that doesn’t fall under an IDIQ contract. These contracts take an absolute minimum of a week from the time it is solicited until a plane(s) can be in place to do the work,” said Adams.

“Other than limited funding and uncertain contracting, we are also concerned with other logistical challenges. We’ve already heard that 100% of the hotel rooms are booked in places like Broadus. So, we may be begging for some places for employees to camp and use a bathroom in your areas. Please be thinking about options,” asked Adams.

Adams went on to explain, “The BLM NEPA period ends on June 6th and we will need to work quickly to determine level of participation starting immediately on the 7th. This is a cooperative program and I will take the responsibility to make tough choices based on your actions and feedback. I have grown to know so many remarkable Montanans through this process and promise that the APHIS staff will do everything we can to be prepared to do what we can, when the need exists, until funding runs out.”

At the final meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, June 8th from 1-5 pm, the decision to go forward with the program and on what scale will be made. In addition, finalizing maps will be paramount for blocking treatment areas throughout the county said Rumph.

“Please actively scout your fields for grasshopper populations and be prepared to protect those areas on your own. I’m afraid that waiting for a largescale program might not allow for the proper timing for optimum control. Protect those acres that are most valuable to you. Dimilin is very effective when used on immature grasshoppers and has a 30- day residual. I’ve heard success stories from a few producers in Powder River County who are already treating grasshoppers and Morman crickets with the product,” concluded Rumph.