Author: Reilly Lowery

Snapchat was initially established in 2011 and within the last year or so, a few senators have jumped on the social messaging app popular with millennials. The lawmakers usually send multimedia messages, or snaps, themselves — as opposed to having their staffers do it — and they get pretty creative with what they send to followers. We asked a few avid senatorial Snapchatters about how they use the service. Montana Republican Steve Daines@stevedaines Established: Early 2016. Is it you Snapchatting? Yes. Why do you like having a Snapchat account? “The best part of Snapchat is that it is spontaneous, genuine, and it’s real. When I meet with young

The White House has released a budget blueprint that calls for deep cuts to USDA, sparking criticism from the MonDak’s Congressional delegates and its major farm groups. The budget released by President Donald Trump proposes a 21 percent spending cut to USDA discretionary spending.  The likely effect of such cuts include reductions in staff at USDA field offices, as well as to USDA-ARS research units, of which there are two in the MonDak, one in Sidney and the other in Minot.  Chris Christiaens, with Montana Farmer’s Union, said they haven’t yet reviewed the proposal in depth, but in general he

GREAT FALLS – Montana’s agriculture leaders recently met with Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) in Great Falls to talk about the future of the industry under the Trump Administration. Sen. Daines discussed a number of issues with ranchers, farmers and livestock owners at a roundtable discussion. A concern felt across the board was the future of trade for Montana’s agriculture industry and export opportunities under the new administration. “There’s so much uncertainty on the direction that we’re headed, we’re looking at renegotiating NAFTA — President Trump has pulled the U.S. out of TPP — both of those agreements,” said Montana Grain Growers

WASHINGTON — Sonny Perdue, President Donald Trump’s nominee for agriculture secretary, pledged to be a “tenacious advocate and fighter” for farmers within the administration and said he would try to address requests for help from dairy and cotton producers ahead of the next farm bill. Testifying at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday, Perdue promised to work with Robert Lighthizer, the nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to protect agriculture’s interests in upcoming trade negotiations. Perdue also distanced himself somewhat from Trump’s budget proposals and expressed support for easing financial restrictions on trade with

The state’s U.S. Senate delegation had a laundry list of concerns for former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, who was in the nation’s Capitol Thursday for confirmation hearings before the Senate Agriculture Committee. Three of Montana and North Dakota’s senators are members on the committee, Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D, Steve Daines, R-Mont. and John Hoeven, R-N.D., who is also chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. is not on the committee, but has been a vocal ag advocate, and did not let that stop him from pressing Perdue as well on topics of importance to the area.