Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A . C O M 69 SOLAR FOR LIFE THE CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTION FOR HOME & BUSINESS Harness energy from the sun to reduce and stabilize your energy costs for decades at prices less than you currently pay. • Offset up to 100% of annual electrical consumption by net-metering solar electricity back to the grid • Become energy self-sufficient by adding batteries and buffering yourself from grid instability or the high cost of running grid power to remote locations • Let the sun power your commute by using solar energy to offset the energy used by your electric vehicle • Contribute to a more secure electrical grid in Montana by generating cost-effective, clean electricity in your community info@onsiteenergyinc.com | 406 551 6135 619 North Church Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59715 It is important to recognize that food production — Montana's largest industry — is not likely to go out of style. In fact, the U.S. agricultural industry is a growing field. However, the employment growth is expected to happen in the science of agricul- tural production and processing, rather than food production. e U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment growths of 8-11% by 2022 in the fields of soil, plant, and animal science and technology, but as much as a 20% decline in the need for farm- ers, ranchers, and other agricultural laborers. As the industry transitions to a more technology and science based environment, Montana will, too, transition to being a place where rural communities are places that support highly tech-based agricultural production. Perhaps Montana can even be- come a pioneer of agricultural research and innovation, emerging as the Silicon Valley of large-scale commodity production. HOW IMPORTANT ARE CONSERVATION EASE- MENTS AND LAND TRUSTS TO THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION OF FARMS AND RANCHES? Conservation easement and, more generally, land ownership issues are a highly controversial topic and are often very case-specific. In each case, it is important to understand the economic trade-offs between private and public welfare of an easement as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of private or public land management. Experimentation in this area, including the American Prairie Reserve effort, provides innovative attempts to link together private and public lands through identifying the needs to conserve and respect ecology and wildlife while providing private farms and ranches through profitable enterprises. IN WHAT WAYS CAN FARMERS AND RANCHERS BEST COPE WITH CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT TO CON- TINUE THEIR WAY OF LIFE? Farmers and ranchers must continually pursue innovation and learning about the dynamic and constantly changing produc- tion, marketing, and policy environments. An increasing number of farmers and ranchers have college degrees, understand effective ways to use technology for infor- mation gathering and analysis, and have a deeper knowledge of the global nature of the agricultural industry. ese are becom- ing a necessary condition to be competitive in production agriculture, but they are not sufficient to remain sustainable in the face of increasingly uncertain climate, geopolitical, and market conditions. A passion for the ag- ricultural way of life must be complemented by a passion for being a life-long learner and innovator. QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY ERIC BELASCO (RANCHING SPECIALIST) AND ANTON BEKKERMAN (FARMING SPECIALIST) Eric Belasco received his Ph.D. (in Economics) from North Carolina State University. He joined the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University in 2001 and now focuses on research related to agricultural policy, cattle markets, risk management, and financial engineering. He is currently working on projects, such as the economic viability of biodegradble mulches and the delivery of organic crop insur- ance. He moved from Lubbock, TX in 2011 with his wife, Megan, and their three kids. Dr. Anton Bekker- man joined the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University in 2009 after complet- ing his PhD at North Carolina State University. Bekkerman's primary areas of research are grain marketing, understanding how grain prices are affected by changes in supply chain infrastructures and quality demands, and analyzing the economic trade-offs of adopting alternative dryland cropping systems in Montana. One of his current projects is an investigation of how new grain loading technolo- gies are affecting prices that Montana farmers receive for their wheat. CONTINUED

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