Northern Great Plains Soil Crawl:

Join our final Soil Crawl of 2024! This special event will take place over two days in the badlands of eastern Montana. One day will be spent in the classroom, and one day will be in the field. Come join fellow land stewards to dig deeper and explore practical ways to assess soil, water, and invasive species in your own backyard whether that is a garden, farm or ranch!

Building soil health is different everywhere depending on a property’s existing soils, history, and microclimate. “Soil Crawls” are public events where we gather to explore the soil health on our members’ ranches and farms to learn what we could do to make improvements.

This event will focus on what producers can do to keep their operations sustainable and profitable over the long haul. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of what to include in land assessment needs, rangeland productivity, and strategies for managed grazing within a dryland or arid context.

The variable, complex landscape of the Aus Ranch provides a rich case study for attendees to learn from soil health experts and locals alike. We will be joined by Matt Ricketts of Triple R Bar S Consulting, Montana State University soil science professor Dr. Tony Hartshorn, and others!

Schedule:

Thurs., Sept. 19; 1-5 pm (classroom seminar)

Dawson Community College
Ullman Center Lecture Hall

300 College Dr.
Glendive, 59330

Includes an evening dinner catered by Black Sheep Market

Fri., Sept. 20; 9 am-3 pm (outdoor field day)
Aus Ranch
454 Road 544
Glendive, 59330
Includes a delicious BBQ lunch with beef donated by the Aus Ranch

Cost: $20 total for both days (includes one meal each day!)

*Schedule subject to minor changes

The Rising Tide of Consumer Demand is Propelling Regenerative Agriculture Markets

An increasing number of people are actively seeking out food options that are not only good for the planet but also benefit the well-being of farmers and ranchers, and local communities.

Regenerative agriculture is perfectly poised to meet these evolving consumer preferences. In fact, a recent survey conducted by The Hartman Group reveals that a whopping 68% of U.S. consumers prioritize regenerative agriculture practices when making their food purchases. With more and more individuals tuning in to the benefits, the movement is gaining momentum at an unprecedented rate. 

Don't Be Left Behind

This year’s Expanding Markets Conference will be held September 23rd-25th at the Big Horn Resort in Billings, Montana with a ranch tour and 2 full days of speakers, exhibitors, and networking.

Aero’s Mission:
Moving forward, we are growing resilient and reliable Montana food system for all Montanans, working in these three focus areas:

• Building consumer demand for Montana-grown food

• Building Montana market channels for Montana farmers and ranchers

• Building community knowledge, networks, and resources that strengthen Montana community food systems and webs.

2024 50th Annual Conference:

FRIDAY: Area Tours | Potluck Dinner & Cake Auction @ Billings First Congregational Church (BFCC)

SATURDAY: Speaker series, panel sessions, workshops  | Celebration Dinner & Dance @ Billings First Congregational Church

SUNDAY Morning: Annual Meeting, 33 x 33 Design Session @ Billings First Congregational Church

Our Expo 2024 theme is: #FutureGenMT: Designing a Path for the Well-Being of Montana’s Future Generations.

We chose this theme in honor of AERO’s founders’  clear commitment  to foster the development of sustainable communities for today and generations to come, and inspired by the book #FutureGen: Lessons from a Small Country by Jane Davidson. #FutureGen details how Wales passed the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act of 2015, the first country in the world to do so. 

Beyond Conservation: Connecting Communitites for Resilience in the Northern Great Plains

The Transboundary Grasslands Partnership's (TGP) purpose is to achieve better grasslands conservation outcomes by communicating, connecting, and collaborating across the TGP geography. TGP is a voluntary collaborative partnership working towards native grasslands conservation. The TGP provides a forum where transboundary jurisdictions and sectors work collaboratively to conserve and enhance native grassland landscapes. The TGP covers an expansive international area between Canada and the United States, including the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and a vast majority of northern Montana. 

Ranching For Profit Workshops - Two Locations!

November 14 - Lewistown

November 15 - Winnett

Join us for one or both days to learn how to improve profitability on your operation.

$20/person/day, includes lunch.