Custer County

Miles City, located in Custer County, serves as the economic hub for much of Southeastern Montana. With 8,500 of the 11,700 people in Custer County residing in Miles City, the bulk of the land in the county is rangeland with a portion of the county along the Yellowstone and Tongue rivers producing irrigated crops.

Custer County MSU Extension is a non-formal educational program designed to help people use research-based knowledge to improve their lives. The primary mission of MSU Extension is to bring information from the land-grant university to the people of Montana. Our program includes traditional activities like Winter Series, Arthritis Exercise, and 4-H project workshops and contests, with educational delivery through web-based platforms including WebEx, virtual and in-person meetings. In 2023, MSU Extension in Custer County offered 4-H, Family and Consumer Science and Agriculture programs.

4-H & Youth Development

4-H Shooting Sports national competitors in Custer County

Shooting Sports in Custer County continued to flourish in 2023. The shooting sports five disciplines (air pistol, air rifle, shotgun, archery and small bore) serve more than 50 participants. The pistol program began in 2017, has more than 30 participants, and has some of the most competitive shooters in the nation from Custer County. Two participants made it to 4-H nationals with small-bore 22 pistols. Three members competed at the Junior Olympics with air pistols. Three participants were invited to compete at Olympic trials this fall. This program is made possible by 4-H volunteers, who give more than 800 hours of mentorship during the season, in addition to time and travel for 4-H members to compete at a national level.

Custer County 4H pistol shooters competing for a spot on the USA Olympic team in Georgia.

Caption: Custer County 4H pistol shooters competing for a spot on the USA Olympic team in Georgia.

Credit: Merle Blankenship

Family & Consumer Science

Strong People Strong Bones

In the spring of 2023, MSU Extension Custer County offered the Strong People Strong Bones program to the community of Miles City. By offering this program over the noon hour in a central location, many attendees could walk to class. Fourteen participants began the 12-week course, and 10 completed the course, which continues to meet the needs of participants by offering opportunities for growth, learning, engagement, and interaction. Participants engaged in physical activity within their community, and built their strength, balance, and connections to each other.

Woman holding weights in the air

Caption: Holding weights in the air.

Credit: Jessica Blankenship

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Improving Forage Nitrate Risk Assessment

Quick evaluation of forage nitrates has been a service provided by MSU Extension agents to Montana producers for many years. This testing service greatly impacts livestock producers of Custer County, with more than $1 million in forage value analyzed during the 2019 – 2022 growing seasons.

Custer County MSU Extension Agent Mike Schuldt presented information to more than 300 producers during the Southeast Montana Winter Series in January of 2023 on the development of testing procedures as well as options and strategies for managing nitrate risk. Input from producers indicated that more education and services are needs. Custer County MSU Extension began utilizing an ion-specific electronic meter during the 2022 growing season and found the new technology holds promise for accurately evaluating nitrate toxicity risk in Montana forages.

For the 2023 growing season, a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education grant was awarded to purchase five electronic nitrate meters for multiple MSU Extension offices to further evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of field nitrate meters. Through the leadership of Custer County MSU Extension, agents are conducting parallel analysis on grower-submitted samples utilizing the water strip nitrate test and the meter. A representative portion of every sample submitted for laboratory analysis for growers is retained at each office and evaluated with the meter. The outcome of this project will improve efficiency and accuracy of nitrate evaluation for producers needing this service from county MSU Extension offices.

Nitrate Ion Meter