Blackfeet Reservation

Blackfeet Indian Reservation, in northern Montana from the Medicine Line (Canadian Border) along Glacier National Park, now called the Blackfeet Nation/Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The Blackfeet People were historically a hunting and gathering society. They followed the buffalo and moved camp seasonally. The bands gathered many plants and herbs for food and medicinal purposes. They hunted the big game like deer, elk, moose, beaver, and other animals for food and ceremonial purposes. The Blackfeet People are still tied to the land for survival and cultural reasons (Spoonhunter, 2001). The Blackfeet Reservation encompasses 1.5 million acres, 3000 square miles, in two counties, Glacier and Pondera. Today the Blackfeet Reservation economy is based on livestock, grain and forage production, oil and gas production, fishing, and forest industries. The primary industry is agriculture. Crop and forage production accounts for almost half of the market value of agricultural goods sold annually in the Blackfeet Nation. The majority of the 490,000 acres of croplands are associated with unirrigated dryland production with approximately 60,000 acres irrigated. The most significant crops are wheat (132,824 acres), hay (68,180 acres), and barley (52,710 acres) followed by feed crops for hay, haylage and grain. There are approximately 1,014,000 acres of grazing lands. Cattle, including calves 65,406, hogs 83,394, followed by sheep, goats and poultry. The Blackfeet Reservation also supports 5,000 horses. Farms and ranches are owned and operated by 800 agricultural operators, of which 53 percent are Blackfeet tribal members. During the 2017 Census, there were 10,938 Blackfeet People living on the reservation, representing 83% of the total population. The Blackfeet Reservation has the greatest population of tribal members in Montana with a current population of 15,560 on the Blackfeet Reservation and 7,000 members living close to and outside of the Reservation. Youth under the age of 18 represent 31.5 percent of the Blackfeet People

4-H Growing Our Future Leaders

We believe in the power of youth and that every child has valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world around them. 4-H empowers young people with the skills to function well in the environments in which they live and prepares them for transition to adulthood. Learning through 4-H is fun and effective; youth learn life and technical skills through hands on learning in topics of their choice. There are 93 youth in 4-H and 8 4-H clubs with 13 adult leaders. The most popular 4-H projects on the Blackfeet Reservation are livestock projects. We have focused learning opportunities for youth in the following areas: Market Animal Quality Assurance, market animal selection, care, feed, grooming and showmanship, Food handlers and Serve Safe Certification, dog showmanship and obedience clinics, living with the bears; conflict prevention and response resources to protect their animals and for their safety as well. 4-H is about developing high quality youth by encouraging them to be an active part of their community, engaging in activities that provide a sense of accomplishment and learning decision-making and responsibility for their choices. Through hands on learning, active participation in clubs, and attending clinics, youth improve public speaking and leadership skills, excepting differences and how to relate to others. Youth also attend the local Charging Home Stampede 4-H Fair where they exhibit and show what they learned through their project work throughout the year.

Caption: Baylee Bird Showing a 4-H Hog

Credit: Mathew Denetclaw, IAC

Junior Agriculture Program

The Junior Ag Loan Program is an additional learning opportunity for youth who are interested in exploring production agriculture. We work hand in hand with the Montana Department of Agriculture to provide the program. The program is available to youth between nine and twenty-one years of age. Through one-on-one instruction, youth experience farming or ranching, and with their parents manage their own agriculture business, develop financial responsibility, increase assets, and build their own credit. Youth increase decision making skills and responsibility for their choices. They learn how to develop real business goals, apply for funding, maintain accurate records, and make decisions about where to purchase and market their own cattle. When the project loan is paid off, they can make informed decisions based on experience, whether to continue in agriculture. This program is designed to assist youth and beginning farmers/ranchers to access credit. Limited access to credit, capitol and a credit history has prevented many from returning to family farms, threatening the sustainability of agriculture. This program has the potential to increase the opportunity for youth in agriculture, ultimately facilitating the transition of the family farm from the generation before. Currently there are nine youth involved in the Jr Ag Program.

Caption: Jr Ag ranch visit, Curt Billedeaux, Walt Anseth, Vernda Billedeaux

Credit: Verna Billedeaux

Working With Grassroots Organizations

The Blackfeet Extension Agent works with the Blackfeet Nation Stock Growers Association, provides leadership as an executive board member, Secretary/Treasurer. This group focuses on challenges that stock producers deal with and find ways to address the challenges, be it educational or policy. This past year, we addressed beef marketing options, organizing, and collectively selling 5600 head of feeder calves to a buyer resulting in a fair market price. There are currently 98 members in the association. We also purchased a portable scale to weigh calves instead of borrowing one during shipping season. The Association also addressed predator control issues and depredation by predators resulting in one full-time wild-life services agent that provides control and reports depredation and works with APHIS and the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department. Resulting in electric fences to protect the 4-H Market animal on ranches on the Blackfeet Reservation.

Caption: Bring Cows Home

Credit: Marla Billedeaux

Contact

PO Box 850
Browning, MT 59417
406-338-2650
https://www.montana.edu/extension/blackfeet