Yellowstone County

A blend of urban and rural communities create a thriving industry hub in Yellowstone County, the most populous in Montana. The agriculture, energy, and healthcare industries are the predominant economic forces, providing thousands of jobs. Agriculture is mainly comprised of wheat, barley, sugar beet, alfalfa, corn, and beef; while natural gas, oil, and coal lead the energy market. It is also a major regional healthcare destination for Wyoming and Montana. Three full-time county commissioners serve Yellowstone County, and the MSU Extension office is one of the largest-staffed in the state with four agents, one program assistant, and two administrative assistants. The commissioners, MSU Extension staff, and Montana State University work together to meet the community’s diverse needs.

 

New Agriculture Agent Francisco Gamboa

Francisco Gamboa joined Montana State University Extension in May 2023 and has recently been appointed as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent for Yellowstone County. Before this, Gamboa served as the Agriculture and 4-H Agent for Rosebud and Treasure Counties. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy and a Master of Science in Agribusiness. His career has spanned various areas including dairy and beef production, integrated pest management, forestry, water and soil conservation, and pesticide education.

Originally from Costa Rica, Gamboa is also a certified veterinary assistant with a focus on large animal species. He has been actively engaging local stakeholders; providing diagnostic results, nitrate testing, plant and weed identification, attending livestock and ag events, and utilizing MSU resources such as the Schutter Diagnostic Lab and MSU Specialists.

Based on visits and phone call data, Yellowstone County's leading agriculture consultation needs were Integrated Pest Management (47%), Feed Quality (19%), and Agriculture Economics (19%). Gamboa is committed to continuing essential programs like pesticide applicator licensing and soil and forage analysis. He also plans to deepen his involvement in the community to understand and address the specific agricultural needs of Yellowstone County. Gamboa's efforts will focus on enhancing the quality of life for all Montanans, with a particular emphasis on supporting the growing Hispanic community in agriculture by ensuring access to MSU resources.

Caption: Francisco Gamboa teaching at Billings Public Library

Credit: Anthony Sammartano

4-H Helps Youth Define Their Personal Brand

4-H communications workshops emphasize helping youth recognize how first impression and interactions create their personal brand. 4-H programs focus on youth exploring what ‘sparks’ their interest and experiencing a sense of belonging, all while building positive relationships with adults and peers.

Roni Baker, 4-H and Youth Development Agent in Yellowstone County planned a year-long effort to assist youth in defining their ‘personal brand’ and identify ways to recognize and support others around them. Through interactive, hands-on presentations and activities, youth could practice establishing their own brand, from first impressions, reading the room, defining their values, introductions, conversation starters, stage and social media presence, and even clothing choices.

Attendees learned that first impressions happen in the first 7 seconds of an interaction. They had opportunities to learn these life skills by interacting with intergenerational groups at the county, regional, state and national levels. Skills were incorporated into presentations for 4-H Pre-Congress, tri-county camp, teen leaders and Ambassadors, animal quality assurance workshops, MontanaFair exhibitors, county club meetings, and collegiate 4-H.

As youth learned about building a personal brand, they commented, “You use your 4-H skills in everyday life; Your first impression matters; You have to put yourself out there and go out of your comfort zone if you really want to grow.” All participants agreed or strongly agreed the information was relevant and that they would implement something they learned. 4-H continues to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of society.

Caption: 4-H Interstate Exchange

Credit: Courtesy of Roni Baker

TRIO Students Learn Nutrition Fundamentals

MSU Extension forged a new partnership with TRIO Student Support Services to provide the ‘Cooking for 1 or 2’ workshop. TRIO provides a variety of services to low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities to navigate entry to postsecondary education and promote success through their academic career.

The workshop, delivered by Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent Sara Fluer, taught participants the basic nutritional needs for adults, and using simple culinary skills with minimal equipment, how to cook a quick, healthy meal for one or two people. The program focused on the fundamentals of nutrition and a cooking demonstration on making a healthy skillet macaroni and cheese with several food groups in a single dish.

Program evaluations indicated all participants felt the information was relevant to them, while 70% were taught something they did not know. Participants reported intentions to make changes, planning to "eat more frozen spinach…and [will] try making smaller version[s] of recipes; and they would “try cooking more vegetables and include more garden greens."

Caption: Skillet macaroni and cheese meal.

Credit: Spend Smart, Eat Smart program; courtesy Iowa State University

New Horticulture Agent Anthony Sammartano

Anthony Sammartano is the MSU Extension Horticulture Agent serving Yellowstone County. He graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt with a degree in Environmental Sciences with an emphasis in Restoration Ecology. He is connected with multiple horticulture interest groups in the area, including the Billings Community Seed Library (BCSL), Montana Moth Project, and the Montana Native Plant Society.

As the Horticulture Extension Agent, Sammartano identifies various tree and shrub diseases resulting from winter injury, and he is currently tracking Japanese Beetle locations in Yellowstone County and working with the Montana Department of Agriculture on a management plan. A need quickly identified in Yellowstone County was instruction in general fall landscaping and garden care. Sammartano also works in collaboration with the Billings Community Seed Library to educate the public through educational events, workshops, and helps distribute seeds to interested gardeners.

Invasive species in yards and gardens continue to challenge local land managers and Yellowstone County residents. Sammartano formed the Buckthorn Bandits, an educational outreach program to help bring awareness and management options for the particularly damaging invasive species, Common Buckthorn, and connect landowners to management resources. The program has cleared invasive species from 30+ acres of public land and educated more than 300 members of the public on identification and treatment.

Caption: Yellowstone County Horticulture Agent Anthony Sammartano

Credit: Anthony Sammartano

Billings Community Seed Library

Since its formation in 2021, the Billings Community Seed Library (BCSL) has been working to support gardening in Yellowstone County by making home gardening accessible and affordable. Every summer, volunteers from the BCSL, along with Yellowstone County Extension Agents, gather donated seeds from local businesses to stock a cabinet located in the Billings Public Library. The BCSL hosts educational events to help novice growers learn how to garden and to help experienced gardeners gain in-depth education. In 2024, the Billings Community Seed Library made over 400 individual community connections and has distributed more than 7,587 free seed packets to Yellowstone County residents.

Caption: The community gathers for the Billings Community Seed Library’s Annual Seed Swap.

Credit: Billings Community Seed Library

Nutrition Education Program

Nutrition insecurity continues to be a concern for people in Montana and across the U.S. The MSU Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) program is designed to help low-income families and children gain knowledge and skills to make behavior changes necessary for good health and well-being.

In adult 'Eating Smart Being Active' classes taught by three EFNEP educators in Yellowstone County, participants learn to stretch food dollars, make small changes to be more active, and learn to plan and prepare meals based on USDA “MyPlate” guidelines. EFNEP classes reached 102 adult participants, with 98 percent indicating improved diet quality. A total of 95 percent showed improvement in food resource management practices and 68 percent improved physical activity behaviors.

'Youth Understanding MyPlate' classes were taught to 340 children in schools with partnering programs throughout Billings and neighboring rural areas. After learning why good nutrition and physical activity are important, positive behavior changes occurred. Eighty five percent of children made healthier food choices, 57 percent improved physical activity, and 48 percent improved food safety practices.

EFNEP remains dedicated to helping reduce nutrition insecurity for disadvantaged families and children across Yellowstone County and the State of Montana. To learn more, visit our website at https://www.montana.edu/extension/buyeatlivebetter/classes/index.html.

Caption: MyPlate graphic depicting the five food groups.

Credit: United States Department of Agriculture

Contact

301 N 27th Street, Suite 330
Billings, MT 59101
406-256-2828
https://www.montana.edu/extension/yellowstone/