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Scenic view of Beaverhead County, MT, sagebrush range with snow-capped mountains in the background

Beaverhead County

Beaverhead County, population 9,360, contains portions of nine mountain ranges. The Pioneer and Anaconda ranges in the north, the Centennial and Tendoy Mountains in the southwest, the Blacktail, Ruby, Snowcrest and Gravelly Ranges in the southeast, and the Beaverhead Mountains in the west and southwest. Major Rivers include the Big Hole, the Beaverhead and the Red Rock. Land ownership is roughly 68 percent public, most of which is Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management, and 31 percent private.

There is a very limited amount of cropland in the county. The primary land use for tilled acreage is pasture or hayland, with some dryland grain and irrigated potato acreages. Subirrigated meadows are used for wintering cattle and for early spring grazing. The NRCS office, located in Dillon, offers voluntary technical and financial assistance to private landowners interested in natural resource conservation based on a focused approach using long range planning with local input.

Current Financial Assistance Opportunities for Beaverhead County Landowners

In addition to these local projects, producers may also apply for statewide programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program, national Environmental Quality Incentives Program initiatives, and conservation easement programs. For more information on these and other programs, see State Programs and Initiatives on the NRCS Montana webpage.

Beaverhead County Long Range Plan

NRCS in Montana uses a Focused Conservation strategy to address priority natural resource concerns across the state using Targeted Implementation Plans. It all begins with a long range plan. Each local NRCS field office develops a long range plan with input from landowners, partners, land managers, and others to identify and prioritize natural resource concerns in the county. Based on those plans, NRCS works with stakeholders to determine what conservation practices will be needed to address the resource concerns. Long range plans are updated to reflect the changing needs and objectives of the county’s natural resources.

Beaverhead County Long Range Plan 2021.pdf (1.03 MB)

Find Your Local Service Center

USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices. If this locator does not work in your browser, please visit offices.usda.gov.

Additional Information

Beaverhead County Local Working Group Meeting

The Beaverhead Conservation District is hosting a meeting to gather input from local stakeholders to help prioritize natural resource concerns and guide NRCS funding opportunities.

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Montana Focused Conservation

In Montana, NRCS uses a “Focused Conservation” strategy to guide its EQIP investments. Montana Focused Conservation begins with goals identified in local-level Long Range Plans. Based on those plans, NRCS develops Targeted Implementation Plans (TIPs) to guide on-the-ground implementation.

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What's Available in My Montana County?

Current local financial assistance opportunities in Montana, listed by county. In addition to the local opportunities, producers may also apply for statewide and national programs.

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Montana Programs and Application Dates

Program applications are accepted on a continual basis, however, NRCS establishes application ranking dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. Applications received after the ranking date will be automatically deferred to the next funding period.

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