Javascript is required to use this website.

Montana ranchers: Foreign workers needed due to labor shortages

By David Erickson, Lee Enterprises
Mar 31, 2026
Mar 31, 2026

Sale barn — A live auction sale at the Bassett Livestock Auction.
Nebraska Extension photo by Bethany Johnston

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By David Erickson, Lee Enterprises

kAmr:E:?8 “24FE6 H@C<7@C46 D9@CE286D[” E96 |@?E2?2 $E@4<8C@H6CD pDD@4:2E:@? 92D 2D<65 |@?E2?2’D 7656C2= 56=682E:@? E@ r@?8C6DD 2?5 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 {23@C E@ 492?86 CF=6D E@ 2==@H 7@C6:8? H@C<6CD :? =:G6DE@4< 2F4E:@? >2C<6ED 2?5 7665=@ED]k^Am

kAm|@?E2?2 $E@4<8C@H6CD pDD@4:2E:@? !C6D:56?E {6D=6J #@3:?D@? D6?E 2 =6EE6C :? 62C=J u63CF2CJ 2D<:?8 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 {23@C E92E 42==65 7@C E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E E@ 2==@H w\ap H@C<6CD E@ 36 23=6 E@ =682==J H@C< :? 7665=@ED 2?5 2F4E:@? >2C<6ED]k^Am

kAm“s6DA:E6 E96:C 4=62C 28C:4F=EFC2= 7F?4E:@? 2?5 64@?@>:4 :>A@CE2?46[ =:G6DE@4< 2F4E:@? >2C<6ED 2?5 C2?496C^72C>6C 76656C 7665=@ED 2C6 7C6BF6?E=J 6I4=F565 7C@> 6=:8:3:=:EJ F?56C E96 w\ap AC@8C2> 5F6 E@ E96 23D6?46 @7 6IA=:4:E C68F=2E@CJ C64@8?:E:@?[” #@3:?D@? HC@E6] “]]] pD 5@>6DE:4 =23@C 2G2:=23:=:EJ :? CFC2= 2C62D 4@?E:?F6D E@ 564=:?6[ E96D6 D9@CE286D E9C62E6? E96 677:4:6?E @A6C2E:@?D[ 9F>2? 2?5 2?:>2= D276EJ[ 2?5[ 3J 6IE6?D:@?[ E96 23:=:EJ @7 C2?496CD 2?5 72C>6CD E@ >2C<6E E96:C =:G6DE@4< :? 2? @C56C=J 2?5 E:>6=J >2??6C]”k^Am

People are also reading…

Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Illinois brothers carry on dairy tradition
Better days for beets
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Competition and camaraderie
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Happy Rock 4-H’er delivers buckets of smiles in Jefferson County
Rodeo legacy lives on in Wessington Springs Family
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Back Home
Biofuel expectations, crude oil continue driving oilseeds

kAm{:G6DE@4< 2F4E:@? >2C<6ED A=2J 2? :>A@CE2?E 64@?@>:4 C@=6]k^Am

kAm“u@C C2?496CD[ 7C@> E96 >@>6?E 2 42=7 9:ED E96 8C@F?5[ AC@5F4E:@? 564:D:@?D 2C6 D92A65 3J E96 C62=:EJ @7 E96 2F4E:@? >2C<6E[” #@3:?D@? HC@E6]k^Am

kAm#@3:?D@? ?@E65 7665=@ED 2C6 :?96C6?E=J D62D@?2= :? ?2EFC6[ H:E9 =23@C 56>2?5D 7=F4EF2E:?8 @? 42=G:?8 4J4=6D[ H62?:?8 A6C:@5D[ 7@C286 2G2:=23:=:EJ[ H62E96C 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 C68:@?2= >2C<6E:?8 A2EE6C?D] x? >F49 E96 D2>6 H2J[ =:G6DE@4< 2F4E:@? >2C<6ED 2=D@ 6IA6C:6?46 G2C:23:=:EJ @7 H@C<=@25D E9C@F89@FE E96 J62C]k^Am

kAm“w@H6G6C[ C2?496C^72C>6C 7665=@ED 2?5 =:G6DE@4< 2F4E:@? >2C<6ED 42??@E 24BF:C6 6?@F89 D62D@?2= 5@>6DE:4 6>A=@J66D E@ >66E E96 ?665D @7 E96:C 3FD:?6DD6D[” #@3:?D@? ?@E65]k^Am

kAm$96 D2:5 E96 C62D@? E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 4C62E65 E96 w\ap G:D2 AC@8C2> H2D E@ 2==@H &]$] 6>A=@J6CD E@ 3C:?8 7@C6:8? ?2E:@?2=D :?E@ E96 &]$] E@ 7:== E6>A@C2CJ @C D62D@?2= 28C:4F=EFC2= ;@3D H96? E96C6’D 2 D9@CE286 @7 p>6C:42? H@C<6CD] %96 A6E:E:@?6CD “>FDE D9@H E92E E96C6 2C6 ?@E 6?@F89 &]$] H@C<6CD H9@ 2C6 23=6[ H:==:?8[ BF2=:7:65 2?5 2G2:=23=6 E@ 5@ E96 E6>A@C2CJ @C D62D@?2= H@C<[” 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E]k^Am