PRESS RELEASE

The 2024 Montana Seed Show is approaching. The Montana Seed Show will be held March 7 – 9, 2024 at Harlem High School. The Montana Seed Show would like invite everyone to participate in this year’s show.

The purpose of the Montana Seed Show Seed and Forage Contest is to promote the production and use of good quality seed and feed. All growers are encouraged to exhibit the feed and seed they have for sale or are using on their farms. It is the desire of the Montana Seed Show Committee to provide a system for entry that is simple, fair and enables and encourages entry of exhibits from around the region.

Entries may be made by any crop producer. Samples must be grown or contracted by the exhibitor. Samples of seed or feed must have been produced in 2023.

All seed entries may be delivered or mailed to the Blaine County MSU Extension Office, The Clothing Company, or Columbia Grain in Harlem up to March 1st. If mailing a sample, please use the entry form available by contacting the MSU Blaine County Extension Office. After this date, seed entries must be delivered to Harlem High School on Thursday, March 7th by 9 a.m. All small grain seed exhibits must be at least 1 pint in size for show. Legumes and grass seed entries must be cleaned and must be at least 1 pint for exhibit. Potatoes shall consist of 5 tubers and will be judged on uniformity, appearance and suitability for market potatoes. Certified or common entries are welcome.

Forage and silage entries may be delivered or mailed to the MSU Blaine County Extension Office by February 23, 2024, so that they may be sent to a lab to test for nutrient content and quality. If mailing samples, exhibitors must include name, address and phone number of exhibitor. After February 23, 2024, forage and silage entries (producer must have their own nutrition analysis) must be delivered to Harlem High School up until 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 7th. Nutrition analysis will be free of charge to producers if samples are submitted by February 23rd. Youth and adult participants are invited to exhibit.

Forage entries will consist of the following:

Silage – one gallon in a transparent bag

Baled Hay – 12 inch section tied twice

Loose Hay – bundle of not less than 8 inches in diameter, tied twice

Chopped Hay – 3 pound bag

Cubed Hay – 3 pound sample in a clear bag

Samples will not be returned. One exhibit per class per exhibitor. Each grand champion award will consist of a rosette and a $100 cash award.

For more information please contact Juli Snedigar, MSU Blaine County Extension Agent, at 357-3200 or julianne.snedigar@montana.edu, John Schneider, MT Seed Show Forages & Grains Superintendent, at 379-2507, and Paul Rasmussen, MT Seed Show Committee Chairman, at 353-4524.