On October 12, 2021 after careful consideration, City Manager Jeff Mihelich has rescinded the City of Bozeman drought declaration based on Bozeman’s current water supply conditions and recent precipitation.
 
Bozeman’s drought conditions have been improving as winter approaches. The recent snow fall moved the City’s drought score below a Stage 1, allowing for the City to safely rescind the Stage 1 drought declaration. As winter makes it way to the Bozeman area, staff will continue to monitor snowpack, precipitation and local water supplies on a regular basis.

Stage 1 drought surcharges are no longer in effect. Bozeman residents will see Stage 1 surcharges on the bill they receive in October, which reflects usage in September. 
 
City Manager Jeff Mihelich says, “We are grateful for the recent snow that put us in a position to suspend this drought declaration. Bozeman community members stepped up this summer by reducing outdoor water use, which had a positive impact on our water supplies. I urge folks to remember that these behaviors may be necessary next year as well. Consider doing your part now and prepare to conserve next summer.”

The Water Conservation Division offers many programs and rebates to conserve water in your home and beyond. To find the latest info and to learn more about ways you can decrease water usage at home visit: https://www.bozeman.net/government/water-conservation.
 

A small group of hunters shot and killed a grizzly bear in the backcountry east of Gardiner on Oct. 3.  

The hunters were processing a harvested elk near Bull Mountain during an early-season rifle hunt in Hunting District 316 when the bear appeared nearby and charged at the group. The hunters shot and killed the bear during its charge and were not injured. The bear was a 3- to 5-year-old female without cubs. 

Wildlife and enforcement staff from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Custer Gallatin National Forest’s Gardiner Ranger District met with the hunters and confirmed the bear mortality. The incident is still under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  
Recreationists, residents and people who work outdoors can be prepared for a surprise bear encounter. Activities that are deliberately quiet or fast moving, such as hunting, mountain biking or trail running, put people at greater risk for surprising a bear. Bears will be active throughout the general hunting season. 

When you’re spending time in Montana’s outdoors, keep these precautions in mind: 
• Be aware of your surroundings and look for bear sign. 
• Read signs at trailheads and stay on trails. Be especially careful around creeks and in areas with dense brush. 
• Carry bear spray. Know how to use it and be prepared to deploy it immediately.  
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make casual noise, which can help alert bears to your presence. 
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears. 
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency. 
• If you encounter a bear, never approach it. Leave the area when it is safe to do so. 

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working closely in Montana with FWP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, the Forest Service and Tribal lands. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.  

For more information on bear safety, visit go.usa.gov/xFmsQ. 

Human-bear conflicts increase in autumn as bears gorge in preparation for hibernation, and people take to the woods for archery and rifle hunting seasons. Elk and deer rifle season opener is Oct. 23, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting two virtual bear safety training events, followed by two bear spray give-away opportunities in Bozeman and Helena.

The virtual bear safety events are focused on bear awareness for hunters and will cover bear safety, biology, conflict prevention, responding to bear encounters, handling carcasses in bear country, and how to use bear spray. The two events will be held Oct. 18 and Oct. 21 from 6-7:30 p.m. Virtual presentations are free and open to anyone. Each event will cover the same material.

To attend the virtual training on Oct. 18, click here:

https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/84725261354?pwd=SWVoTzRLbmNaNFhMSmxJdTBuT3V1QT09

 To attend the virtual training on Oct. 21, click here:

 https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/89098996725?pwd=Mm9reGFxbEJHZEppbTNNNlZxb2tIUT09

In-person bear spray giveaways will feature a short bear spray tutorial, followed by a free bear spray give-away while supplies last. First come, first served. One bear spray can per person 18 years of age or older.

• Bozeman: Wednesday, Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m. at FWP Region 3 office, 1400 South 19^th
• Helena: Wednesday, Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m. at Montana Wild, 2668 Broadwater Ave.

If you are interested in learning more about hunting safely in grizzly bear country and can’t  make it to one of these events, you can watch a recording of the “Bear Safety for Hunters” presentation here: https://youtu.be/tihgSHMHVhA

Hunters can expect to see grizzly bears in the western half of Montana. Preventing conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with them. Storing food and other attractants properly helps keep you safe and bears away from camp. Prepare for bear country by carrying bear spray and knowing how to use it. Learn what to do if you have a bear encounter and communicate with your companions about how to respond if you have a bear encounter.

More bear safety information can be found on the FWP website:

https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/species/bear/bear-aware

Bozeman voters to see three city issues on their ballot: community housing levy, Fire Station 2 bond, and facilities renovation bond
 
Bozeman, MT— Registered voters who live in Bozeman city limits will see three different ballot questions regarding City issues on their ballot this fall.  A community housing levy, bonds to relocate Fire Station 2, and bonds to renovate City facilities like Bogert Pool, the Bozeman Swim Center, and Lindley Center, will all be up for a vote.

Community Housing Levy:
Housing continues to be a priority for Bozeman. The Community Housing Levy would create a dedicated funding source to develop and support attainable housing for the Bozeman community. Currently the City of Bozeman relies on funding through the budget process and the general fund, which can change year to year and also funds critical services like police, fire, etc. If approved the levy would be a tool to support projects like the many successful partnership projects that have been completed in Bozeman.

7 mills x current mill value = $33.67/year based on an assessed market value of the median home ($364,000)
 
Fire Station 2 Relocation Bond:
The existing Fire Station 2 was built in 1974. With the continued growth of Bozeman the existing facility no longer fits the needs of an expanding staff and increasing community needs. If passed the City of Bozeman has the opportunity to enter into a long-term lease on land owned by Montana State University and relocate Station 2 to better serve the southern part of Bozeman.

$2.2 million bond = $6.83/year based on an assessed market value of the median home ($364,000)
 
Facilities Renovation Bond:
The Bogert Pool, Bozeman Swim Center, and Lindley Center are all community assets that are experiencing deferred maintenance and in need of improvements for continued use. If passed the bonds would go toward resurfacing and sealing Bogert Pool, new air filtration system and gutter replacement at the Bozeman Swim Center, and upgrades to the Lindley Center including accessibility.

$6.7 million bond = $18.83/year based on an assessed market value of the median home ($364,000)
 
The total cost to property owners for all three City issues = $58.88/year based on an assessed market value of the median home ($364,000)
 
Registered Bozeman voters will be voting by mail for this election and ballots are expected to be mailed out today, October 13, 2021. Municipal elections have been conducted by mail since 2009. Voters who were registered prior to October 4, 2021 should expect to receive their ballot in the mail up to four days from the date of ballots being mailed out. Voters who are not yet registered can register up until noon on November 1, 2021 in person with the Gallatin County Elections Department (Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W Main St.)

The City of Bozeman will be hosting a pop up event at the Bozeman Public Library Open Door on Friday October 15th from 1-3 p.m. for any voters interested in learning more about their ballot. Additional information about each city issue is available on the City’s website at www.bozeman.net/investincommunity 

San Diego is a fun city. If you spend time there, you will find all kinds of activities to entertain you. You might pass a few hours at the San Diego Zoo, go to a museum, or check out some of the art galleries.

Those are usually daytime activities, though. What is there to do in San Diego at night? You will soon discover this city has a thriving nightlife that rivals any great American metropolis.
Let’s talk about a few of the best things to do in San Diego at night.

Walk Through the Gaslamp Quarter
One thing you may want to avoid in San Diego at night is driving. Maybe you’re indulging in some adult beverages during the evening, and if so, you don’t want the police to ticket you or to cause a wreck. The California Office of Traffic Safety mentions that in San Diego County, about 20,000 traffic collisions occur each year. You shouldn’t add to that number.

Instead, you can stroll through the city’s quaint Gaslamp Quarter, one of the most picturesque spots you’re ever likely to see. It costs you nothing to walk around there, which is great if you’re on a budget. You can see some astounding Victorian-era architecture if you’re into that sort of thing.

There are many art galleries and boutiques, and some of them stay open into the evening if you’d like to go inside and shop. There are many live music venues and bars that may beckon to you. You can have an artisanal cocktail or two with your friends or make some new ones by chatting with the person on the stool next to you.

Old Town San Diego
There is also a section of San Diego called Old Town that’s fun to explore at night. This is a glimpse of the city as it appeared a hundred years ago or more.

You will find many event venues there, and also restaurants and museums. Going into any of them will cost, but walking around and sightseeing is free.

This is a charming area where you’ll often see couples dressed up and promenading about. It’s a fine spot if you’re chatting up a date or you’ve gone out for the night and left the kids with a babysitter.

Go on a Brewery Tour
You will notice that San Diego loves its craft beers, and if you try some of the local ones, it’s not hard to see why. Many of the breweries offer tours, even into the evening. They know that some people can stop by then who work during the days.

You can take a traditional tour, or sometimes a few of the breweries will have special tastings. You can sample their seasonal beers along with cheeses or other little nibbles. You can go on their websites to see what evening events are happening there.

Ballast Point Brewing is a local favorite. Their tour is free, so again, if you’re trying to conserve money, this might be one of your best bets.

Free Summer Concert Series
During the pandemic’s early days, much of the local San Diego music scene had to shut down, but now that vaccines exist and people are inoculating themselves, live music is back in this exciting city. You can even see bands for free if you scout around online for opportunities.
Coronado Promenade is one venue that often has free music events. Point Loma Summer Concerts is another option, but these only run for a few months out of the year.

If you can enjoy some music for free, there’s not much that can make your evening better than that. If you’re single, you might even make a new friend or find a love interest at a free concert. Dancing is a much better conversation starter than the usual getting-to-know-you questions.

Check Out Balboa Park
It’s hard to mention San Diego without talking about the famous Balboa Park. It’s enormous, and you can spend days wandering around in there. It’s fun strolling around at night, too.

If you are there in the early evening, you might decide to walk into one of the many art galleries or museums within the park’s confines. Some of the museums do have free admission days and evenings, so keep an eye open for those.

San Diego at night can be a thrilling place, so explore and enjoy your time there alone, in a group, or with a special someone.

BOZEMAN – The Warming Center, HRDC’s seasonal, overnight shelter for people experiencing homelessness opens to the public in Bozeman and Livingston on Nov. 1, with operations stretching through the cold fall and winter months.

As Southwest Montana’s affordable housing crisis continues to rapidly escalate given soaring rents and the average home price approaching $800,000 in Bozeman, Brian Guyer, Housing Director for HRDC, expects additional pressure on HRDC’s emergency shelters and wonders whether the basic needs of our neighbors will be able to be properly met in the coming months without financial support from the community.

“Most of us have witnessed the challenges of the significant housing crisis occurring in our community. The various impacts from Covid, including many new out-of-state homebuyers, has compounded the rapidly escalating cost of living. For many, the opportunity to purchase a home has all but evaporated, but so did the opportunity to find an affordable place to rent. The effects of unaffordable housing are everywhere. More than ever, folks have been forced to live out of campers and cars and tents on our city streets because they are unable to secure a housing situation that is within their means.”

With conducive weather, living in a vehicle or tent meets the bare minimum of requirements for an individual or a family, but maintaining these same circumstances during Montana’s harsh winter months can be deadly. Gallatin Valley has experienced an escalating number of deaths over the past several years due to exposure. These often-preventable deaths are unacceptable to HRDC which fundamentally believes everyone deserves to be warm at night.

“We strive to ensure we are treating our guests with the utmost dignity and support,” said Jenna Huey, Emergency Shelter Services Manager. We do everything we can to help make someone’s stay with us comfortable, but temporary.” Huey’s counterpart in Livingston, Sonya Wheeler added, “Our goal is to work with each guest individually to help move them up the housing ladder. No one ever really wants to be without a place to call home, and our facilities, while they meet basic needs, they are certainly not a long-term housing solution for anyone.”

Guyer, Huey, and Wheeler agree that the services they provide to anyone in need at the Warming Centers couldn’t happen without the support of residents throughout Gallatin Valley and Park County. The need for emergency assistance is much higher than anyone thinks. Through garnering significant volunteer hours to securing monetary donations, the seasonal shelters exist in large part because of the generosity of the community. With winter weather in the forecast for the foreseeable future and a shortage of places for people to live, indoor refuge at the Warming Centers is a necessity now more than ever.

For more information about HRDC’s Warming Center initiative, visit:

thehrdc.org/housing/homeless-services/emergency-shelter/bozeman-shelter/

https://thehrdc.org/housing/homeless-services/emergency-shelter/livingston-shelter/

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte appointed two additional members to the Fish and Wildlife Commission this week. The new members are William Lane of Ismay and Jana Waller of Florence.

Lane is the current owner and operator of Crescent Cross Ranch and has experience working in the private sector and serving on various boards managing assets, streamlining operations, analyzing investment risk, conducting community outreach, and implementing policy. Lane’s term will run through Jan. 1, 2025.

Waller is a freelance outdoor writer for numerous websites and hunting magazines. She brings a passion for hunting and fishing and is dedicated to supporting veteran organizations. She has personally raised over $45,000 for conservation and veteran causes. Waller’s term will run through Jan. 1, 2023.

The two new commission seats were approved during the 2021 Legislature through House Bill 163. The bill expanded the commission to seven members and assigned each commissioner to represent one of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ seven administrative regions. Before this legislation, commissioners were divided into five districts.

Lane and Waller join current commissioners Lesley Robinson (chair), Pat Tabor (vice chair), KC Walsh and Brian Cebull, and Pat Byorth.

Gallatin County voters: we heard you.

In two different elections, you rejected proposals to replace your aging Law and Justice Center. And we understand. The price tags for those proposed bonds were a lot to swallow.

But we listened. And we’re coming back to you this November, voters, with a project that is less expensive for you and still addresses the needs of our courts – a critical pillar of our democracy and economy that we are obligated to provide for our citizens.

In this November’s election, Gallatin County is asking voters to decide on a bond to replace the current Law and Justice Center in Bozeman. The bond would pay for a Gallatin County courts building that will house four District Courts, two Justice Courts, Clerks of Court, Youth Court and Probation, Standing Master, Self-Help Law Center, a security detail office, and a public community and jury assembly room.

Instead of coming to voters asking for $71 million or $59 million like we did in the past, we have pared the design and functions of this building down to a simple courts building with an ask of voters we feel is more reasonable: $29 million. 

This new building is the only cost-effective solution to Gallatin County’s long overdue need for safer and more efficient courts.

The current building is unsafe and a disaster waiting to happen.  

The Law and Justice Center is a cinderblock building with no rebar that was built in the 1960s as a Catholic high school. It was never designed to be a courts facility.

It is structurally unsound, does not have a fire suppression system, and is missing secured separation between crime victims and their accused, jurors and counselors, family members in dispute, and the public from all of these groups.

These amount to a disaster waiting to happen to the hundreds of community members who work in and enter the building each day. 

The current building is too small and the resulting logjam of cases is hurting us county-wide.  

Gallatin County’s District Courts handle a civil and criminal caseload requiring at least seven judges. Three District Court judges are currently shuffling that load.

The State has given us a fourth District Court judge. But Gallatin County is responsible for providing that new judge and their support staff with a workplace and we have nowhere to put them.

Without adequate personnel and space to hear and process all these cases, the result is a logjam pushing some cases months and years out. 

The impact of this logjam on civil cases is devastating. Highly emotional family law cases can be dragged out for years. Small businesses have gone bankrupt before seeing their day in court.

Justice delayed is justice denied. We need better space to provide the access to justice our citizens are entitled to.

The need for a new building is not going away so the county has worked hard to reduce costs. 

We get it. Voters are tired of paying more taxes. We are taxpayers ourselves and feel your pain.

But the county is constitutionally required to provide these services and spaces. Courts are not optional. They are a necessary pillar of our democracy. And an update for our local courts is long overdue – architects told the county in 1999 that the current building is structurally unsafe.

The cost for taxpayers is $6.70 for every $100,000 of assessed property value (NOT what Zillow says your house could sell for). So a home assessed at $500,000 would pay $33.50 annually, for example.

That cost for will decrease as the cost of the bond is spread across a larger population as our county continues growing and more taxpayers share the burden.

We have worked hard to reduce this project’s cost by using savings and existing funds, finding creative funding mechanisms, and spending federal funds to buy a new sheriff’s office building in Four Corners to reduce the size and cost of this building.

If this bond does not pass, we are uncertain of exactly how we will move forward. But what we do know is that any other options will be more expensive and inefficient, costing taxpayers more in money and time over the long haul.

Gallatin County citizens deserve safer and more efficient courts, and a new building is the only cost-effective solution to this longstanding issue.

For more information on the bond, visit gallatin.mt.gov.

Ballots for the Nov. 2 election will be mailed to Gallatin County active registered voters on Oct. 13. They are due back no later than 8 PM on Election Day. For more information on voting, visit gallatinvotes.com.

Scott MacFarlane, Joe Skinner, Zach Brown
Gallatin County Commissioners

We have gathered a list of fun fall and Halloween events for you to attend this year. We will update the list as more events are added to our calendar, add your own events for free:

Bozeman Maze

6am-9pm Wed & Fri 10am-9pm Sat 12-6pm Sun
1340 E Valley Center Rd, Bozeman MT  $10
Ages 4+, Free - ages 3 and under, some reservations required check site for details.

Montana Corn Maze

10am-7pm Wed & Fri, Sat 4605 W Cameron Bridge Rd,  Manhattan, MT  $10
Ages 4+, Free - ages 3 and under, some reservations required check site for details.

Activities include a 5-acre maze full of fun, frustration, and triumph, 3 different levels of maze challenges, a Barrel train for kids, Trikes for adults and older kids, and a wagon ride to and from the maze.

Haunted Mountain Theater

7pm & 8:30pm Fri. Oct. 22, Sat. Oct 23, Fri. Oct. 29, Sat. Oct 30 
Museum of the Rockies 600 West Kagy, Bozeman  $16/adult, $12/child

Experience the Northern Rocky Mountains’ spookier history and folklore to life through an approximately 50-minute production that blends live-theater with the museum’s Taylor Planetarium’s state-of-the-art capabilities.

Screams Come True: Haunted House & Hay Maze

7-10pm Fri. Oct. 22 & 29, 6-10pm Sat. Oct 23 & 30, 3-10pm  Sun. Oct 31 $10

Prepare yourself for the event of the year! Screams Come True is back for its 2nd year, open October 23-24, and October 30-31.

Family Fun Halloween Fest

11am-7pm Sat. Oct. 23   Headwaters Ranch 9700 Clarkston Rd, Three Forks  $25 - $30

Family Fun Halloween Event including horse-drawn haunted wagon ride, inflatable bouncy house, kids face painting, pumpkin patch, and food trucks.

Escape Cabin

5-10pm Sat. Oct. 23  Lewis & Clark Caverns 25 Lewis and Clark Caverns Rd., Whitehall  $5

Can you unlock the mystery in time? 

Downtown Trick or Treating Cancelled

4-5pm Fri. Oct. 29  Main Street in Downtown Bozeman  FREE

Downtown Bozeman, Bozeman

Ballroom Dance Bozeman's Ghouls' Night Out

7-10pm Fri. Oct. 29  Bozeman Senior Center 807 N. Tracy Ave, Bozeman  $15

Music provided by multiple-award-winning Joe’s DJ Service. Singles/couples welcome. Attire: Costume or dressy casual-remember clean dance shoes. Masks optional, air cleaners running, surfaces sanitized, hand sanitizer onsite.

Open Mic Night - Halloween Themed

7-9pm Fri. Oct. 29  Steep Mountain Tea House 402 E. Main St., Bozeman  FREE

Run for Your Life Halloween 5k & Kid's Run/Walk

9:30am Sat. Oct. 30  MSU Football Stadium Parking Lot OR Virtual from Anywhere, Bozeman

Run for Your Life Halloween 5k & Kid’s Run/Walk: A fun run for a deep purpose to support the Help Center’s suicide prevention services. Grab your friends, family, and dogs for a Halloween-themed run/walk. In-person or virtual options to participate!

Old Saloon Halloween

2pm Sat. Oct. 30  The Old Saloon 210 Railroad Ln, Emigrant

Eat, Drink and Be Scary! Bring the whole family this Halloween weekend for an all-ages carnival in the Livery Stable with: Face Painting Pumpkin carving & decorating Games Costume Party Adults only at 7pm with live music at 9pm. Prizes for costumes.

Family Grossology Halloween Party

2-5pm Sat. Oct. 30  Museum of the Rockies 600 West Kagy, Bozeman
Included with membership/admission

Start your Halloween celebrations with MOR's grossest annual tradition! Come in costume to see disgusting science, make some icky crafts, and check out what your scabs look like on the big screen.

Anderson's Dreadful Drive In

Terrapin Flyer

7-11pm Sat. Oct. 30  ELM 506 7th Ave, Bozeman  $15 (Adv.) $18 (DOS) + applicable fees

Logjam Presents is pleased to welcome Terrapin Flyer for a live Deadhead Halloween.

Bozeman Symphony: SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE

7:30-9pm Sat. Oct. 30  & 2:30-4pm Sun. Oct. 31
Willson Auditorium 404 W. Main St., Bozeman  $27+

Celebrate a haunting Halloween weekend with the Bozeman Symphony’s performances of Symphonie Fantastique, a rare sonic event that may not be witnessed in Bozeman again for decades to come.

Spooky Science

11am-2pm Sun. Oct. 31  Montana Science Center 2744 W Main St, Bozeman 

Join us for a spooky good time on Halloween! Hands-on science experiments and related crafts will be out at the Science Station. Wear your costume for an extra sweet treat.

Spirits, Folklore and Legend: A Cemetery Walking Tour

4-5:30pm Sun. Oct. 31  Sunset Hills Cemetery, Bozeman 

Step back in time as you walk through this historic graveyard, learning about mysterious local legends, spooky folklore, and local history.

Gillette Manor Haunted House

4-8pm Sun. Oct. 31  11 E Main St, Bozeman FREE donations go to Haven

Come and enjoy the spookiest place in Bozeman - Gillette Manor! In the heart of downtown, Gillette Manor is full of grim grinning ghosts, spooky screaming skeletons, and harrowing Halloween haunters! We're just dying to see you! Come visit us . . . . if you dare!!

Past 2021 Events:

Ghosts of Bozeman's Past: Sunset Hills Cemetery Walking Tour

4-5pm Sun. Oct. 10   Sunset Hills Cemetery, Bozeman  $12 adults, $10 seniors, kids 12 years and younger free

Join us for a historic walking tour of Bozeman's Sunset Hills Cemetery.

Jr Carpenter Pumpkin Carving Contest

11am-1pm Sat. Oct. 16 All Kenyon Noble Locations FREE

Kenyon Noble is holding our 23rd annual Jr Carpenter Pumpkin Carving Contest! Come for some free festivities for ages 0-12 and compete to win some awesome prizes! All Kenyon Noble locations will have their own contest, see you soon!

Fall Festival

11am-4pm Sat. Oct. 16 Gallatin Valley Mall FREE

This free event will include a vendor market showcasing local makers and their unique offerings, plus numerous other activities for kids of all ages throughout the mall. Check out the bounce house, face painting, pumpkin decorating with Giggles, photo booth, free Halloween costume grab bags from Montana Parent Magazine, and lots more great giveaways. Plus yummy festival eats including fresh kettle korn and cotton candy!

BPS Cemetery Tours

4-7 & 9pm Sat. Oct. 16  Sunset Hills Cemetery, Bozeman $5

Come out and have a spooky evening ghost hunting the sunset hills cemetery. Learn how to be a ghost hunter for the evening. Learn how to use equipment and will have a history folder of things about the cemetery. We will have hot cider and cocoa.

Oktoberfest

7-11pm Sat. Oct. 16  Rockin' TJ Ranch 651 Lynx Lane, Bozeman  $65 per person

An OktoberFest full of beer, brats, and entertainment by the Brewery Follies Show! $65 per person includes the Brewery Follies show, souvenir shot glass, and dinner buffet! Beer & wine cash bar.

Murder & Mayhem in Gallatin County

6-7:30pm Thu. Oct. 21  Gallatin County Courthouse 311 W. Main, Bozeman  FREE

Gallatin History Museum curator Kelly Suzanne Hartman chronicles each tale, allowing the reader to follow along the path of the investigations and the pursuit for justice.

A Montana State University economist recently published two articles in respected economic journals examining influencing factors and impacts of seasonal agricultural labor.

Diane Charlton, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics in MSU’s College of Agriculture, researches agricultural production, labor migration and development economics. Her paper, written with MSU coauthor Brock Smith and Alexander James of the University of Alaska, “Seasonal Agricultural Activity and Crime” appeared in the American Journal of Economics. Another paper, “Seasonal Farm Labor and COVID-19 Spread,” was published in Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy. Both were published in early September.

The first paper combines data on local criminal activity and seasonal demand for farm labor in counties across the nation that have high rates of agricultural production from 1990 to 2016. Charlton and Smith decided to collaborate on the topic after they saw newspaper articles suggesting many U.S. residents assume that migratory agricultural workers increase local crime rates.

“To our knowledge we are the first to examine how seasonal labor-intensive agricultural activity impacts local crime rates,” they wrote. “An estimated 38% of seasonal fruit, vegetable and horticultural workers were classified as migratory from 1990 to 2016, and approximately 48% were unauthorized immigrants over the same span.” 

After analyzing 27 years’ worth of data, Charlton and Smith concluded that the increase in agricultural labor force reduces property and violent crime rates, and possibly the number of property crimes. The paper attributes these findings to the fact that harvests enhance opportunities in the local labor market, thereby reducing the incentive to commit crimes. It also notes that previous research generally has found that foreign-born immigrants are no more likely than natural-born citizens to commit crimes. 

“While economic shocks that attract new workers to the region are sometimes associated with increased crime rates, positive economic shocks can also deter crime by providing alternative economic opportunities,” said Charlton. “The effects of seasonal agricultural labor booms on local crime rates is not obvious.”

In the second paper, Charlton examined the relationship between influxes of migratory agricultural workers and COVID-19 in agricultural counties by looking at month-to-month variations in agricultural employment and confirmed cases.

The analysis found that counties where 100 additional workers in fruit, vegetable and horticultural production were employed had 4.5% more COVID-19 cases, or around 19 additional positive cases per 100,000 residents. Migration might help explain the association between farm employment and COVID-19 incidence, and Charlton notes several potential contributing factors. 

Those factors include the fact that many migratory farm workers live below the poverty line, reside in densely populated quarters and often lack access to health care or health insurance. Many farm workers report working even while ill, perhaps because they fear losing hours of pay or because they simply feel well enough to keep working, posit the authors. Surveys suggest that there is a higher hesitancy to seek public services or potentially to get vaccinated since many are undocumented immigrants.

Farm work itself does not necessarily increase the spread of COVID-19, Charlton said. The paper notes that there is no statistically significant association with COVID-19 incidence when it comes to crops that are harvested mechanically, such as grains and oilseed, or in livestock agriculture. Fruit and vegetable crops, which are mostly harvested by hand, showed greatest positive association with COVID-19 incidence.

“Understanding which commodities or agricultural activities are most highly associated with COVID-19 spread can help producers and managers throughout the food supply chain prepare for and mitigate losses and future risk,” Charlton wrote. “The findings from this paper can help inform which agricultural industries were most exposed to coronavirus-related risks in worker health and labor supply in 2020 and determine priority strategies for managing potential disruptions to farm labor supply in the future.”