WTARC History and Background

History

Authorization for the Montana Ag Experiment Station's Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center came from the 1977 Legislature, which appropriated $206,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 1979. An additional $4,000 was contributed by the Montana Wheat Research and Marketing Committee. The Research Center (first called a satellite station) was charged with serving the agricultural needs of the western half of Montana's Golden Triangle, which encompasses Glacier, Pondera, Teton, Toole, and western portions of Liberty, Chouteau, and Cascade counties.

Impetus for the center came primarily from farmers and ranchers of the Western Triangle, who organized efforts through the Soil Conservation Districts. A 12-man Advisory Board representing all those counties was established in 1977. Jim Krall of MAES in Bozeman was appointed Coordinator and summoned the assistance of personnel from Montana State University, the Soil Conservation Service and other agencies to provide the Board with technical information on soils, climate and other disciplines pertinent to site selection.

In January 1978, Dr. Greg Kushnak was hired as the first Superintendent of WTARC and the following April, Ronald Thaut joined the staff as the first Research Technician. Temporary headquarters were set up in Conrad.

Research Center Location

Advisory Board members and MAES agreed that WTARC should be strategically located in order to expedite service to all counties involved and that Conrad would best satisfy this need because of its central location, proximity to Interstate 15 and the availability of both irrigated and dryland facilities.

Selection of a location on soil typical of the Western Triangle was given high priority. This narrowed the site selection to a Scobey/Kevin glacial till soil, which was by far the most prevalent of the region. Other factors considered were accessibility to the public, availability of utilities, proximity to a service center, landowners’ willingness to sell and property price.

Members of the Board provided names of landowners to be contacted. Along with MSU staff and assisted by the SCS Soil Survey Team from Choteau, they examined each of the prospective sites for suitability and availability. In March 1978, the Board selected the Denzer land nine miles north of Conrad. The Board of Regents authorized purchase of this land on May 31, 1978 and closing was completed in December 1978. The site consisted of 75 acres of land, an irrigation canal and pump, and met all of the selection criteria.

Building Acquisition

The Advisory Board approached the Tiber County Water District regarding the possibility of transferring a 60 × 100' steel government building from the Water District to the Research Center. The Water District agreed to release possession of the building and received authorization for the transfer from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.