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Windbreak in Chouteau County, Montana

Chouteau County

The Montana Territorial Legislature established Chouteau County in February 1865 and the county seat of Fort Benton is the oldest inhabited town in the state. It is the ninth largest county in Montana, encompassing 3,936 square miles and is located in the north-central portion of the state about 100 miles from the Canadian border. The county is home to the Chippewa-Cree tribe on the Rocky Boys Indian reservation in the Bear’s Paw Mountains to the northeast and contains part of the Lewis and Clark National Forest in the Highwood Mountains to the south. The primary surface water sources are the Missouri, Marias, and Teton Rivers. The population of Chouteau County is 5,738 and is classified as entirely rural.

The vast majority of land ownership in the county is private, about 81 percent. Dryland crop production is the leading land use in Chouteau County. Among Montana’s 56 counties Chouteau County is the leading producer of wheat. Secondary crops are oats, sunflower, safflower, and buckwheat. Livestock production in Chouteau County is also important, and barley for feed is a major crop. The NRCS office, located in Fort Benton, 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 Chouteau 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.

Chouteau 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.

Chouteau County Long Range Plan 2020 (227.03 KB)

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.

Additional Information

Chouteau County Local Working Group

Local working group meetings are held to gather input from local stakeholders to help prioritize natural resource concerns and guide NRCS funding opportunities.

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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 dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. Applications received after the date will be automatically deferred to the next funding period.

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