Powder River County

Powder River County is a rural, agricultural county of 3,297 square miles, located in southeastern Montana. The town seat of Broadus is 90 miles from Miles City, MT, Belle Fourche, SD and Gillette, WY. The major highways 59 north-south and 212 east-west intersect at Broadus. An average of 3,000 cars and trucks pass through our community each day.

Just 445 people live in Broadus; an additional 1,300 live in Powder River County. There are more cows than people with a ratio of about 50 cows for every person. Land ownership is approximately 65% private and 35% public, primarily BLM and the Custer National Forest. Agriculture, outdoor recreation such as hunting and guiding for deer, elk, antelope and turkey, oil production and government agencies make up the Powder River County economy.

Contact

P.O. Box 200
Broadus, MT 5937
406-436-2424
https://www.montana.edu/extension/powderriver/

4-H and Youth Development

Teens in 4-H focused on leadership roles in 2025. At the end of the year, they hosted a pop-up shop for local children to buy presents for their families, teaching them about managing budgets, picking out presents and wrapping them in time for the holidays. They hosted a local workshop day over winter break, leading workshops on science, technology, engineering and math (STEAM) and sports. Teens continued leadership efforts in summer with three becoming camp counselors at the Southeastern Region 4-H Camp, and five attending 4-H Congress, where they competed in Hippology and Illustrated Talk contests and pursued learning through leadership workshops on the MSU campus.

Overall, the 4-H program of Powder River County continues to grow with 120 youth enrollments, and 20 volunteers.

The 2025 Powder River County Fair, facilitated in partnership with the Powder River County Fairboard, volunteers, and MSU Extension Powder River County, resulted in 117 4-H interviews evaluating 4-H participants’ project learning with over 200 non-livestock entries. Six 4-H members participated in the horse show with 37 entries. Overall, there were 120 livestock projects totaling $200,000 in sales at the livestock auction, with 16 market beef, 26 market lambs, 39 market swine, 2 pens of market chicken trios, and 1 market goat. Through the livestock sale, community members donated $9,407 to non-profits including the Farm in the Dell and Broadus Volunteer Fire Dept. The community’s ability to support the program grows each year, with 204 donors sponsoring the 2025 awards and prizes for 4-H members.

Caption: Teen 4-H member Darren VerWolf assists Lincoln Ostendorf during the bum show with his kid Milkshake.

Credit: MSU Extension Powder River County

Agriculture in Powder River County

Thirty-five producers attended the Winter Ag Series and received two pesticide applicator continuing education credits to continue their training and maintain their private applicator licenses. They learned about herbicide drift and resistance and modern technological advancements in agriculture like drone spraying.

MSU Extension Powder River County tested 86 samples of hay for nitrates, utilizing the in-office test. This offered producers a look at the nitrate levels of their forage so they could assess how to feed cows for best nourishment and to avoid nitrate toxicity in feed. More than 38 water test kits were used to test private wells of community members for agricultural and private consumption safety.

Caption: A field of heavy bales demonstrate the rainy year Powder River County had in 2025.

Credit: Jackie Rumph

Family and Consumer Sciences in an Agricultural Community

Working closely with the School Community Development Council and the Powder River Manor, MSU Extension Powder River County hosted a Future Forecasting event, offering information for local landowners focusing on estate planning, succession planning and the overlap with long-term care planning. The programs partnered with MSU Extension specialist Marsha Goetting to offer two hours of education on estate planning, and Ron Hanson, formerly of University of Nebraska-Lincoln to offer two hours of education about succession planning. After this event, MSU Extension followed up with attendees to share bi-monthly resources on estate planning and family communication.

Caption: Two generations of ranching & business people discuss estate planning with MSU Extension specialist Marsha Goetting.

Credit: MSU Extension Powder River County

Community Vitality

MSU Extension Powder River County partnered closely with the Powder River Area Economic Development Council (PRAEDC) to identify emerging needs in the community and facilitate meeting local grant requirements for the $1.5 million Pilot Tourism grant from the MT Department of Commerce, the $30,000 grant from Montana Mainstreet through partnership with the Town of Broadus, and the $20,000 Powder River Community Heart and Soul project, with a $10,000 match from the School Community Development Council and PRAEDC. Community vitality depends on partnership. Grants provide funding, but it is the dedication and labor of volunteers that truly drive progress from grant funding.

Through these grants and community partnerships, MSU Extension Powder River County has contributed to:
• Downtown Masterplan for the Town of Broadus
• Branding Guide for the community of Broadus
• Local business buy-in for wayfinding signage.
• Local community input into welcome signage for the community.
• Funding for Kingsley History Project and artist Miah Chalfant Real Bird’s mural and block party, creating community connection between Powder River County and Northern Cheyenne neighbors.
• Program coordination of the Powder River Community Heart and Soul project.
• Big Sky, Big Leadership Powder River County graduating 13 participants.

Caption: Powder River Community Heart & Soul hears from the community at the 4th of July Celebration.

Credit: Jackie Rumph