Thanks to Matti Olson from NonStop Local for covering this story on April 22, 2025.

Montana Grain Growers President and Fourth Generation Farmer, Klayton Lohr shared that 2024 was one of his worst financial years yet and what a challenge that can be. With good moisture early on, they put all the inputs and investment in the crop and then with harsh warm weather and no rain the crop simply cooked.

Lohr discussed how some generations of farmers have encouraged their children to get off the farm and experience a different lifestyle so they don’t have the financial burden in the future.

Courtney Kibblewhite with Northern Ag Network shares the origins of Beyond the Weather in partnership with the Montana Department of Agriculture and the need for a cultural shift towards talking about the challenging things that are often hard to talk about. She shares that checking in on our neighbors and being willing to be vulnerable like Klayton Lohr, is an important part of helping people feel less alone.

Shayna Chupein with Frontier Psychiatry has helped facilitate free counseling services for farmers and ranchers discusses and shares what that process looks like and the impact that it has had.

Click Here to Watch the NonStop Local Segment from Matti Olson.