Briefs: Sage grouse protections; Veterinary tech funding; Marijuana prices; | Montana Public Radio

BLM releases sage grouse management plan updatesEllis Juhlin | Montana Public Radio

The Bureau of Land Management Friday released final updates for its plan to protect greater sage grouse.

The updates span BLM land across 10 Western states, including Montana. There are stricter protections than previous drafts, including not allowing solar, wind or oil and gas development in areas identified as priority grouse habitat.

The squat brown birds famous for their elaborate courtship displays are seen as a keystone species for sagebrush habitat. That means that managers look to their populations as an indication of how the overall ecosystem is doing.

However, their numbers have declined by 98% in the last few decades due to habitat loss, development, oil and gas extraction and climate change. The birds are often at the center of debates in the West over development and conservation. Interest groups have long debated whether or not to list sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act.

There will be a 30 day protest period for public comment, after which the agency will issue a final decision.

Great Falls College announces federal funding for new veterinary technician programJohn Hooks | Montana Public Radio

A $250,000 workforce training grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help Great Falls College’s new veterinary technician program create a more robust online curriculum and partner with professional veterinarians.

The vet tech program — currently the only one in Montana — was launched in August, with its first class in their first semester. The program aims to fill gaps in Montana's veterinary workforce. According to the USDA, nine Montana counties are experiencing shortages in vet services.

The state does not currently have a school of veterinary medicine. Montana State in Bozeman has operated an exchange program with Washington State University since 2013.

Marijuana prices are dropping, state regulators sayJohn Hooks | Montana Public Radio

The Montana Cannabis Control Division found that retail prices for most marijuana products declined since recreational use began in January 2022. That’s according to the first Retail Price Study published by the state.

The study analyzed prices, volume sold, and revenue of the six top-selling product categories through June 2024.

While prices have gone down, total monthly revenue has steadily risen. The Cannabis Control Division attributes that to increased demand reflected in total sales.

The Division says this could be due to more and more customers moving from the illicit market into the legal market as prices become more competitive and dispensaries are able to offer a greater variety of products like edibles and concentrates.