New extension agent in Hill County

Shylea Wingard grew up in Montana and has worked in or been to all 50 states, but it wasn't until May when she was interviewed to be Hill County's newest extension agent for ag and natural resources that she had been to the Havre area.

She began her new job two weeks ago.

Wingard grew up on a 1,400-head cattle ranch in Ennis, where she still owns a small property with some cattle near the Madison Mountain Range.

She said Hill County reminds her of what Ennis used to be like before family-owned cattle ranches gave way to small acreages and absentee ranch owners.

"I like (Hill County) because this is what our area was like 20, 30 years ago," Wingard said.

She said agriculture isn't so much a career field as it is a way of life.

"You don't get in it to get rich" Wingard said. "It is a lifestyle choice because when you are counting on Mother Nature that is a pretty big gamble."

Wingard has a Bachelor of Science in agri-business management from Montana State University and a master's in agriculture economics from Purdue University.

She has held a variety of different positions in the agriculture sector including positions related to ag lending and farm credit services and in real estate.

Wingard and her husband own several businesses, including Wolf Pack Outfitters Inc, which offers horseback riding experiences and riding lessons. She also has two sons, Dalyn, 25 and Vance, 11.

She served as an adjunct professor at the Montana State University Department of Agriculture Economics and for 15 years taught risk management workshops for farmers and ranchers as a risk management consultant.

It was in those workshops, Wingard said, that she discovered she liked teaching. She said the job of an extension agent is very similar to a teacher as both share information with the public and how to run their farms and ranches.

She said that growing up in a ranching community, extension agents were a big resource, as they answered questions, provided good information and helped connect farmers and ranchers with programs that help them.

"I want to provide that for the people," Wingard said.

She added that she wants to find out what people's needs are, what they want information about and set up informational workshops.  

Wingard said her new position has some challenges. Although she has ample experience in ag finance, livestock and agribusiness, she does not have a lot of hands-on experience with cropping and farmland.

However, she said, her larger ag background and having the Northern Agriculture Research Center nearby to act as a resource will help her out.

Wingard said her family will likely remain in Ennis for about the next year while she figures out if the position and community is right for her. She added that her family will need to sell their property and figure out what to do with their businesses and small ranch before moving to Havre.

"So it's hard to just say 'let's pack everything up and find a new place to live," Wingard said.

However, she said, Havre is starting to grow on her.

Wingard said when she was making the drive back from Ennis to Havre after spending a weekend helping her husband with some work on their ranch, she realized she was glad to be returning to the area.