At 83,000 head, McKenzie County is one of the top four North Dakota counties in number of "all cattle/calves" inventory according to 2021 data released by the USDA.

Other McKenzie County data include cash rent: non-irrigated cropland average rent at $32.50/acre, $10/acre for pastureland, and $169/acre for irrigated cropland. Find more USDA agricultural data for North Dakota and its counties here.

The December Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

A full-day training event to improve one's soft and management skill development is coming to McKenzie County. Facilitator, certified trainer, and Professional Engineer Randy Wall, President of the Engineering Leadership Institute will guide participants through the unwritten laws of business, soft and management skills development, connect them with the responsibility of managers, and provide insight on FLOW, and the secret to optimal human experience. This one-day class, being offered through TrainND Northwest, will be available on February 17 and February 18 at the Rough Rider Center. To learn more and register visit here.

Watford City's Fox Hills Golf Course was recently highlighted in a Golf Course Architecture article. The article includes photos and discusses the history of its recent renovation and expansion to 18 holes.

Watford City is being featured on a "My Hometown" Episode broadcast on the BEK Channel, Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at 4:30pm Central. The show will feature interviews with a variety of community members including Chamber of Commerce Director Mary Gumke, Gene Veeder, Mayor Phil Riely, Doug Bolken and Daniel Stenberg.

In a story on the 2022 Bicycling Travel Awards, Yahoo! Life name the local Maah Daah Hey Trail as the "Best Hidden Gem in the US." In the story, they report: "Yes, North Dakota deserves a spot on your bike-destination dream board. The state’s far western Badlands is home to an unsung hero of a trail system..." Read the full article here.

Grab a snack with a sheriff's deputy, police officer or an EMT and drill them with your questions! Think you can beat a first responder in cornhole? They are up for the challenge. Experience the inside of a fire truck, ambulance, police squad car as well as emergency management county vehicles! Prepare for disasters and start your emergency preparedness kit with our help! Bounce castles and face painting are only part of the fun. Prepare '22 The Family Safety Fair event will take place Saturday, January 22, 2022 from 10am-2pm at the Rough Rider Center. It is sponsored by McKenzie County Emergency Management.

Vision West ND is sponsoring its second Summit on Behavioral Health in Energy Country, April 26-27, 2022, at the Rough Rider Center. This two-day event will focus on mental and behavioral health topics that will educate people in our region and offer some potential opportunities for solutions. The full Summit information will be online shortly after the holidays. In the meantime, sponsorships are currently being accepted. Click here for more information on sponsorships.

The McKenzie County Soil Conservation District is hosting its ninth annual Cowgirls 'N Conservation event on January 21, 2022 at the Rough Rider Center. The event begins with a social at 5pm with the dinner to follow at 6pm. Tickets are $30. To get them stop in to the McKenzie Co Soil Conservation District office at 109 5th St NW, Watford City.