The Montana Stockgrowers Association, a non-profit membership organization, has worked on behalf of Montana’s cattle ranching families since 1884. Our mission is to protect and enhance Montana ranch families’ ability to grow and deliver safe, healthy, environmentally wholesome beef to the world.
This year, despite sub-zero temperatures and terrible road conditions, 644 people attended the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s 124th Annual Convention and Trade Show at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana in Billings, Dec. 11-13. Below, please find some highlights from the convention:
-Tom Hougen of Melstone was elected the 59th President of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.
-Walter “Watty” Taylor of Busby was elected 1st Vice President. He previously served as 2nd Vice President from 2006-2008.
-Tucker Hughes of Stanford was elected 2nd Vice President. He served on the Board of Directors from the South Central District from 2004-2008.
-New Board of Directors:
Northeast District – Jeff Pattison of Glasgow
Southeast District – Dean Wang of Baker
South Central – Larry Berg of Judith Gap
-Wesley Batista president and CEO of JBS Swift, a division of JBS S.A., currently the world’s largest beef producer and exporter, was unable to attend the convention as planned due to a death in his family. Chandler Keys, vice president of government affairs for JBS Swift, filled in as the keynote speaker at the Opening General Session. He discussed the history of the Batista family and how they built up JBS S.A. from humble roots to being a global meatpacking powerhouse. Keys also described JBS’s business model and explained how the company has made inroads in global markets for both Brazilian and U.S. beef. Chandler fielded many questions from the audience and met with the media after his speech.
-Policy to guide MSGA officers and staff through 2009 was set in a process that began with committee meetings, progressed to the second reading and finished at the third reading. Notable new policies address livestock theft awareness, livestock biosecurity education, horse slaughter, the promotion of U.S. beef, bison reintroduction to the Chares M. Russell Wildlife Refuge, carbon sequestration, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks wolf kill projections, and the Clean Air Act.
-Chances to win a 12-inch fully tooled kid’s saddle, sponsored by Nutra Lix, Basin State Bank, Ruby Valley National Bank, and MSGA, were auctioned off at the Grand Finale Banquet to benefit MSGA’s Advocacy Fund. Harrison Land and Livestock was the original winner, and Mark and Patti Harrison donated the saddle back for one last auction. Tucker Hughes was lured into a bidding war with Bill Donald and Gene Curry and ended up with the saddle with a high bid of $4,800. Overall, $27,300 was raised for the Advocacy Fund which goes toward MSGA’s legislative efforts.
-In addition to being elected 2nd Vice President, serving as emcee of the Grand Finale Banquet on Saturday night, Dec. 13, and being the highest bidder for the kid’s saddle, Tucker Hughes was named MSGA’s “Top Hand” for recruiting 15 new members and won an all-expense trip to Mexico sponsored by Valley Bank of Helena.
-The Cattle Directory Priority Page auction raised $42,000.
-Donna Sitz-Arthun of Billings was named “Ranch Woman of the Year” at the Grand Finale Banquet.
-Chelsea Phipps of Brussett won the Nutra Lix saddle giveaway.
-Rochelle Brownlee of Big Timber won the Torgerson’s LLC lawnmower giveaway.
-Rachel Endecott of Miles City won the WALCO Animal Heath and Intervet /Schering-Plough Animal Health Young Stockgrower membership drawing.
-The Trade Show offered 100 booths with various products and services for convention attendees. On Friday night, the “Night around the Campfire” Trade Show Grand Opening offered four beef dinner stations, entertainment by the Ringling 5, and a silk scarf giveaway. Saturday night’s Trade Show Finale featured a poker run that drew a huge crowd.
– Plans are already underway for MSGA’s 125th Anniversary Celebration to be held in conjunction with MSGA’s mid-year meetings in Miles City, June 10-14, 2009. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting milestone event!
On January 22nd and 23rd, the Young Stockgrowers will be convening in Helena for the 2009 Young Stockgrowers Conference. The conference is held during every legislative session and features a tour of the Capitol building, interactive workshops, educational speakers, meet with local elected legislators and review policies.
The price is $35/person and will be held at the Best Western Helena Great Northern Hotel. For more information, contact MSGA at 442-3420.
Lon and Vicki Reukauf of Cherry Creek Ranch in Terry were the lucky winners of the 2008 Dodge truck given away at the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s 124th Annual Convention and Trade Show on Saturday, Dec. 13. The Reukauf’s drove away from convention with full ownership of the Dodge Cummins Diesel truck, valued at $40,000, thanks to Lithia Dodge of Billings, First Interstate Bank of Billings, Northern Ag Network, Western Ranch Supply, Pfizer Animal Health, WALCO Animal Health and MSGA. The drawing was open to all MSGA members and required presence at the Grand Finale Banquet to win. The banquet crowd of 450 people roared its approval when Lon’s name was called.
“I didn’t even know they were giving a truck away until the gal at registration asked if we had entered the drawing,” Vicki said later. “So I wrote Lon’s name down. I can’t believe it; the only thing we’ve ever won before was a turkey!”
One member remarked later that the truck couldn’t have gone to better people. MSGA hopes the Reukauf’s enjoy their brand new truck!
MSGA’s 124th Annual Convention and Trade Show has gotten off to a great start with business meetings today at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana in Billings. Meetings include the MSGA Board of Directors, MSGA’s Research Education and Endowment Foundation, the Young Stockgrowers Committee, the Grass Conservation Commission, Montana Hereford Association, the Montana Public Lands Council/Montana Association of State Grazing Districts joint board meeting, the Steer of Merit Committee, and the Montana Cattle Feeders. Other events include the Young Stockgrower’s Social, a SimSeminar with the American Simmental Association, the MaPa 200 Club Reception, Young Stockgrowers Dinner, and the “Has Beens” Dinner.
Tomorrow, registration will start at 6:30 a.m. followed by the Billings Chamber of Commerce Pancake Breakfast. At 8 a.m. the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the Montana CattleWomen Opening General Session will kick off. Committee meetings will follow and the Northern Ag Network lunch will begin at noon with a live broadcast. In the afternoon, committee meetings will continue and at 5 p.m. the Night Around the Campfire Trade Show Grand Opening will begin, featuring four beef dinner stations, the Western Ranch Supply Waterhole, entertainment from the Ringling 5 and complimentary silk scarves.
Recently I have been traveling Montana to many of MSGA’s local Stockgrowers Affiliate meetings. One question that was consistently posed to me time and time again was the issue about the Evironmenatl Protection Agency (EPA) imposing a tax on Green House Gas emmissions from cattle. I am posting a statement that came out of EPA just yesterday regarding this issue.
EPA’s Statement on “taxing” livestock GHG emissions:
“It is unfortunate that recent media articles have incorrectly reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to tax emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from livestock.
EPA welcomes public comments from all interested parties on this important issue.
EPA’s greenhouse gas advance notice of proposed rulemaking (GHG ANPR) does not recommend the use of any particular Clean Air Act (CAA) authority, make judgments about a preferred pathway, regulate any emissions or commit to specific next steps to address GHGs.
The GHG ANPR represents EPA’s next step in responding to the Supreme Court case finding that GHGs are air pollutants under the CAA. It examines the interconnections among CAA provisions and implications of applying particular CAA authorities to reducing GHGs. The ANPR also provides a comprehensive, in-depth exploration of the opportunities and challenges application of CAA authorities would present.
More information about the GHG ANPR and how to comment is available online at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/anpr.html”
MSGA continues to monitor this issue and respond accordingly to whatever EPA’s intentions may be.
Montana State Veterinarian, Dr. Zaluski, presented a revised Brucellosis Action Plan to the Board of Livestock on Tuesday, Nov. 18. He amended the plan based on comments he received during the plan’s comment period and at several town meetings. Most notably, the plan has been changed from a three area plan to a two area plan based on county boundaries and encompassing Beaverhead, Madison, Gallatin, Park, Sweet Grass, Stillwater and Carbon Counties in the Area 1: Special Focus Area. All producers living in these seven counties will be required to complete a risk assessment with the Department of Livestock. Testing and other requirements will depend on the result of this assessment. To see the new plan please click here. (A preliminary budget is included in the plan.)
Zaluski said that many comments suggested that we do no testing and wait out the time required to regain our brucellosis-free status. He said that he had spoken with APHIS and the “do nothing” option, was not an option if we hoped to ever regain our class-free status.
Zaluski also said that a bulk of the comments referred to the need for more involvement from the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. He said FWP has committed to participate in herd plans that are developed in the special focus area.
After Zaluski presented the revised BAP, Chairman Bill Hedstrom allowed the public to comment before the board decided whether or not to take action on the plan. Several members of the public commented on the expansion of Area 1 to include all of seven counties. One speaker was not in favor of this move, preferring the three area plan because fewer ranchers would be affected by potential testing requirements. Others said that other state vets are going to impose restrictions by county anyway so the two area plan makes more sense. Plus, many said the two area plan is more easily enforced by the department, more easily understood by ranchers and will lessen the movement testing requirements compared to the three area plan.
Some commenters asked for clarification on the risk assessments and what they entail, especially since they will be the cornerstone of the plan. What would the role of FWP be in the risk assessments?
Many commenters said that the plan does nothing to address the real problem of diseased wildlife and asked why we should be in a hurry to get our class free status back when we have done nothing to change what caused us to be downgraded in the first place. Others encouraged the board to get going on the plan.
Meg Smith, who resigned from the Board of Livestock at the last meeting, spoke during the public comment time and asked rhetorically, “Who has authority over diseased animals in the state of Montana? The Department of Livestock.” Smith then read from the laws that proved her statement. She encouraged the Department to add language in the Brucellosis Action Plan that asserted that authority and then take action on diseased wildlife based on these laws. “Is the board of Livestock going to follow these laws? I sure hope so,” she said.
Debbie Barrett, a rancher and state legislator from southwest Montana spoke in opposition to the plan. She acknowledged that the new plan is an improvement on the previous plan but said, “The premise of your action plan, I believe, is a bailout of the federal government who has jurisdiction over Yellowstone National Park and they can’t manage it. The federal government is responsible for the disease-affected wildlife coming into this area. I’m opposed to treating cattle producers in Southwestern Montana any different than other ranchers. It is blatantly obvious that the executive branch has already written off the livestock producers in Southwestern Montana…sacrificed them, so to speak, in order to protect the other livestock producers in Montana. This approach will not address or solve the problem, which is diseased wildlife.” She said further, “The Department of Livestock, whose mission is to control and eradicate animal disease, isn’t addressing the diseased wildlife. They are recommending that the agricultural producers alone must bear the burden of expensive testing.”
Errol Rice, executive vice president of MSGA, commented that the Brucellosis Action Plan needs to better address the wildlife component, and explain how the adaptive management changes to the Interagency Bison Management Plan will fit into the bigger picture. “I know from talking with Marty that we have tried to keep the IBMP separate from the over arching Brucellosis Action Plan,” Rice said, “but I feel that we have to be able to clearly and definitively articulate what the Montana DOL will be agreeing to as far as operating procedures for the upcoming bison management season, so we can articulate and defend those decisions to our trading partners.”
After further discussion from the board, the board passed a motion to begin work on risk assessments for the two-area plan.
Next, Zaluski discussed the meetings of the Interagency Bison Management Plan partners to agree on “adaptive management changes” to the plan for the upcoming bison operating season. He explained that the partners have agreed to let bison inhabit the Horse Butte area because the property that formerly had cattle has been sold and no longer has cattle. Zaluski said that because there are no cattle, there is no risk of bison and cattle commingling on the butte. There is not a number that triggers management action (in other words, the partners will tolerate an unlimited number of bison in the area), as long as they stay in that area and do not cross certain spatial “trigger points” for management. (Currently the IBMP states that only up to 100 head of tested, seronegative bison are allowed on Horse Butte). Zaluski also told the board that the partners have agreed to allow more tolerance for bull bison in Montana because they pose an “certainly undetermined but very low” risk of transmitting brucellosis to cattle.
“The opinion that I have as State Veterinarian is that we are still treating risk as being the number one priority and it is not being compromised through these kinds of activities,” Zaluski said.
APHIS has a newly released proposal to regionalize the areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The area will be called the National Brucellosis Elimination Zone. To see the proposal, please click here.
The second day of the Board of Livestock meeting began with a budget report, resolution of two brands disputes and division updates.
The Montana Livestock Loss Reduction & Mitigation Board reported that it is running out of money to compensate ranchers who have suffered confirmed wolf depredations. The board took over these duties from Defenders of Wildlife in April of this year. Defenders of Wildlife contributed $50,000 to the board this year to pay to ranchers, and has committed $50,000 for next year. However, other funding sources have been hard to find and unless another source is found soon, ranchers may not be compensated for further claims this year.
The Diagnostic lab reported a huge influx of brucellosis tests. There have been 49,342 tests since July this year, compared to 14,538 during the same time period last year. The lab is currently turning the tests around in one day, and can handle up to 3,000 per day. Currently the lab expects to receive a minimum of 1,800 tests per day.
Today, Governor Schweitzer appointed Brett DeBruycker, current president of the Montana Cattlemen’s Association, to the Board of Livestock. His appointment filled the seat left vacant by the resignation of George Hammond in September. Meg Smith also resigned in September, but her seat remains empty for now. New appointees must be approved by the state Senate and serve six-year terms.
The Board met at 1 p.m. today for its regular bi-monthly board meeting. Quentin Kujala of the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks gave a presentation on the agency’s 2008 Elk Brucellosis Surveilance. He discussed research on elk movements in the Madison and Paradise Valley compared to data collected between 1976 and 1986. According to his data, elk are spending less time in the forest and more time in the valley bottoms on private land. He said that the agency firmly believes that elk are congregating in certain areas because of lack of hunter access to these areas. He explained that this has the effect of artificially bunching elk, making the transmission and persistence of brucellosis more likely. Kujala will make a similar presentation at the MSGA Convention and Trade Show on Dec. 12 during a joint Beef Production and Markeing-Land Use and Environment brucellosis discussion. Please join us to learn more and ask your pressing questions of FWP.