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.
The Montana Stockgrowers Association is seeking applicants for the position of Executive Vice President. The Executive Vice President is ultimately responsible for the overall management of the Montana Stockgrowers Association and its operations.
Qualified applicants will have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university, with a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience at an executive level. Candidates are required to have a background in livestock production either by experience, education or both. Qualified applicants will demonstrate strong verbal and written communications skills, financial management and the development of human capital.
Exceptional candidates will show a strong and successful background in organizational management and resource development, evidenced by years of experience, and contacts in the political, ranching and natural resources industries. The ability to travel locally, regionally, and nationally, as well as the ability to work nights and weekends as needed.
Please see the full job description and supplemental questions for additional information.
To be considered for the position, submit answers to the supplemental questions along with a resume and cover letter to Kori Anderson at [email protected]. The deadline for application is May 11. Questions can be directed to the MSGA office at 406-442-3420 or [email protected].
Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today unveiled a new interactive webpage to identify best practices for building rural prosperity.
“Rural communities need forward-thinking strategies to build strong, resilient futures,” Hazlett said. “USDA’s Rural Development Innovation Center is focused on identifying unique opportunities, pioneering new, creative solutions to tough challenges, and making Rural Development’s programs easier to understand, use and access.”
The webpage highlights effective strategies that have been used to create jobs, build infrastructure, strengthen partnerships and promote economic development in rural America.
An interactive feature allows webpage visitors to submit comments on ways USDA can improve Rural Development program delivery. Innovation Center staff will review these recommendations and direct customers to resources, services and expertise that will help their communities create transformative solutions to complex rural challenges.
The webpage also highlights USDA resources that can be used for investments in infrastructure and innovation. These resources include USDA’s Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant Program, Community Connect Grant Program, and Community Facilities Programs.
Secretary Perdue established the Rural Development Innovation Center to streamline, modernize and strengthen the delivery of Rural Development programs. To do this, the Innovation Center is focused on improving customer service to rural communities and increasing rural prosperity through strategic partnerships and capacity-building, data analytics and evaluation, and regulatory reform.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump, which included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
The Montana Stockgrowers Foundation (MSF) has selected Katelyn Dynneson of Sidney, Mont. to represent the Montana Stockgrowers Associaton (MSGA) at the Young Cattlemen’s Conference this year. The Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC), held May 30 – June 7, is an opportunity for cattlemen and cattlewomen between the ages of 25 and 50 to visit segments of the beef industry in other parts of our nation with young cattlemen from other states. Facilitated by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), participants will travel with national attendees to Denver, Chicago, and Washington D.C.
“I’m incredibly excited and honored to be chosen to represent MSGA at YCC. I truly appreciate the opportunity given to me by the foundation,” noted Dynneson. “I’m looking forward to networking with fellow beef industry leaders from across the country and learning skills to be a better beef advocate.”
Katelyn Dynneson is a 5thgeneration farmer and rancher in Sidney. She graduated from Montana State University with honors and a double major in agricultural business and economics. She works full time on her family’s cow-calf operation, custom backgrounding feedlot, and farm where they raise small grains, corn, and hay. She serves as the secretary/treasurer for the MonDak Area Stockgrowers and is a leader for the Richland County 4-H Jr. Leaders. She participated in the inaugural class of the Montana Stockgrowers Leadership Series and is the current Vice-Chair of the Young Stockgrowers.
The primary objective of YCC is to develop leadership qualities in young cattlemen and expose them to all aspects of the beef industry. The tour helps these young leaders understand all areas of our industry ranging from industry structure to issues management, from production research to marketing.
For more information on the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation and its work to preserve Montana’s ranching legacy, please contact 406-442-3420.
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The Montana Stockgrowers Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established to ensure the future of Montana’s cattle industry through producer and public education, and promotion of MSGA programs.
2018 Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)
The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides emergency assistance to eligible livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers who have losses due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions, such as flooding, blizzards and wildfires, not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs.
Eligible livestock losses include grazing losses not covered under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), additional feed purchases in excess of normal and loss of purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, additional cost of transporting water because of an eligible drought and additional cost associated with gathering livestock to treat for cattle tick fever.
Eligible honeybee losses include loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, cost of additional feed purchased above normal quantities due to an eligible adverse weather condition, colony losses in excess of normal mortality due to an eligible weather event or loss condition, including CCD, and hive losses due to eligible adverse weather.
Eligible farm-raised fish losses include death losses in excess of normal mortality and/or loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event.
Producers who suffered eligible livestock, honeybee, or farm-raised fish losses from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018, must file:
• A notice of loss the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent or by Nov. 1, 2018
• An application for payment by Nov. 1, 2018
The following ELAP Fact Sheets (by topic) are available online:
• ELAP for Farm-Raised Fish Fact Sheet
• ELAP for Livestock Fact Sheet
• ELAP for Honeybees Fact Sheet
To view these and other FSA program fact sheets, visit the FSA fact sheet web page at www.fsa.usda.gov/factsheets.
For more information on ELAP, please contact your local FSA office.
Ongoing Notice of Loss Requirements
Montana farmers and ranchers are reminded to timely report all crop and livestock losses to your local Farm Service Agency office. For more information and any questions, please contact your local FSA office.
ELAP – Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program: Submit Notice of Loss the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent or Nov. 1st after the end of the program year in which the loss occurred. Examples of ELAP losses include additional feed purchases in excess of normal and loss of damaged or destroyed purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed due to an eligible weather event. Producers may also be eligible for costs associated with transporting livestock feed to eligible livestock, including, but not limited to, costs associated with equipment rental fees for hay lifts and snow removal incurred in combination with losses due to additional feed purchased above normal or damaged or destroyed purchased or mechanically harvested forage.
LIP – Livestock Indemnity Program: Submit Notice of Loss within 30 calendar days of when the livestock loss is apparent. File an Application for payment and supporting documentation no later than 90 days after the calendar year in which the loss occurred.
NAP – Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program: Submit Notice of Loss within 15 calendar days of the earlier of a natural disaster occurrence, the final planting date if planting is prevented by a natural disaster, the date that damage to the crop or loss of production becomes apparent; or the normal harvest date.
TAP – Tree Assistance Program: Final Date to Submit an Application and Supporting Documentation is the later of 90 calendar days of the disaster event or the date when the loss is apparent.
Visit FSA’s national disaster assistance website and FSA’s program factsheets page.
Disaster Designations – If you have experienced a production or physical loss as a result of a natural disaster you may submit a request to your local FSA county office for your county to be evaluated for a disaster designation. Once a request is received, the county office will collect disaster data and create a Loss Assessment Report. The County Emergency Board will review the Loss Assessment Report and determine if a recommendation is sent forward to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for a designation. A designation triggers the availability of low-interest Emergency Loans to eligible producers in all primary and contiguous counties.
Farm Loans – For information on loan options with FSA, please contact your local FSA office for assistance and visit the FSA Farm Loan Programs Website.
FSA Disaster Assistance Programs at a Glance Factsheet (pdf)
For more information, please contact your local FSA office.
Requesting Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Flood Damage
Farmers and ranchers suffering severe damage from flooding can request assistance through FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). Affected producers can request ECP assistance through their local FSA office.
The types of ECP practices that can be available under this program include:
• removing debris from farmland
• grading, shaping or releveling severely damaged farmland
• restoring permanent fences
• restoring conservation structures and other similar installations
ECP is administered by FSA to assist producers with the cost of recovery activities required to restore the agricultural land to pre-disaster conditions. Producers who sustained damage from this disaster event are encouraged to submit their request for assistance prior to beginning reconstructive work. Submitting a request after completing qualified reconstructive work may result in forfeiture of program eligibility.
Producers can submit ECP applications through the FSA county office. FSA county committees will complete an evaluation of submitted requests and will request national funding based on an on-site inspection of the damaged land, taking into consideration the type and extent of the eligible damage. Completion of the on-site inspection does not guarantee that cost-share funding will be allocated. The use of obligated funds is limited to return the land to the relative pre-disaster condition. Conservation concerns that were present on the land prior to the disaster are not eligible for ECP assistance. Approved ECP applicants may receive up to 75 percent of the cost of completing the approved restoration activity.
For more information on ECP, please contact your local FSA office.
Producers are Encouraged to Report Prevented Planting and Failed Acres
Producers are reminded to report prevented planting and failed acres in order to establish or retain FSA program eligibility for some programs. Producers should report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to a natural disaster, were prevented from planting. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and Risk Management Agency (RMA).
Contact your local FSA office for a list of final planting dates by crop.
If a producer is unable to report the prevented planting acreage within the 15 calendar days following the final planting date, a late-filed report can be submitted. Late-filed reports will only be accepted if FSA conducts a farm visit to assess the eligible disaster condition that prevented the crop from being planted. A measurement service fee will be charged.
Additionally, producers with failed acres should also use form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, to report failed acres.
Producers of hand-harvested crops must notify FSA of damage or loss through the administrative County Office within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This notification can be provided by filing a CCC-576, email, fax or phone. Producers who notify the County Office by any method other than by filing the CCC-576 are still required to file a CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within the required 15 calendar days.
For losses on crops covered by the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), producers must file a Notice of Loss within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers must timely file a Notice of Loss for failed acres on all crops including grasses.
From Northern Ag Network: The 2018 Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock Forum took place in Bozeman this week. Livestock producers from Montana and the surrounding states gathered to learn about new findings in nutrition needs and livestock management. Drought resource management was the theme of the event and attendees determined that there is still a real possibility in the summer of 2018 for drought.
Dr. Megan Van Emon is the Extension Beef Cattle Specialist at Montana State University (MSU). She was an organization and presenter at the event. She says that “the event is a way to bring all of the aspects of the industry, not only beef cattle but livestock producers in general. As well as feed dealers and extension agents to hear our wealth of knowledge that we can bring together into a single event.”
Meteorologist Brian Bledsoe spoke at the forum and discussed the 2018 weather outlook. Depending on the weather model, attendees learned that Montana and surrounding states might be in for another drought again this year depending on how much moisture falls. With the possibility of drought, Van Emon added that “we’re hoping for the best, but the forum could provide some potential good resources here that that producer can take home.”
After last year’s drought and this year’s long, hard winter, many that came to the conference wanted to discover what options they have regarding preparing for drought and its impact on forges for livestock.
Dr. Emily Meccage is MSU’s Forage Extension Specialist. In looking ahead to this year’s growing season, Meccage said that “following a drought year we can potentially see some lower production just because we’re basically in a deficit.” She added that “now we’re fortunate that this winter we are at that full snowpack in a lot of areas. We’ve made up that deficit some and had a lot of winter moisture.”
Meccage is hopeful that producers can see good spring growth. She does point out that there is already the problem of delayed planting because of moisture. She said that “I always like to recommend that producers look at the drought forecast. If we have a drought in our future, which potentially this year we might see slight drought for some areas, then annual forages are an option.” She explains that annual forages are useful, “because we can get them to produce in fairly low amounts of water and they’ve produced pretty quickly. We can be using this as a summer grazing source, or we can be haying.”
Farmers and ranchers are always encouraged to work with their local county extension agents on all things agriculture.
Head over to Northern Ag Network for more information on the Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock Forum.
The Montana Stockgrowers Association had a successful trip in DC, including meeting Secretary Pruitt(L to R) Back Row: MSGA First Vice President Fred Wacker of Miles City, MSGA Second Vice President Jim Steinbeisser of Sidney, MSGA Director of Natural Resources Jay Bodner, NCBA Environmental Counsel Scott Yager. Front Row: MSGA Communications Director Kori Anderson, EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt, MSGA President Bryan Mussard.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kori Anderson
406.442.3420
[email protected]
The MSGA officers met with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines, Congressman Greg Gianforte, and senior officials from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) were a top priority of MSGA during the trip. They spoke extensively about the need for a permanent fix for livestock haulers, and the trio presented each member of the delegation with a list of minimums to consider.
MSGA had the opportunity to meet with Senator Daines the day before he met with President Trump to discuss the tariffs on China. The Association voiced their concerns over the proposed beef tariffs and explained the effect it would have on Montana’s number one industry.
A common theme of the week was reducing burdensome regulations, it costs ranchers $12,000 a year to comply with state and federal regulations. From the EPA to Interior, it was evident there was strong support for said action. Administrator Pruitt promised to look into streamlining the record keeping system for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) after discussion with the MSGA officers.
In order to best serve the ranchers of Montana, it is a priority of MSGA to work with the Congressional Delegation and Federal Agencies to accomplish the goals set forth by the membership. To learn more about what a membership with MSGA can do for you, please visit mtbeef.org.
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The Montana Stockgrowers Association, a non-profit organization representing nearly 2,500 members, strives to serve, protect and advance the economic, political, environmental and cultural interests of cattle producers, the largest sector of Montana’s number one industry – agriculture.
MSGA meeting with Secretary Zinke.
MSGA meeting with U.S. Senator Jon Tester.
PLC/NCBA News Release – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council yesterday expressed reservations about H.R. 3400, the so-called “Recreation Not Red-Tape Act,” as the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee prepares to mark up the bill.
“We strongly support the principle of multiple use of public lands,” said Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council and NCBAs Federal Lands. “That said, the federal government shouldn’t be in the business of favoring one use over another, and that’s what this legislation does as it’s currently written.”
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 requires multiple use on public lands. This means that every American has a place on public lands – whether a hiker, camper, cattle rancher or energy producer, Lane said.
The Bureau of Land Management’s definition includes managing public land resources for “a variety of uses, such as energy development, livestock grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting, while protecting a wide array of natural, cultural, and historical resources.”
Lane said that ranching is an essential element of multiple use because the practice easily coexists with other activities and does not preclude any of them from happening concurrently.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has set a June 1, 2018, application cutoff for agricultural operators to be considered for 2019 conservation program funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
NRCS provides funding and technical assistance to help farmers and ranchers implement conservation practices that provide environmental benefits to help sustain agricultural operations. Conservation program participation is voluntary and helps landowners and operators defray the costs of installing conservation practices.
NRCS accepts conservation program applications year-round; however, applications for 2019 funding consideration must be submitted by June 1, 2018. Applications made after the June 1 cutoff will be considered in the next funding cycle. Additional information is available on the Montana NRCS website at www.mt.nrcs.usda.gov under the Programs tab or you can contact your local NRCS service center.