December 8, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Young Stockgrowers Encouraged to Attend Annual Meeting

Lacey Sutherlin from Stevensville, YSG Chair

Lacey Sutherlin from Stevensville, YSG Chair

I would like to personally invite all of you to attend our Young Stockgrower Meeting during annual convention on Thursday, December 11 in Billings. The meeting and social will start at 4:30 PM in the Big Horn Room, at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana.

During the meeting we will have a couple of guest speakers. Ryan Hughes will be doing a presentation on his trip to the Young Cattleman’s Conference. Our highlight speaker for the meeting will be Terrell Hibbard with GLCI to give a presentation on Web Applications for Range/Grazing Management. We also plan to get an update from the Collegiate Stockgrower groups from around the state.

Not only is this excellent chance to listen to a couple great speakers but it will give you the opportunity to network and meet new people that share same interests as you do in agriculture. During this meeting, we will take the time to highlight some of the many events happening during the convention as well as elect a new Vice Chairman. If anyone is interested in leading the group as our next Vice-Chair please contact myself, Travis Brown or Ryan Goodman.

We will also take the opportunity to discuss some of the policy information that will arise during convention. At this time you will be giving the opportunity to present and discuss any issues that you may have at your own operation that you think could use some added attention in Helena and furthermore Washington, DC. As officers, we realize the committee/policy meetings at convention can be intimidating, this is why we encourage the members to ask us questions and initiate discussion at this meeting for Young Stockgrowers. If anyone of you have any questions about the meeting or convention in general please contact myself or Travis.

Also the Montana Stockgrowers staff and board of directors have an excellent set of workshops for the Cattlemen’s College this year. A couple of the topics that will be covered are: Farm & Ranch Estate Planning, Adding Value to Calves, Vaccinations: Lifetime Calf Health, Making the Most of a Strong Cattle Market and Successful Strategies for Your Breeding Program. I am sure all of you can see how these would be very informative workshops to attend. This will all happen during the convention and the workshops are included with your convention registration.

We are looking forward to kicking off the convention with this informative meeting and social. I encourage all of you to attend the meeting and bring a friend. You do not have to be a member to attend the meeting please feel free to join us and use this as opportunity to decide you would like to be a member! Remember, if you decide to become a member, you do get a chance at winning at 2014 Ford F-250 pickup truck! We look forward to seeing all of you at MSGA Convention this week!

YSG Chair, Lacey Sutherlin, 406-544-0043, [email protected]
YSG Vice Chair, Travis Brown, 406-671-8088, [email protected]

December 3, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Grazing Management Tools for Young Stockgrowers | Annual Convention Speaker

We’re excited to have a great line up of speakers for the 2014 Annual Convention, Dec. 11-13 in Billings. The featured speaker during our Young Stockgrowers meeting on Thursday night will be Tyrrell Hibbard with Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. Earlier this year, GLCI released a new web program to assist with grazing management. Tyrrell will be discussing this new tool and other uses of technology Young Stockgrowers can utilize when managing pastures and grazing forages. To learn more about the Annual Convention speaker line up, click here.

New Grazing Recordkeeping System Offers Ranchers Better Tool

Bozeman —The Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) recently launched a new web-based planning and record keeping program for ranchers and grazing managers. GrazeKeeper is an electronic tool to manage livestock and pasture inventory, grazing plans, and grazing records.

“We are very glad to see GrazeKeeper become a reality,” said Chase Hibbard, Montana GLCI committee member who helped develop the program. “This will offer ranchers a tool they have not had before to make their recordkeeping and grazing decisions easier.”

GrazeKeeper, on the web at www.grazekeeper.com, allows users to inventory resources, track in- and out-dates of numerous herds, automatically track weather and precipitation using NOAA data, and map the ranch and pastures with Google Maps. GrazeKeeper is uniquely capable of providing reports by management group (animal herd) or by pasture and mining several years of data to compile in-depth reports.

Key Features of GrazeKeeper:

  • Simplifies the task of keeping pasture records
  • Simplifies the process of creating grazing reports, either by pasture or management group
  • Facilitates making informed decisions regarding stocking rates, carrying capacity, and grazing movements
  • Customizes pasture, livestock, and grazing reports

grazekeeperInterested users can sign up for GrazeKeeper at www.grazekeeper.com under a free 90-day trial period, which offers full functionality of the program and its valuable reports to users. After the free 90-day trial period, users will receive a payment window to purchase the product. Depending on the number of pastures a user wishes to track with GrazeKeeper, subscriptions run from $12 per month (for 10 pastures or less) to $48 per month (for unlimited pastures).

For more information about GrazeKeeper, and to sign up for a free 90-day trial, please visit www.grazekeeper.com.

Annual Convention and Trade Show 2014
December 1, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Annual Convention to Feature Governor and Cattlemen’s Colleges

During next week’s 130th Annual Convention of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, ranchers will have the opportunity to attend several Cattlemen’s College education workshops, ranging from animal reproduction and nutrition, estate planning, and discussions on current markets and processing plant feasibility. Governor Steve Bullock is scheduled to be speak during Friday’s Opening General Session. All MSGA events will take place at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana, December 11-13 in Billings.

Be sure to register for Convention HERE!

“This year we are excited to host fourteen Cattlemen’s College sessions during the 3-day convention. With a great number of different subjects covered, there should be a workshop of interest for everyone in attendance” advised Katie Stokes, MSGA Associate Director of Member Services and Marketing.

The Cattlemen’s College courses are sponsored by several Allied Industry agricultural service companies, so that a variety of speakers may participate in the educational workshops. Topics covered will include estate planning, nutrition for the cowherd, antibiotic use, genetic selection, breeding program strategies, current cattle market trends, and biosecurity for the livestock herd.

In addition to Cattlemen’s College sessions, Matt Bitz, with One Montana, will lead a discussion on the feasibility of establishing a beef processing plant in Montana. The Bozeman-based nonprofit has been working to explore the possibility and will present the findings of marketing, location, labor and economic impacts during a session on Saturday morning.

2014 Annual ConventionGreg Hanes, U.S. Meat Export Federation, will highlight the President’s Luncheon on Saturday. With 96 percent of the world’s population outside the U.S. and improving economies worldwide, the international markets play a larger and more important role for the American beef producer. Hanes will discuss how Checkoff dollars contribute to these global beef marketing opportunities.

Working with multiple generations of managing ranch employees can often bring to light challenges in communication. Michelle Reines, Zoetis, will host a communication workshop on Friday morning to help ranchers better understand themselves and how to flex their leadership style with their teams, peers as well as in any other relationships.

Tyrrell Hibbard with Montana Grazing Land Conversation Initiative will discuss new web-based tools for pasture and grazing management during the Young Stockgrowers meeting on Thursday evening. Association Policy Committee meetings on Thursday and Friday will feature updates on several updates on water, wildlife, Department of Livestock, and livestock health topics.

Other featured speakers during general sessions will include Governor Steve Bullock on Friday morning; Montana’s Congressional representatives and a live broadcast with Northern Ag Network on Friday afternoon; and motivational speaker, Lois Olmstead, during Saturday’s Inspirational Breakfast.

All meetings are included in general event registration, which will be available on-site. For additional meeting information, a full agenda, or pre-registration, contact the Montana Stockgrowers office in Helena, (406) 442-3420, or visit our Event page.

October 28, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Stockgrowers 130th Annual Convention Planned for Dec. 11-13 in Billings

Do not miss your chance to attend Montana’s largest ranching industry Convention and Trade Show. The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) and Montana CattleWomen invites you to join us for our 130th Annual Convention at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana in Billings, December 11-13. This year’s Convention will be bigger than ever with an extended line up of Cattlemen’s College courses and live entertainment from Wylie and the Wild West.

“2014 marks 130 years for the Montana Stockgrowers Association and we will be closing out the year in a big way,” says MSGA President, Tucker Hughes of Stanford. “We want to invite everyone to come participate in the fun, gain valuable insight from speakers from across the cattle industry, and participate in our policy meetings.”

This year’s Annual Convention will feature a great line up of speakers for the extended Cattlemen’s College. Topics covered will include fetal development, nutrition for the cowherd, health strategies for calf health, biosecurity, genetic selection for replacement animals, and hands-on workshop with reproductive technologies.

Several top speakers including Greg Hanes from US Meat Export Federation, Lois Olmstead, and a live broadcast with Northern Ag Network will highlight the agenda. Everything will wrap up on Saturday night with the Grand Finale Banquet featuring the annual live Cattle Directory auction and special entertainer, Wylie and the Wild West!

A major component of the convention is the setting of new policy and the review of past policies to guide the association through its day-to-day work. MSGA’s annual policy meetings will take place on Thursday and Friday, discussing topics in the areas of membership, land use, environment, agriculture policy, beef production and marketing.

This year has been active in several policy areas as Montana ranchers have dealt with sage grouse conservation, changes to EPA water jurisdiction, challenges for the national Beef Checkoff program structure, and Board of Livestock budget deficits. These issues, plus discussion leading up to Montana’s 2015 legislative session will be covered during the meeting.

MSGA and Montana Ford Stores have teamed up to give a Ford F-250 Super Duty truck to one lucky member who attends convention. The drawing will be held on Saturday during the Grand Finale Banquet. To be eligible for the truck drawing, you must attend convention, be a current Rancher, Stocker/Feeder or Young Stockgrower member, and fill out the truck entry form.

Other prizes to be awarded during the convention include a raffle drawing for an 8-month/200 hour lease on a 130-HP tractor and loader from Montana Massey Ferguson dealers, a John Deere Gator courtesy of Frontline Ag, and a trip to San Antonio, Texas for the 2015 Cattle Industry Convention sponsored by Northwestern Energy.

This year’s Trade Show will feature over 100 companies providing all types of products, services, and the latest technology to the cattle industry. The Trade Show is open to the public all three days during Convention until 9:00 p.m.

To learn more, please call the MSGA office at (406) 442-3420, or visit www.mtbeef.org. If you would like to reserve a trade show booth or sponsor part of the convention, please contact the MSGA office soon as there are limited spaces open at this time. Preregistration for attendees in currently open at a discounted price for those that register prior to December 1.

October 4, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Young Ag Leadership Conference Kicks off with Agriculture Tour

YALC Young Ag Leadership Conference MontanaThe 2014 Young Ag Leadership Conference was off to a great start on Friday as young farmers and ranchers from across Montana converged upon Bozeman for an impressive lineup of speakers over the weekend.

Friday night was highlighted by dinner and a movie as the film, Farmland, was shown. The James Moll documentary features young farmers and ranchers from across the country as they encounter challenges making a living in modern agriculture. The film is available for viewing free on Hulu this month. Learn more in yesterday’s blog post.

Prior to the opening dinner session, YALC hosted its first every bus tour of local businesses to acquaint attendees with agricultural-related businesses they may not encounter on a regular basis.

The tour’s first stop was the Madison River Brewing Company in Belgrade. Started in 2004, the Brewery has been a growing establishment in the Gallatin Valley craft brew scene. On the tour, YALC participants learned more about the process of turning locally sourced grains into beer. The tour described the process of utilizing the sugars available in grains, combining them with other ingredients like hops and yeast to make the recipe for popular local craft brews. The spent grains (brewer’s mash) is then given to local livestock producers as a high quality by-product feed.

YALC Friday Tour Madison River Brewery2

The next stop for the YALC tour visited the Montana Gluten Free Processing facilities in Belgrade. MT Gluten Free produces food products for consumers who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease. They have a few individually labeled products, including baking mix, pancake or waffle mix, dessert mixes, and raw oatmeal. Most of their products are made from oats, which are grown in Montana, mostly in the Gallatin Valley. 90% of their products are sold domestically in states like California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado. Israel is their largest export market. The gluten free products are part of a growing trend for value-added agriculture products in the state of Montana.

YALC Friday Tour Gluten Processing5

The YALC tour wrapped up with a short drive to the Leep Dairy Farm near Toston (local newspaper feature from 2009). The dairy is one of the larger in the state, milking nearly 750 cows. The Leep dairy farm is operated by a father and two sons and is the only dairy in Broadwater County. Their milk goes primarily to liquid markets (meaning for liquid consumption, not used to make cheese, butter, or similar products) sold under the Dairygold label, which is a farmer-owned. Their products can be found in grocery chains such as Costco, Walmart, and many others in the Northwest.

YALC Friday Tour Leep Dairy Shane

According to the 2012 U.S. Census of Agriculture, there are only 92 dairies in the state of Montana, ranking fifth in agricultural products with 1.1% of the state’s agricultural sales. The Montana climate is ideal for dairy cows. The animals are able to stay cool in the summer and during the winter, enclosed barns are able to keep the cows comfortable and warm despite the sometimes-harsh weather. A limiting factor for Montana dairy farm growth is capacity for processing their products. There is no large cheese or specialty processing facility nearby.

The Leeps are very cognizant of keeping their animals, milk and environment safe. The farm uses mostly local forages for their silage. All of their solid and liquid wastes (manure and run-off water) are collected; solids composted, and used as fertilizer for neighboring farms. In turn, the Leeps are able to cooperate with the local farms to grow better forage crops for their cattle. All milk from cows treated with antibiotics or other medicines is discarded and every load of milk is tested for safety before it enters the milk supply chain. The farm is very aware of public concerns of animal welfare in the dairy business and continually works with their co-op, inspectors, and employees to make sure tasks on the farm are completed correctly and the animals are treated humanely.

YALC Friday Tour Leep Dairy Parlor

The Young Ag Leadership Conference continues through Sunday morning in Bozeman. Participants will attend several workshops and participate in discussion panels on various topics including row crop farming, livestock issues, local food, property rights, and many more. To follow online, use the hashtag #YALC2014. View more photos on the Montana Stockgrowers Association Facebook Page.

October 2, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Young Stockgrowers Host Billings Cattle Crawl

Montana Young Stockgrowers Cattle CrawlBy Lacey Sutherlin, Young Stockgrowers Chair

The Montana Cattle Crawl was a fantastic event hosted by Young Stockgrowers and the Montana Beef Council. The sponsors of this great event were Bank of the Rockies, Northwest Farm Credit, Yellowstone Cellars & Winery and the Montana Beef Council.

We began the evening at Yellowstone Cellars and Winery with appetizers highlighting beef in four different dishes paired with wine from the Yellowstone Cellars. These delicious treats were prepared by Chef Nick Morrison. Chaley with the Beef Council did an introduction and an update on the Beef Council.

Then we hopped on the bus and headed to The TEN at the newly restored Northern Hotel in downtown Billings. On the bus ride the attendees were equipped with boas, Viking helmets and be dazzled glasses just to make sure the Cattle Crawl did not go unnoticed in downtown Billings! We were greeted there by the owner himself, Mike Nelson along with his Restaurant Manager, Patrick. He gave us a quick presentation on the history of the Northern and the remodeling journey. They served us a tossed salad topped with a specially prepared flank steak, pairing it with a red wine.

Next, we took a walk through the beautiful downtown Billings and made our last stop at the Rex. Chef David and his team, served us a sirloin steak dressed with a mushroom sauce, paired with a red wine. After this we jumped on the bus and headed back to the Winery for dessert!

Cattle Crawl Crowd

The dessert of choice that evening was Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream. Most of the Cattle Crawl attendees got to take part in preparing this delicious dessert. It was a mixture of cream, half and half, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Once everything was well mixed the nitrogen was added and we had ice cream!

We completed the evening with a cattle auction fundraiser to go towards sending additional participants to the NCBA’s Young Cattlemen’s Conference. We auctioned off a prize herd consisting of a Texas Long Horn, a Hereford and of course an Angus cow. It was a fun time had by all and an event I would plan on attending in the future! I would like to give one more big THANK YOU to our sponsors: Bank of the Rockies, Northwest Farm Credit, Yellowstone Cellars & Winery and the Montana Beef Council. And a HUGE thank you to everyone that decided to attend the Cattle Crawl and support the Montana Youngstockgrowers.

September 25, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Nominations for Ranching Woman of the Year Due November 1

Glenna Stucky Avon - Ranching Woman of the Year - Montana Stockgrowers

2013 Ranching Woman of the Year, Glenna Stucky of Avon.

The Montana Stockgrowers Association is seeking nominations for the 2014 Montana Ranching Woman of the Year. The annual award is presented to an MSGA member who has made great contributions to the Montana ranching community and has gone above and beyond to support their family and friends. Nominations are due November 1 and the recipient will be recognized at MSGA’s annual convention in Billings, December 11-13.

“Women are often the backbone of Montana’s ranching communities. These women often go above and beyond to support their immediate family members and pitch in whenever the need arises in their communities,” said Tucker Hughes, MSGA President from Stanford. “We look forward to recognizing these accomplished women each year at our annual convention and thanking them for their hard work.”

Last year’s recipient of the Ranching Woman of the Year was Glenna Stucky, who ranches with her husband, Earl, near Avon. Along with raising their family, Glenna has been heavily involved in local 4-H programs, CattleWomen’s activities and several community events. Family friends Ed and Bev Fryer describe Glenna as “just one of those people who when you meet them, you know that they are very happy and successful being a Ranch Woman.”

Past recipients of the award include Floydena Garrison of Glen, Helen Hougen of Melstone, Marian Hanson of Ashland, Carol Mosher of Augusta, Donna Sitz-Arthun of Billings, and Holley Smith of Glen.

Nomination letters submitted by family or close friends should identify a ranching woman, who is a member of Montana Stockgrowers, describe her role on the ranch, and the characteristics that set her apart when supporting the family and ranch, as well as describe her involvement in community efforts. Biographies should include the ranching woman’s hometown, family members, and number of years involved in ranching activities.

Along with the nomination biography, submissions should include photos depicting the ranching woman’s family, ranch and community involvement.

Nominations should be submitted to the Montana Stockgrowers office by November 1, 2014 via mail (420 N. California, Helena, MT 59601) or email ([email protected]). For more information contact the MSGA office at (406) 442-3420 or visit mtbeef.org.

September 24, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

An unforgettable day of golf at MSGA’s T-Bone Classic

Lone Peak above our golf course made for some amazing scenery for the day.

Lone Peak above our golf course made for some amazing scenery for the day.

The fourth annual T-Bone Classic golf outing took place on Sept. 12 at the award winning Big Sky Resort Golf Course. Four years ago, MSGA recognized a need to lessen the gap between Montana’s business and livestock communities. The T-Bone Classic was created with the primary mission to help fulfill this need by building relationships between these two communities that are both essential to Montana’s economy. This year MSGA partnered with our Research & Education Endowment Foundation (REEF) to help strengthen the existing relationships and help forge new relationships between Montana businesses and livestock communities.

REEF Chair, John Grande of Martinsdale, says the events at Big Sky went great! “The T-Bone Classic and Gala at Big Sky provided a unique opportunity to get acquainted with some great folks from different sectors of the Montana business community, as well as fellow ranchers. The Big Sky Mountain Village and the golf course down in the Meadow Village provided a warm and scenic venue for visiting with friends both old and new. Additionally, the MSGA Foundation trustees were able to take advantage of this relaxed setting to spend time in several meetings and informal discussions that helped to develop a new and more targeted direction for the Foundation. We look forward to the rollout of several new projects in the near future. The team at Big Sky Resort and a list of sponsors too numerous to mention really came through in making this a great event for the Stockgrowers organization.”

Winning Team from Havre, Montana - Erickson Financial

Winning Team from Havre, Montana – Erickson Financial

The tournament was followed by a beautiful evening at the Huntley Lodge overlooking lone peak enjoying the best T-bone steak Montana has to offer. The evening provided the opportunity for 100 Montana ranchers and related beef industry representatives to network with other T-Bone Classic participants from major businesses across the state of Montana and neighboring states.

MSGA and REEF would like to thank the many T-Bone Classic sponsors that helped make this unique event a success. A special thank you is extended to the members and staff of the Big Sky Resort. The well-kept course and courteous, proficient staff contributed in a large way to providing for an immensely successful fourth Annual T-Bone Classic.

In 2015, the T-Bone Classic will once again be scheduled for early September. The T-Bone Classic is designed to accommodate up to 30 teams with the intention that fifty percent of the teams originate from the heart of Montana’s ranch industry. MSGA will be searching for both ranch team and business team participants during the coming year. If your ranch can muster up a team for next year, let MSGA know you are interested. The prizes provided by the 18 hole sponsors, a hole-in-one to win a new Ford Pickup, or the best T-Bone steak we can offer could help make your day even more special!

Montana Cattle Women President, Wanda Pinnow, supporting beef and having fun on the golf course!

Montana Cattle Women President, Wanda Pinnow, supporting beef and having fun on the golf course!

Fred Wacker (center) stands in front of the steaks he raised for Tyson Open Prairie Natural Angus Beef, which were served at the Gala Dinner!

Fred Wacker (center) stands in front of the steaks he raised for Tyson Open Prairie Natural Angus Beef, which were served at the Gala Dinner!

Lacey Sutherlin Torgerson Putting Contest Big Sky Golf

Lacey Sutherlin, Young Stockgrowers Chair, stands with her $50 gift certificate for winning the Togerson Putting Contest!

September 10, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

Registration Opens for 2014 Young Ag Leadership Conference!

YALC Young Ag Leadership Conference MontanaRegistration is now open for the eleventh annual Young Ag Leadership Conference (YALC)! This exciting, one-of-a-kind conference is set to take place October 3-5 at the Holiday Inn in Bozeman, MT. YALC is a collaborative effort between nine of Montana’s agricultural organizations, offering attendees a chance to discuss current ag issues, take part in various workshops, meet with industry leaders and network with fellow young people who live Montana agriculture.

Anyone aged 18-40 and interested or involved in agriculture is encouraged to attend. The conference is put together by a committee of representatives from each of the following: Montana Agri-Business Association, Montana Cattlemen’s Association, Montana 4-H Foundation, Montana FFA Foundation, Montana Farm Bureau Federation, Montana Farmers Union, Montana Grain Growers Association, Montana State University College of Agriculture, and the Montana Stockgrowers Association.

The weekend kicks off on Friday with never-before-offered industry tours! This optional excursion will depart the hotel at 1PM and return in time to join the rest of the incoming attendees for the social at 6 PM. Friday evening offers “Dinner and a Movie” to get participants ready for Saturday’s full schedule of workshops, discussion groups and networking opportunities.

During Saturday’s breakfast, Matt Rush will wake everyone up with his keynote, “There is a Snake in My Bumper!” Participants will then choose from an expanded slate of workshop topics including everything from using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) on your operation to water rights and what employers look for during the interviewing process. Back by popular demand, we are excited to have Dr. John Paterson of NCBA talk about opportunities available for young producers in today’s cattle market, as well as other leadership development and industry-important topics on our agenda. Saturday’s luncheon will feature an insightful and entertaining talk called “Estate Planning is Easy…If You Have a Time Machine” by Debra Conroy of Fairfield & Woods, P.C., which will be followed up with more workshops and the always well-liked discussion groups. This year’s topics highlight two important themes facing young ag producers today: Ag Issues at a Glance, a lively discussion highlighting the current issues affecting today’s agricultural industry; and Local Food Co-ops, buying local is all the rage, but where does conventional farming fit in and how can these two industries work together?

Saturday will wrap up with supper and a good old-fashioned barn dance but the event doesn’t conclude until we hear “The Impact of One” from Janice Person, Online Engagement Entrepreneur for Monsanto Company on Sunday morning.

The cost of registration is only $25 for the entire conference, with all meals provided. After the pre-registration date of September 26, fees increase to $35. To register, go to www.mfbf.org or contact Mariah Baumann Shammel at (406) 462-5639 or [email protected].

September 8, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

T-Bone Classic Golf Tournament & Gala at Big Sky, Sept. 12

By John Grande, Martinsdale, Research & Education Endowment Foundation Chair.

Tbone Classic Golf Tournament Gala Montana Logo JPEGPlanning for the Montana Stockgrowers’ Foundation T-Bone Classic is off and running in a new location. After several years of the Montana Stockgrowers holding the T-Bone Classic Golf Tournament in Billings, the tournament is now being hosted by the Research, Education and Endowment Foundation (REEF) and has been moved to Big Sky. A full itinerary is planned with the golf tournament being held at the Arnold Palmer –designed Big Sky Golf Course on Friday, September 12, followed by the T-Bone Classic Gala that evening at the Huntley Lodge.

In addition to the new host and new location, another new feature is the expanded T-Bone Classic Gala banquet. Anyone is welcome, non-golfers as well as those in the tournament. We are particularly reaching out to the business community to get others outside of the beef industry to attend so we can all get acquainted and work together.

The MSGA board and the REEF trustees will both be meeting at Big Sky prior to the T-Bone Classic. The REEF trustees will be using this as an opportunity to do some goal-setting and long-term planning in addition to our normal business, so if anyone has input as to where our foundation should be headed, please provide your input to any of the trustees. As always, we appreciate any support you can give to help us in our educational efforts on behalf of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.

Sponsorship opportunities for the T-Bone Classic are almost filled up and as of this writing we have sixteen golf teams confirmed and about ten more in the works so if you’re interested in golfing, sign up now before the field is full. For more information, contact the MSGA office or any REEF trustee. Details and registration are listed on the website at mtbeef.org/tboneclassic.