November 30, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSGA to “Celebrate the Ranching Spirit” for 125th Annual Convention and Trade Show, Dec. 10-12

MSGA is gearing up for its 125th Annual Convention and Trade Show, Dec. 10-12 at the Crowne Plaza hotel and MetraPark in Billings. To continue the celebratory mood of MSGA’s 125th Anniversary this past June, the theme of convention is “Celebrating the Ranching Spirit!”

MSGA’s convention will feature a great lineup of speakers, entertainment, educational seminars, policy discussions and business meetings.

“This year’s convention is a ‘can’t miss’ for anyone involved in Montana’s livestock industry,” said Tom Hougen, MSGA President. “We have a lot of important issues to address in our business meetings, but we also have some great entertainment lined up so we can relax a little and enjoy ourselves. We’re especially excited about our lineup of speakers and Pfizer Cattlemen’s Colleges this year. There will be plenty of opportunities for all of us to learn things that we can take home and implement on our own operations.”

Cattle rancher and Montana’s Governor, Brian Schweitzer, will address the Stockgrowers during the Northern Ag Network Lunch on Friday, Dec. 11 at the MetraPark Expo Center. Trent Loos, radio and TV personality and sixth generation farmer, will speak during the Opening General Session on Friday afternoon. Montana’s Congressional delegation, Senator Max Baucus, Senator Jon Tester and Congressman Rehberg, have been invited to address the Stockgrowers during Saturday’s President’s Lunch. Tester will send a video message and Congressman Denny Rehberg is planning to make a personal appearance. The Von Trapp Children singers, great-grandchildren of Captain Von Trapp, father of the famous singing family whose story captivated the world in the musical “The Sound of Music,” will provide entertainment during Friday’s Inspirational Breakfast and Saturday, Dec. 12’s Grand Finale Banquet.

Pfizer Cattlemen’s Colleges scheduled for Saturday morning and afternoon at the MetraPark Expo Center will include: “Effective Stockmanship” with renowned Montana horseman, rancher and stockmanship instructor, Curt Pate, and Texas A&M livestock specialist and beef nutritionist, Ron Gill. Effective Stockmanship is an innovative hands-on training session using live cattle demonstrations to inform cattlemen about the importance and benefits of proper cattle handling—and its critical role in increasing the consumers’ confidence in beef; “Searching for the cows that will consistently make money for my ranch” with John Paterson, PhD, Extension Beef Specialist for Montana State University, focusing on research to better understand ruminant nutrition; “Animal husbandry, science & health in beef production” and “Doing your best, does it still pay?” by Gerald L. Stokka, DVM, MS, of the Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Operations team; “Benefits of and tips to achieve a short calving season” by Rick Funston, PhD, the reproductive physiologist for the University of Nebraska, concentrating on reproduction advancement in cattle; “Getting to know your estate plan…before you die,” a panel discussion featuring speakers Curt Barnekoff, Bill Honzel, and Max L. Erickson who will answer questions like, how do I determine if my estate will owe a tax? How much will it be? Who will pay the tax and how will it get paid? And, who will assume operating and management responsibilities when I’m gone?

The expanded Trade Show on Friday and Saturday at the MetraPark Expo Center will feature cattle industry exhibitors, including indoor equipment displays, complimentary silk scarves, the First Annual Cattle Pen Display, beef dinner stations and complimentary “watering holes.”

The Grand Finale Banquet on Saturday evening will feature the Von Trapp Children singers, auctions of the last Brett Badgett bronze to commemorate MSGA’s 125th Anniversary and priority pages for the 2010-2011 Montana Seedstock and Commercial Cattle Directory, a saddle give-away by NutraLix and the MSGA/Montana Ford Dealers 2009 Ford F-150 XLT Truck give-away.

Business meetings will take place throughout convention with meetings of MSGA’s executive committee, board of directors, and the trustees of MSGA’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation being held at the Crowne Plaza hotel on Thursday, Dec. 10. The Grass Conservation Commission, the Montana Hereford Association, the Joint Montana Public Lands Council and Montana Association of Grazing Districts Board, the Montana CattleWomen, the Montana CattleFeeders and the Montana Simmental Association will also meet Thursday at the Crowne Plaza. Committee meetings will take place Friday, Dec. 11 at the MetraPark Arena to begin developing new policy for the year. The second reading of resolutions will follow the Opening General Session at 4 p.m. on Friday, along with reports from the committee chairs. The final reading of resolutions will take place at the MSGA business meeting on Saturday, Dec. 12. MSGA members will also vote on two new Board of Director members during convention and the winners will be announced on Saturday evening’s Grand Finale Banquet.

Other convention events include meetings of the Montana CattleWomen, Young Stockgrowers caucus and social, a Montana Ag Safety Recertification four wheeler safety demonstration, the Women of the West Fair, and the announcement of the 2010 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award winner. For more details, or to register, visit www.mtbeef.org or call (406) 442-3420.

November 24, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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BOL Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Brucellosis Order

DOL – The Montana Board of Livestock is seeking public comment on a draft order that proposes to create Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) for continued brucellosis surveillance, vaccination and traceability requirements in areas with risk of brucellosis transmission from wildlife to livestock.

The proposed order specifies:
-Boundaries for the DSA;
-Testing requirements for eligible animals;
-Individual animal identification;
-Requirements for mandatory Official Calfhood Vaccination (OCV).

State veterinarian Dr. Marty Zaluski, who presented the draft order to the Board of Livestock at its meeting in Helena last week, said the order “picks up where the Brucellosis Action Plan left off.”

“The draft order basically outlines a plan for surveillance and monitoring in increased-risk areas after the state’s Brucellosis Action Plan (BAP) sunsets on January 10,” Zaluski said. “We’ve known all along that some components of the BAP would be needed in some areas after it sunsets, and this order is consistent with what we’ve discussed with producers.”

If approved, the order would create a surveillance area that is significantly smaller than the seven-county area – Area 1 – created by the state’s Brucellosis Action Plan.

“I think we’ve shown that monitoring is an effective tool for detecting disease, and that it ultimately helps protect the marketability of Montana’s livestock,” Zaluski said.

The order also extends requirements for producers in Area 1 of the BAP who have not yet completed an operation-specific risk survey or whole-herd brucellosis testing. Producers with livestock in Area 1 are encouraged to contact Dr. Eric Liska ([email protected]; 406/444-2043), the department’s brucellosis veternarian, to complete a risk survey as soon as possible.

Comments on the proposed order, which can be viewed and/or downloaded at http://liv.mt.gov/default.asp, will be accepted through December 16, and can be submitted to the Department of Livestock via email at [email protected] or U.S. Postal mail at DSA Comments, Montana Department of Livestock, Helena MT, 59620-2001.

Zaluski added that the comment period for the DSA is related to, but separate from, a USDA-APHIS comment period on a concept paper proposing changes in the nation’s federal brucellosis program (see the October 7 press release, APHIS Plan Open for Public Comment, for additional details).

November 18, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Bill Davis Elected President of American Angus Association

American Angus Association® delegates elected five members to its Board of Directors Monday, Nov. 16 at the 126th Annual Convention of Delegates in Louisville, Ky.

Newly elected Board Directors include: Charlie Boyd II, Mayslick, Ky.; Scott Foster, Niles, Mich.; and Vaughn Meyer, Reva, S.D. Steve Olson, Hereford, Texas; and Cathy Watkins, Middletown, Ind., were both elected to a second term on the Board.

Bill Davis, Sidney, Mont., was elected the American Angus Association president and chairman of the board. He succeeds Jay King, Rock Falls, Ill.

Joe Hampton, Mount Ulla, N.C., was chosen by delegates to serve as vice president and vice chairman of the Board. Jarold Callahan, Edmond, Okla., will serve as treasurer for the year.

More than 340 elected delegates from throughout the United States and Canada represented American Angus Association members and conducted the business of the Association during the annual meeting and election. The meeting was at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in conjunction with the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) Super-Point Roll of Victory (ROV) Angus Show.

Bill Davis, the Association’s newly elected president and chairman of the Board, recently completed his term as vice president and vice chairman of the Board. He and his wife, Jennifer, operate Rollin’ Rock Angus near Sidney, Mont.

Davis has a bachelor’s degree in ag business from Montana State University and is a past director of the Montana Stockgrowers Association and Montana Angus Association, in addition to being past director and president of the Montana Beef Performance Association.

As Association president, Davis will serve as chairman of the Executive Committee and will work closely with all directors to lead the board during the next year.

Joe Hampton, newly elected vice president and vice chairman of the Board, most recently served as treasurer. He and his wife, Robin, operate Back Creek, a cattle operation near Mount Ulla, N.C., focused on the production of Angus bulls for commercial cattlemen. Hampton received his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and has been involved with agricultural research for more than 25 years. He has served as president of the North Carolina Angus Association and as board director for the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association.

As vice president and vice chairman, Hampton will serve on the Executive, Breed Improvement, Finance & Planning, and Information & Data Management committees. He will also serve as chairman of the Research Priorities Committee and Angus Productions Inc. (API) Board, and as a member of the Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) Board.

Also during the Annual Meeting, delegates approved an amendment to the Bylaws permitting reinstatement of a Life Membership option, allowing members to purchase memberships valid throughout the life of the member. Life memberships cost $1,500.

A list of Board of Directors committee assignments and brief biographical sketches of newly elected Board directors follows.

The American Angus Association is the nation’s largest beef organization, serving more than 30,000 members across the United States and Canada. It provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on the power of Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.

For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association’s programs and services, visit www.angus.org.

November 17, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Congratulations to Jim Peterson Being Elected U.S. Meat Export Federation Chairman

DENVER —- While addressing U.S. Meat Export Federation members during last week’s U.S.M.E.F. Strategic Planning Conference in Denver, Jim Peterson, newly-elected U.S.M.E.F. chairman for the coming year, said limited market access for U.S. meat exports is costing the industry billions of dollars. Resolving these access issues would be a tremendous boost for livestock producers, he added.

“Many of you have heard me say the export market is a shovel-ready stimulus project waiting to be implemented,” Mr. Peterson said. “It is $3 billion a year to our industry and we’re not going to increase any U.S. debt in the process. It’s something that has to be done.”

He urged industry to be more receptive to voluntary measures that will help address overseas consumers’ concerns about source verification and food safety, offering some examples from his recent visit to Japan, China and South Korea.

“[The] number-one [consumer concern] is traceability,” Mr. Peterson said. “They want to know the background of the product. We saw computers on meat counters where you could swipe the bar code and up would flash the source of the product. Secondly, age source process verification is a big deal for those folks. And finally on everyone’s mind in the Asian markets is food safety.

“You know, there’s an old song a lot of us have learned to like [titled] ‘My Way,’” he added. “Well, I think it’s time we put that song on the shelf. We have to do it ‘their way’. If we’re going to open these markets, we have to listen to the consumers and they’re clear on what they want to have done if we’re going to implement this shovel-ready stimulus project.”

Mr. Peterson, a Montana rancher, succeeds Iowa pork producer Jon Caspers. Mr. Peterson works a ranching operation near Buffalo, Mont., and is majority leader of the Montana State Senate and Associate Dean of Agriculture at Montana State University.

He was formerly the executive vice-president of Montana Stockgrowers Association and executive secretary of the Montana Public Land Council. He was raised on a family operation in Montana and has been involved in cattle-feeding, farming, ranching, agricultural-banking and beef-industry associations for more than 30 years.

Other U.S.M.E.F. officers recently elected include Keith Miller, a farmer-stockman from Great Bend, Kan., as the new chairman-elect. Mr. Miller owns a commercial cow/calf operation and farms more than 7,500 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa and milo.

Danita Rodibaugh, an Indiana pork producer, is the new vice-chair. Her family farm operation near Rensselaer, Ind. produces corn, soybeans, wheat and purebred seedstock swine. She became active with U.S.M.E.F. as a member of the board of directors of the National Pork Producers Council and as a past president of the National Pork Board.

U.S.M.E.F.’s new secretary-treasurer is Steve Isaf, president of Atlanta-based Interra International.

November 12, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Producer input sought for International Livestock Congress

The annual International Livestock Congress USA (ILC) will convene Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010 at the Renaissance Hotel in Denver. In preparation for the event, organizers are asking cattle producers to outline some of their short-term strategies of beef cattle managers. Results will be used to help frame a panel discussion about balancing costs and expenses in the cow-calf business. The panel will include John Maddux, Maddux Cattle Company, Nebraska; Kevin Yon, Yon Family Farms, South Carolina; and Butch Bratsky, Stockman Banks, Montana.

The survey can be completed in five minutes or less, and responses are completely confidential. We need your input!!! Click here to participate: (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Vm72ibGeYaY1M0rjOp8W_2fw_3d_3d)

Envisioning 2020 – Preparing for Future Global Demand is the topic of this year’s ILC. The keynote speaker will be Richard Brown, London, England, partner in GIRA Euroconsulting. GIRA is a French-based international organization which offers strategic marketing consultancy and research throughout the food industry. Brown will provide summary projections and analysis of the global beef industry based on the general economic outlook of the global financial system and global market developments.

Other speakers at this year’s ILC include: Wesley Batista, JBS Swift; Erin Daley, U.S. Meat; Export Federation; Greg Bloom, Colorado Meat Packers; Rob Shuey, Tyson Foods, Inc.; Jeff Simmons, Elanco Animal Health; Randy Blach, CattleFax; and Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Pre-Congress tours set for Monday, Jan. 11, will include stops at the JBS Swift meat packing plant in Greeley, Colo. and the Colorado State University Grow Safe System near Ft. Collins. Another tour within the Denver-area will feature the King Soopers Case-Ready beef processing facility and the NCBA’s new products development center.

Cost of the ILC is $175/person or $100/student before Dec. 11, 2009 and includes a continental breakfast, a buffet lunch, the Flavor of Beef Tasting reception and admittance to the National Western Stock Show. Tours are $45/person before Dec. 11 and $65/person after Dec 11. ILC is sponsored by the International Stockmen’s educational Foundation (ISEF).

Go to www.theisef.com for lodging information and to register on-line. For more details contact Clint Peck, Montana’s director of Beef Quality Assurance and 2010 ILC co-chair at 406-896-9068 or [email protected].

November 9, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Effective Stockmanship seminar set for MSGA convention

The Montana Beef Quality (BQA) assurance program will present an “Effective Stockmanship” seminar at the Billings MetraPark Expo Center, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 at 10:00-11:45 a.m. & 2:00-3:45 p.m. as part of the Pfizer Cattlemen’s Colleges.

“Effective Stockmanship” has been brought about by the efforts of Curt Pate of Montana and Texas native Ron Gill. Both have a passion for improving the stockmanship skills of cattlemen. Working horseback and on foot, these two men – and now with Ron’s wife, Debbie – have been conducting stockmanship trainings across the country over the past several years.

“Come to the MSGA convention and see how stockman everywhere are paying closer attention to their livestock handling skills as the beef industry comes under more and more scrutiny by animal welfare activist groups,” said Clint Peck, Montana’s director of BQA. “This is an event the entire family, as well as ranch employees, will find useful and enjoyable.”

Beyond the obvious ethical concerns, low-stress cattle handling works to reduce sickness, reduce labor costs and improve animal performance and gain. Come to Billings and see how Effective Stockmanship it can work – and pay – for your operation. For more details contact Peck at (406) 896-9068 or [email protected].

October 23, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSGA features 142 ranches in upcoming book about Montana centennial ranches

Century of Montana Family Ranching History BookAn upcoming book, The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana features 142 Montana ranches. The book, edited by Linda Grosskopf and Nancy Morrison, celebrates the long tradition of ranching in Montana, highlighting the stories of 142 ranch families that have been living and working on the same land for over 100 years.

Commissioned by the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) to commemorate its 125th Anniversary in 2009, the book honors the perseverance, courage and forward thinking of those who were able to pass their family ranch down the generations and help shape Montana as it is today. The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana tells the inspiring and heart-wrenching stories of the ranch families who have endured through the ups and downs of life on the sometimes unforgiving lands of Montana over the past 100 years. The book has all of the ingredients of a great story, with tales of love and death, success and failure, family and community.

While the heart of this commemorative hardbound book is the 142 ranch stories and accompanying historical pho­tographs, there are also other treasures to be found within its pages, including 37 pen-and-ink drawings by Aubry Smith, photographs of MSGA’s presidents and executive vice presidents, a timeline of important events in MSGA’s history, historical sidebars, and timelines to help tell the story of ranching in Montana over the last century.

The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana will be released in early December. MSGA is currently accepting pre-orders and is selling the book for $50, including shipping and handling. For more information, please contact MSGA at (406) 442-3420 or visit http://www.mtbeef.org/.

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Early praise for The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana:

“For a most humbling understanding of those who shaped Montana’s livestock industry, this book is none other than first class.”
~Christy Stensland, Executive Director
Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center

“…will be worth far more as a documentary of Montana ranch history than any of us realize today… this book will help future generations know and appreciate their family histories.”
~Pat Holman, Kinsella Ranch, est. 1891

“Great ranches are not made of the dirt, water, wind and grass that comprise their environment. They are formed and sustained by the character of the people attached to them… These are not just stories of Mon­tana ranches. They tell the story of America at her best…a superb tribute to the heritage of Montana and the American West.”
~Charles P. Schroeder, Executive Director
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

“Every family has an event-filled story, and every story is infused with accomplishment, tragedy, humor, and perseverance… What these families brought, and still bring, to Big Sky country was willingness for the tough work, and an enduring respect for each other and the land. Savor this book, and turn the pages slowly.”
~Richard Sims, Director of the Montana Historical Society

October 21, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSGA seeking internship applicants for annual convention!

MSGA is seeking three interns to help at our upcoming annual convention, Dec. 10-12. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable career experience and network with important industry members. Interns will be expected to help MSGA staff members in a variety of capacities during the convention so we require that all applicants have completed at least one year of undergraduate education. If you are interested, please send a resume with a cover letter explaining your interest in being a convention intern, plus one letter of reference by Nov. 20th to [email protected] or by mail to MSGA, Attn: Jessica Kirschten, 420 N. California, Helena, MT 59601. If you would like more information, please call Jessica at (406) 442-3420.

October 19, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSGA kicks off Fall Membership Roundup and reminds ranchers about the importance of being involved

Helena – The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) recently launched its 2009 Fall Membership Roundup and MSGA President Tom Hougen is taking this opportunity to remind Montana ranchers about the importance of being involved in associations such as MSGA.

“With all the things happening right now in Washington, D.C. that have the potential to drastically change the way we are allowed to do our work as ranchers, everyone needs to get involved in their associations, local and statewide,” Hougen said. “It is vitally important to join groups like MSGA to let your voice be heard and help direct the work done to protect our livelihoods and way of life.”

MSGA has served and advocated for Montana cattle ranchers since 1884. As a leader in the agriculture industry, MSGA actively participates in state and national legislative processes. MSGA attends a significant number of regulatory meetings and provides a voice for the interests of its members.

MSGA is currently working on a number of issues on the behalf of its members including the newly released concept papers for federal rule rewrites on brucellosis and tuberculosis; the estate tax; Senator Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act in regards to grazing; endangered species issues including wolves, grizzly bears and sage grouse; climate change legislation; the Clean Water Restoration Act; and opening more markets overseas to U.S. beef. MSGA is also actively involved in improving issues of importance to beef consumers including food safety, nutrition, animal welfare, and the environment.

Each year MSGA members create policy that directs the efforts of MSGA’s volunteer board of directors, officers and staff. Policy is set at MSGA’s annual convention, which will be held this year on December 10-12 in Billings at the Crowne Plaza and MetraPark. MSGA also provides important educational opportunities for its members through Pfizer Cattlemen’s Colleges at annual convention covering Beef Quality Assurance, low stress cattle handling, beef reproduction, beef nutrition, and estate tax planning.

This fall, please consider joining or rejoining MSGA to help us protect Montana’s ranching heritage. Members receive monthly newsletters, daily update emails, representation at industry meetings and educational materials about important industry issues. MSGA members are also eligible to win a new 2009 Ford F-150 truck at the 2009 Annual Convention. For more information visit www.mtbeef.org or call (406) 442-3420.

October 14, 2009 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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DOL reminds producers to fill out risk surveys for Brucellosis Action Plan by Dec. 31

DOL – The Montana Department of Livestock is reminding producers that the state’s Brucellosis Action Plan, which remains in effect until January 10, 2010, calls for testing of all sexually intact cattle 12 months of age and older in Area 1 (Beaverhead, Carbon, Gallatin, Madison, Park, Stillwater and Sweet Grass counties) by December 31, 2009.

“It’s important that producers in Area 1 get risk surveys filled out as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Eric Liska, the department’s brucellosis program veterinarian.

Once producers complete an operation-specific risk survey, they will receive a letter from the department detailing specific testing requirements based on the risk of brucellosis transmission from seropositive elk. Depending on the risks, the letter may provide a variance on the BAP’s whole-herd testing requirement. Without a variance, a whole-herd brucellosis test must be completed by December 31, 2009.

Liska said failure to complete the risk survey could result in restrictions on moving cattle.

“The producer letter is required for moving cattle out of Area 1, and must be presented to the brand inspector at the time of inspection,” Liska said. “We just don’t want producers to get held up when moving or selling cattle.”

Cattle from Area 1 could go straight to slaughter without a whole-herd test, but any private treaty sales would be precluded without completing a risk survey.

For additional information about the plan and risk survey, see the department’s Brucellosis Updates web page. For assistance completing a risk survey, contact Liska at 406/444-2043 or your local extension agent.