Categories General Discussion

MSGA’s 125th anniversary: A five star celebration “back where it all began”

Nearly 125 years ago, a group of seven men, led by Col. Thomas J. Bryan, met at the newly formed Miles City Club and created the Eastern Montana Stockgrowers Association. Later, across the state in Helena, another group of men, led by Granville Stuart, formed the Montana Stockgrowers Association. The members of these two groups decided to merge them into the one Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) that exists today.

This spring, MSGA will be celebrating its 125th anniversary in Miles City, June 10-13. The 125th celebration will follow MSGA’s mid-year meetings which will take place Wednesday, June 10 through Friday morning, June 12. Thursday night will feature a joint 125th celebration with the Miles City Club. Attendees are encouraged to don period dress for an evening that will include history, music, and the traditional roast pork dinner. (In the early days, the Stockgrowers did not want to eat their inventory.)

Friday morning will begin with a breakfast celebrating frontier photographer ‘Lady’ Evelyn Cameron and honoring Montana’s 100-year-or-older working livestock ranches. After the conclusion of MSGA’s business meetings, the official 125th kickoff will ensue with a fun-filled review of the past 125 years. Following lunch, a golf scramble or variety of tours will be available to choose from. Friday will wrap up with the Stockmen’s Ball at the fairgrounds with a delicious meal (including beef provided by the Montana Beef Council), Barn Players performance, Brett Badgett Commemorative Bronze auction, ranch rodeo cowboy calcutta, and dancing to music by Whisky River.

Saturday’s highlights will include a horse drawn parade down Main Street. Only 1959 and earlier automobiles or tractors will be seen pulling floats. Various wagon trains will be converging upon Miles City and will take a trip down the parade route as well. On Saturday afternoon, participants will find excitement at the fairgrounds arena in the form of a traditional ranch rodeo. The evening will wrap up back on Main Street for a street dance.

This is a one-of-a-kind chance to celebrate the days of the Wild West. Join the Montana Stockgrowers in Miles City for a five star celebration “back where it all began!” For more information, visit www.mtbeef.org, or call (406) 853-0411 or (406) 442-3420.

Press Release: Informational Meetings on Brucellosis Action Plan Scheduled

DOL – The Montana Department of Livestock will discuss its brucellosis action plan with livestock producers at a series of informational meetings in mid-January and early February.

Meetings have been scheduled for Beaverhead, Carbon, Gallatin, Madison, Stillwater and Sweet Grass counties.

State veterinarian Dr. Marty Zaluski said the meetings are a continuation of the department’s efforts to keep livestock producers involved and informed.

“We want to make sure producers know exactly what the (brucellosis action) plan means for their operations,” Zaluski said. “The meetings will give producers a chance to discuss the plan and ask questions.”

The plan, which can be viewed or downloaded and printed from MDOL’s web site at http://liv.mt.gov/liv/Brucellosis/Revised%20BAP_112008.pdf, is designed to help the state regain its Brucellosis Class Free status as quickly as possible. It was developed by work group that included livestock producers, veterinarians, livestock market operators, and representatives from industry organizations such as the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Cattlemen’s Association and Montana Farm Bureau Federation.

After a five-week public comment period that lead to significant revisions of the draft plan, the revised plan received preliminary approval from the Board of Livestock at its November meeting.

Dates, times and locations of meetings:

· January 13: Gallatin County – Three Forks, Headwaters Livestock, 11:45 a.m. The informational session will be included on the agenda of the Gallatin Beef Producers annual educational meeting. Contact: Gallatin County Extension, 406/388-3213

· January 20: Madison County – Ennis, Ennis Firehall, 3 p.m. Contact: MSU Extension agent Andrea Sarchet, 406/287-3282.

· January 22: Sweet Grass County – Big Timber, Big Timber Library, 1:30 p.m. Contact: MSU Extension agent Mark King, 406/932-5146.

· January 23: Beaverhead County – Dillion/Fairgrounds/4-H Building, 1:30 p.m. Contact: MSU Extension agent JP Tanner, 406/ 683-3785.

· January 28: Stillwater County – Columbus, Fairgrounds/Little Metra, 6:30 p.m. Contact: MSU Extension agents Lindsay Wallace or Lee Schmelzer, 406/322-8035.

· February 2: Carbon County, Bridger, location to be determined, 6:30 p.m. Contact: MSU Extension agent Travis Standley, 406/962-3522.

Details on a meeting for Park County livestock producers, which will likely be held in early February, are pending.

MDOL will also make an informational presentation at the Montana Veterinary Medical Association annual winter meeting in late January, and for livestock markets and market veterinarians.

Montana had been designated as Brucellosis Class Free since 1985, but lost that status earlier this year after the second of two brucellosis-infected cows were found within a one-year period. The state is eligible to reapply for Class Free Status in May, 2009.

For additional information about brucellosis or the brucellosis action plan, see MDOL’s brucellosis update page at http://liv.mt.gov/Brucellosis/index.asp.

News from first day at Montana Legislature, 111th Congress convenes today

Here are some headlines after the first day of the 2009 Montana Legislature:

Montana lawmakers lay out agendas for 2009 legislative session
Parties agree budget top priority
Schweitzer praises Dixon, pillories lobbyists
MT GOP asserts its message
Swearing-in ceremony includes bit of history
Legislature opens with partisanship
Augare focuses on low-income folks
‘New day’ for Natives, education: Juneau takes helm as superintendent of public education
Opinion: Thanks in advance to lawmakers for a smoother session
Opinion: State inaugural ceremony just right
Bison groups protest at inauguration

Be sure to check out the new blog run by the 2009 Legislative Republicans, the Rotunda Report, for some behind the scenes information on the Legislative Session.

Also, today the first session of the 111th Congress officially convenes. Here are some headlines:

Economy, Obama response face new Congress
New Congress Meets Today with Ambitious Agenda

Board of Livestock to meet Jan. 12-13 in Helena

The Montana Board of Livestock will meet Jan. 12 & 13 in the Scott Hart Auditorium, Scott Hart Building, 303 North Roberts St. (corner of 6th and Roberts), in Helena. On Monday, Jan. 12, the meeting is scheduled to run from 1-5 p.m., and on Tuesday, Jan. 13, the meeting will run from 8 a.m. to noon. Click here to see the agenda. Check back often as the schedule is subject to change. For more information, contact Sherry Rust at (406) 444-9321.

The cattle industry seat vacated by Meg Smith at the September 2008 meeting has not been filled yet, to our knowledge, though rumor has it that current board member Jan French will be moved to fill the cattle seat and another person will be appointed to the swine industry seat. This information has not been confirmed, so we will let you know the facts as soon as we get them. During the November 2008 meeting, Brett DeBruycker of Dutton, president of the Montana Cattlemen’s Association, was appointed to fill the cattle seat vacated by George Hammond at the Sept. meeting. Stay tuned for more information.

Montana’s 61st Legislature convenes today

The 61st Legislature begins today in Helena. The Legislature meets every two years for its regular session lasting for 90 working days. This year’s session will adjourn on April 25. See below for a list of the important dates for the legislature and for links to some of the news coverage leading up to the Legislature. For more information, click on the Montana Legislative Branch website. The Montana Stockgrowers Association will be very active in the legislature this year, as always, so stay tuned for more information!

Key Legislative Dates: (from the Helena Independent Record)

Jan. 5 (Day 1) Opening day, with all new legislators sworn into office.
Jan. 16 (Day 16) Last day for legislators to request general bills to be drafted.
Jan. 24 (Day 17) Last day for legislators to request revenue or tax bills to be drafted.
Feb. 16 (Day 26) Last day for legislative committees to request general bills to be drafted.
Feb. 26 (Day 45) The halfway point and transmittal deadline for all bills, except for budget and tax bills, to be sent from one chamber to the other. Those that miss the deadline automatically die.
Feb. 27-March 1 A short breather. Legislators take transmittal break.
March 2 (Day 46) Second half of Legislature begins.
March 18 (Day 60) Deadline for House to send revenue-estimating resolution to Senate.
March 20 (Day 62) Last day for committees to request revenue or tax bills.
March 26 (Day 67) Deadline for the House to send all transmittal bills to the Senate.
April 10-April 13 Easter break.
April 14 (Day 80) Legislature resumes. Deadline for transmittal of amendments to appropriations bills.
April 16 (Day 82) Deadline for transmittal of amendments to revenue bills and revenue-estimating resolution.
April 25 (Day 90) Adjournment date.

Legislative Headlines

***Email [email protected] to sign up for MSGA’s Daily Update email with headlines related to the Legislature, the cattle industry, politics, the economy, and wildlife and environment.

Legislature convenes today
Montana state officials sworn in
Roster of Montana legislative leaders
Senate leader Story called a pragmatist
Incoming House speaker knows how to fight fires
Schweitzer looking forward to new term
Schweitzer plans few initiatives
Schweitzer’s budget risky, analysis suggests
Budget darkens session’s opening
Finances may help diminish divisions in 2009 Montana Legislature
Legislators face tough test with budget
Gazette Opinion: Shrinking revenue helps lawmakers focus on budget
Guest Opinion: Legislature should support business goals
Legislators’ priorities for session split along party lines
Outdoors issues await lawmakers
Brucellosis: Bill would make state pay for testing
Property reappraisal to dominate tax issues
Energy a hot topic at 2009 session
Carbon capture bill bubbling up in MT Senate
Water, education funding top Juneau’s priorities
Hot-button issues face Bozeman lawmakers
For those with online access, Legislature details a click away
Anyone can have say at Legislature
Legislative lexicon
TV coverage of Legislature expands

News Release: Winter Grazing Seminar Jan. 20 – 21

CHOTEAU, Mont. – Ranchers and others interested in rangeland and livestock management will want to attend the 2009 Montana Winter Grazing Seminar Jan. 20 – 21 at the Choteau Pavilion, in Choteau, Mont.

“We’ve got a great lineup of speakers this year,” said Heidi Olbert, State Coordinator of the Rangeland Resources Program with the Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). “We’ll cover some industry updates, take a look at animal health regulations, and offer some new twists for range management.”

This year’s featured speaker is Trent Loos, whose “Loos Tales” radio show profiles the people, places and culture of rural America, finding the often-untold success stories of modern agriculture. Loos is a sixth-generation farmer from Loup City, Nebraska. To learn about Trent Loos, visit his Web site at www.loostales.com.

Along with Loos, speakers on the first day of the seminar include Charley Orchard of Land EKG with a presentation on pasture monitoring, and Dr. Tahnee Szymanski of the Montana Dept. of Livestock (DOL), who will discuss the agency’s bovine Trichomoniasis program.

Following the speakers, a social hour will begin at the Choteau Pavilion with Shawn Fladager as MC for the evening banquet. Cowboy poet and singer Ken Overcast will provide the entertainment.

The second day will open with an update on the cattle and beef outlook by Kevin Good of CattleFax. Thomas Bass of the MSU Extension Service will have a presentation on new regulations for Animal Feeding Operations and how those regulations will affect ranchers. Thedis Crowe, BIA Rangeland Management Specialist and Mark Maggee, Director of the Blackfeet Land Dept., will discuss grazing opportunities and pasture authorizations. The day will conclude with a panel discussion by local producers, moderated by Teton Extension Agent Mark Majors.

On-site registration opens at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Registration fees are $45.00 prior to Jan. 7 and $50.00 after. For more information, contact John Finch, Administrator, Teton Conservation District at [email protected] or by phone at (406) 466-5722 ext. 103, or Heidi Olbert, State Coordinator, Rangeland Resources Program at [email protected] or by phone at (406) 444-6619.

The 2009 Winter Grazing Seminar is hosted by the Teton Conservation District in cooperation with the Governor’s Rangeland Resources Executive Committee and the Montana DNRC.

Source: Montana DNRC

News Release: Interagency Partners Sign Bison Adaptive Management Plan

Contacts:
Al Nash, Yellowstone National Park (307) 344-2010
Lyndsay Griffin, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (970) 494-7410
Marna Daley, Gallatin National Forest (406) 587-6703
Steve Merritt, Montana Department of Livestock (406) 444-9431
Melissa Frost, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (406) 994-6931

The Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) partners on Wednesday signed an Adaptive Management Plan that outlines specific goals, objectives, management actions, and measures for bison management.

The IBMP is a cooperative, multi-agency effort that guides bison and brucellosis risk management in and around Yellowstone National Park. It is an adaptive plan that anticipated future adjustments based upon the best available science, research, monitoring, new information, and experience from field operations.

The Adaptive Management Plan was created in response to a 2008 audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which recommended that the agencies improve their accountability, transparency, and management of bison.

The eight-page plan formalizes and incorporates eight years of research, monitoring, and experience gained since 2000 implementing the IBMP on the ground, as well as the recommendations of the GAO.

The Adaptive Management Plan has three goals:

· Increase tolerance for bison north and west of Yellowstone National Park (in Zone 2) with no unacceptable consequences;
· Conserve a wild, free-ranging bison population;
· Prevent transmission of brucellosis from bison to cattle.

The changes adopted under the Adaptive Management Plan in no way increase the risk of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle or diminish the conservation of wild, free-ranging bison.

The Adaptive Management Plan will guide IBMP field operating procedures for the 2008-2009 season. The Adaptive Management Plan will be evaluated and the plan will be modified as necessary based on new information, research, and experience.

The five cooperating agencies of the IBMP are the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Montana Department of Livestock, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

For more information about the Interagency Bison Management Plan, visit the website at www.ibmp.info.

News Release: FSA Offers Program for Wildlife Enhancement

Bozeman, MT – The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin signup Jan. 5, 2009 in three areas within Montana through the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program to address local wildlife conservation needs. The three areas include Blaine, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Glacier, Hill, Liberty, McCone, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Teton, Toole and Valley counties.

Enrollment for SAFE is available under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) continuous signup. Continuous signups will automatically be accepted if all eligibility requirements are met. The practices will address wildlife habitat that can be enhanced through the restoration of eligible cropland. Individual practices for each SAFE were developed similar to CRP general signup practices. Contracts are between 10-15 years. Cost-share is available at 50 percent with an additional signing incentive payment of $10/acre/year and a practice incentive payment of 40 percent on the total cost of installing the practice. Practices will be monitored and evaluated to show an improvement to the wildlife habitat.

SAFE allows producers to install practices that benefit high priority State wildlife conservation objectives through the use of targeted restoration of vital habitat.

For further information regarding eligibility criteria, contact your local Farm Service Agency office in any of the counties involved in SAFE. Additional information is available on the Montana Farm Service Agency website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/mt.

Source: USDA Farm Service Agency