July 30, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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House Passes Bill to Modernize Endangered Species Act

PLC LogoWASHINGTON (Public Lands Council) – Today, the House passed H.R. 4315 the Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act by a vote of 233 to 190. The Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association strongly support the legislation, which combines four bills previously marked up by the House Natural Resources Committee, and will be beneficial to updating and improving the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

“The ESA, while designed to protect species from endangerment of extinction, has proven to be ineffective and immensely damaging to our members’ ability to stay in business,” said Brice Lee, PLC president and Colorado rancher. “During the nearly 40 years since the ESA was passed and over 25 years since Congress last reauthorized the law, our industry has come to recognize the Act as greatly flawed and outdated. Less than two percent of species placed on the endangered species list have ever been deemed recovered.”

H.R. 4315 will require data used by federal agencies for ESA listing and proposed listing decisions to be made publicly available and accessible. The bill also requires the Interior Secretary to report and comprehensively track all litigation costs associated with the Act. Furthermore, the bill caps hourly fees paid to attorneys that prevail in cases filed under ESA, consistent with current law.

“Environmental activist groups have a habit of suing the federal government to force the listing of a species, then suing to prevent species delisting, even after recovery goals have been met,” said Bob McCan, NCBA president. “Their legal expenses are often reimbursed by the American taxpayer. By comprehensively tracking all costs associated with the ESA and capping the attorney fees, we can limit the incentive those groups have to file suit and keep the federal agencies accountable for the taxpayer dollars being spent.”

Finally, the federal government will be required to disclose to affected states all data used in the ESA decision making process. It also ensures that “best available scientific and commercial data” used by the federal government will include data provided by affected states, tribes, and local governments.

“The ESA has not been reauthorized since 1988, and is in great need of modernization,” said McCan. “While not a complete fix, this piece of legislation takes some of the necessary steps to repairing this broken law.”

United States Department of Agriculture
July 25, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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USDA Reminds Farmers of 2014 Farm Bill Conservation Compliance Changes

WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reminded producers that changes mandated through the 2014 Farm Bill require them to have on file a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026). The Farm Bill relinked highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation compliance with eligibility for premium support paid under the federal crop insurance program.

“It’s important that farmers and ranchers taking the right steps to conserve valuable farm and natural resources have completed AD-1026 forms on file at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office,” said Vilsack. “This will ensure they remain eligible for crop insurance support.”

For farmers to be eligible for premium support on their federal crop insurance, a completed and signed AD-1026 form must be on file with the FSA. Since many FSA and Natural Resource Conservation (NRCS) programs have this requirement, most producers should already have an AD-1026 on file. If producers have not filed, they must do so by June 1, 2015.

When a farmer completes the AD-1026, FSA and NRCS staff will outline any additional actions that may be required for compliance with the provisions. The Risk Management Agency, through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), manages the federal crop insurance program that provides the modern farm safety net for American farmers and ranchers.

Since enactment of the 1985 Farm Bill, eligibility for most commodity, disaster, and conservation programs has been linked to compliance with the highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation provisions. The 2014 Farm Bill continues the requirement that producers adhere to conservation compliance guidelines to be eligible for most programs administered by FSA and NRCS. This includes the new price and revenue protection programs, the Conservation Reserve Program, the Livestock Disaster Assistance programs and Marketing Assistance Loans implemented by FSA. It also includes the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and other conservation programs.

FSA recently released a revised form AD-1026, which is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: www.fsa.usda.gov . USDA will publish a rule later this year that will provide details outlining the connection of conservation compliance with crop insurance premium support.  Producers can also contact their local USDA Service Center for information.  A listing of service center locations is available at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/contact/local/.

July 24, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Governor’s Range Tour, September 4-5 in Ronan, Montana

Montana Annual Governor's Range Tour

Save the date!! 2014 Annual Range Tour will be hosted by Lake County Conservation District (LCCD) in Ronan, MT on September 4-5.

The Lake County Conservation District, Rangeland Resources Executive Committee (RREC), and DNRC would like to invite you to attend the 2014 Annual Range Tour. The tour will be held Thursday September 4th and Friday September 5th, in the beautiful Mission Valley.

The tour will be based at the Amish Community Building located between Ronan and St. Ignatius, MT. This year the focus of the tour will be intensive “mob” grazing on tame pastures in the Mission Valley. The first day will feature four ranchers and their mob grazing stories along with a body condition scoring workshop from MSU Beef Cattle Extension Specialist Rachel Endecott. The day will conclude with a banquet at the Ninepipes Lodge near Charlo, MT with Governor Bullock invited for the keynote address. The second day of the tour will feature an electric fencing demonstration with various techniques and infrastructure.

For additional information please contact Chris Malgren [email protected] (406) 676-2842×102, Ben Montgomery [email protected] (406) 676-2842×111, or Heidi Crum [email protected] (406) 444-6619.

July 22, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Martinsdale Rancher Becomes Foundation Chairman

The Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Foundation is happy to announce that John Grande of Martinsdale, Montana is our newly elected Chairman. He will serve in this position for five years and guide the Trustee board in innovations, awarding scholarships and funding educational and research programs that better the Montana ranching community. In the following Q&A, Mr. Grande shares his thoughts on the future of the Foundation and his new role…

John Grande, MSGA Foundation Chairman

John Grande, MSGA Foundation Chairman

What are the projects you are most excited about being a part of for the Foundation?

I am excited about a mixture of the traditional and the new. For years the foundation has funded projects like the Young Cattlemen’s Conference, the Young Stockgrowers’ Conference, and Montana Range Days, and these remain projects which are vitally important in training our future leaders.  New projects such as what we are doing with social networking are tremendously exciting.  This allows us to look outside of our own group and take our message to a broader audience of people who have little knowledge of the Montana cattle industry and let them know what we do on a daily basis to care for our animals and our environmental and human resources.  Even newer, we have some potential projects on the drawing board which are not ready for announcement, but could prove very beneficial to the industry.

What does it mean to you to be chairman of the Foundation?

It is a privilege to be asked to take this on and I look forward to the challenge.  After serving on the foundation for five years I’ve become more familiar with how we’ve done things to date.  Taking over as chair is an opportunity to guide the foundation in some new directions as well as sharpening the focus on current activities.

What are a few things you are hoping to accomplish during your chairmanship?

First, I would like to take some time to work on focusing our board on what we’re currently doing and where we want to go.  I’d like the trustees to take some time to evaluate our goals and think about what our roles and responsibilities as trustees should be.  Then we need to move forward on new projects.  I would like to significantly grow the size of our endowment, and the opportunity is here.  However, there is no point in growing the endowment just for the sake of growth. The point is to identify specific projects that will move our industry forward, and then grow the endowment for the purpose of being able to fund these projects.

Why is a Foundation important for the Montana Stockgrowers Association?

The foundation is an important avenue for funding education and research projects that benefit the members of the Montana Stockgrowers.  There are valuable projects that the Association should move forward with which cannot be funded by members’ dues dollars alone.  The Foundation provides a 501(c)(3) vehicle to which tax-deductible contributions can be made, allowing donors the benefit of the deduction, as well as of funding important projects.

What do you hope the future of Montana ranching looks like? 

Change is inevitable and I look forward to the exciting change coming, while feeling confident that some things will not change.  Great advances will be made in genetics, animal health, nutrition, cattle management, and many other areas, and the Stockgrowers’ Foundation can, and should, play a role in these advances.  What won’t change is that we will still have dedicated people living on the land, taking care of the environmental and animal resources, and providing a healthy, nutritious product for consumers worldwide.

Anything else to add?

Just that I owe a great debt of gratitude to those who have come before serving the Stockgrowers’ Foundation – to those who had the foresight to create it, to those who have managed it for decades, and to all the donors who have funded it.  Specifically I’d thank Dusty Hahn who has served as chairman of the foundation for the past four years and guided us ably into a new era of creative projects to work on.

To learn more about the MSGA Foundation, please visit us at www.mtbeef.org/reef and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

July 17, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Federal Spending Bill Includes Important Provisions for Producers

Public Lands Council Logo(The following is a Press Release from the National Public Lands Council) – The House Interior appropriations bill passed through committee, on July 15th, by a vote of 29 to 19. The Public Lands Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association strongly support the bill, which allocates how federal dollars are spent for the Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies during fiscal year 2015. The bill included language that would help provide relief from the regulatory burdens that continue to hamper the productivity and profitability of farmers and ranchers across the country.

From language that blocks the listing of the Sage Grouse, to requiring alternative allotments where ranchers are impacted by drought or wildfire without the need to complete extensive environmental analyses and many others, Dustin Van Liew, PLC and NCBA federal lands executive director, said the provisions are important to keeping livestock producers in business.

Included in the bill is a permanent extension of grazing rider, which will allow livestock grazing to continue while the renewal process is held up through the National Environmental Policy Act analysis backlog. Often requiring multiple environmental analyses and time for public comments to be submitted when no changes are being made on the ground, the NEPA process can disrupt ranching operations indefinitely with little, if any, environmental benefit. The bill also includes a provision to extend grazing permit terms to 20 years, as opposed to the current 10-year term.

“These two provisions are vital to the agencies, allowing them the flexibility they need to continue managing the resource and processing permits,” Van Liew said. “Additionally, extending grazing permits from 10 to 20 years adds significantly to the certainty ranchers need to run successful businesses. We applaud the appropriations committee for supporting the primary language from the Grazing Improvement Act and urge the full House and Senate to pass this bill without delay.”

Van Liew added that due to a closed-door settlement between United States Fish and Wildlife Service and radical environmental groups, arbitrary deadlines have been set for making hundreds of decisions on species in all fifty states to be listed under the Endangered Species Act.

“Rather than embracing the research-backed benefits of grazing and giving time for state Sage Grouse management plans to take effect, the FWS has begun to make arbitrary decisions to cut and reduce livestock grazing on public lands,” said Van Liew. “One of those species is the Sage Grouse, whose habitat covers 11 western states, an area where ranchers are currently providing open space and improving the bird’s habitat and reducing the number-one threat to the bird – wildfire.”

Ashley McDonald, NCBA environmental counsel, commended lawmakers for including language that would help reign in the EPA’s attempt to control even more land and water on private property.

“Cattle producers have grave concerns over EPA and Corps of Engineers’ proposed expansion of the Clean Water Act,” said McDonald. “We applaud the members of the committee for sending the Interior appropriations bill forward with language that would prevent the agencies from finalizing this regulation, which we see as the largest federal land grab in history.”

Additionally, she said, the bill will prevent the EPA from requiring livestock operations to report their greenhouse gas emissions, and also prevent the agency from requiring livestock operations to get GHG permits. Furthermore, it prevents the EPA from disclosing the private and confidential information of livestock producers to the public.

“This bill provides needed safeguards for the privacy and property rights of America’s cattle producers that the federal agencies refuse to recognize and respect,” McDonald summarized.

July 16, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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2014 Montana Property Rights Conference, August 14 and 15

United Property Owners of MontanaThe following is an announcement from the United Property Owners of Montana

he 2014 Montana Property Rights Conference will be held in Billings on Aug 14 and 15. The event features three nationally-recognized speakers, as well Montana-based experts in a number of topic areas. The two-day event is free to elected officials and students, and costs just $25 for everyone else (if registered by Aug 1).

For full event details, please visit: www.MontanaPropertyRightsConference.com

This is a great opportunity to learn more about emerging issues related to property rights and land use. The keynote speakers include:

  • William Perry Pendley, Mountain States Legal Foundation. Mr. Pendley won a major property-rights case before the U.S. Supreme Court in March 2014, setting a major setback to Big Green’s “rails-to-trails’ movement.
  • Paul Beard, Pacific Legal Foundation. Mr. Beard was the lead attorney in the biggest property rights case of 2013, winning the precedent-setting Koontz case in the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Dr. Andrew P. Morriss, Dean of the Texas A&M Law School. Dr. Morriss is a fellow at the Bozeman-based PERC, and an expert on eminent domain as it relates to energy and communications infrastructure.

In addition to the three keynote addresses, the event will also include breakout sessions with Montana experts on sage grouse, public-private land transfers, bison, the Flathead Water Compact, and more.

Take take this opportunity to register for the conference and help make this event a huge success.

National Cattlemens Beef USA logo
July 10, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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2014 Cattle Industry Summer Conference In Denver, July 30 – August 2

National Cattlemens Beef USA logoDENVER – Bob McCan, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president, said if cattlemen and women want a seat at the table and involvement in shaping the future of the beef industry, attendance at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference is a must. The conference features meetings of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB), American National CattleWomen, Inc. and National Cattlemen’s Foundation.

Pre-registration online closes July 13th. Onsite registrations will be available in Denver starting July 30.

NCBA President Bob McCan said the event, hosted in Denver, Colo., July 30 – Aug. 2, gives cattlemen and women an opportunity to engage in NCBA’s grassroots policy process as well as network with producers from across the country. Cattle producers will discuss current issues as a group, work on programs and initiatives, and set the course the industry should take with various projects for the betterment of the beef cattle industry.

“The beef industry faces unique challenges year-round and most alarming is the burdensome, overreaching regulation we have seen from the Beltway,” said McCan. “In order to continue being successful, cattle producers must continue to be engaged in the policy process so that the beef industry remains viable and beef continues to be on kitchen tables around the country and the world.”

Registration for the 2014 Cattle Industry Summer Conference is now available online at www.beefusa.org. Pre-registration closes July 13, and attendees are encouraged to register in advance for the conference to take advantage of savings over the on-site registration prices. Registration prices will be higher on-site and tickets for events will be sold on a space available basis.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy.  As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef.  Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 1-866-BEEF-USA or [email protected].
July 9, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSU students win regional animal science competition for second year in a row

Members of the MSU quadrathlon team are (from left) Ben Stokes, Jessica Roloff, adviser Rachel Endecott, Anna Downen and Preston Kiehl. (Photo from the American Society of Animal Science).

Members of the MSU quadrathlon team are (from left) Ben Stokes, Jessica Roloff, adviser Rachel Endecott, Anna Downen and Preston Kiehl. (Photo from the American Society of Animal Science).

BOZEMAN — Four students from the Department of Animal and Range Sciences at Montana State University won the Western Region Academic Quadrathlon, held June 23-25 in San Angelo, Texas. They will now advance to the national competition to be held July 20-21 in Kansas City, Mo.

Anna Downen of Columbia Falls, Preston Kiehl of Winnett, Jessica Roloff of Bozeman and Ben Stokes of Pflugerville, Texas, competed in a four-part contest that consisted of a comprehensive written exam, impromptu oral presentation, hands-on lab practicum and double-elimination quiz bowl tournament. This is the second year in a row that MSU has won the regional contest.

The MSU team competed with five other western region universities, including California State University-Chico, Brigham Young University-Idaho, New Mexico State University, Oregon State University and University of Wyoming.

“Anna, Preston, Jessie and Ben did a spectacular job representing MSU at the contest. I’m very proud of their hard work. It’s exciting that MSU now has back-to-back wins in the regional contest,” said team adviser Rachel Endecott.

Three of the four students graduated in May. Kiehl has one semester remaining and plans to return to his family ranch. Downen now lives in Fairview and works at a Sidney veterinary clinic. Roloff is working on a ranch near Lewistown, and Stokes is starting a master’s degree at Iowa State University.

The regional contest was held in conjunction with the 2014 Western Section American Society of Animal Science meetings, hosted by Angelo State University. The national contest will be held in conjunction with the joint American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science and Canadian Society of Animal Science meetings.

July 8, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Massey Ferguson Teams Up with Stockgrowers for Tractor Raffle

Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is excited to announce a new partnership with Montana Massey Ferguson Dealers. One lucky Montana rancher will be awarded with a 200 hour or 8 month (whichever comes first) lease on a 130 HP, MF7614 tractor with a MF968 loader.

Raffle tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100 and will be available at the MSGA office in Helena, from MSGA Board of Directors, and all events where MSGA is present through the remainder of the year.

Insurance covering the equipment during the lease period will be provided by MSGA. The drawing will be held at MSGA’s Annual Convention in Billings, December 11-13, 2014. Entrants do not have to be MSGA members to participate. Contact the MSGA office in Helena for tickets and more information, (406) 442-3420.

Montana Massey Ferguson Raffle Ticket

United States Department of Agriculture
June 27, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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2014 Farm Bill provides Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)

United States Department of AgricultureThe Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill) makes the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) a permanent program and provides retroactive authority to cover eligible losses back to October 1, 2011.

LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or is planted specifically for grazing. The grazing losses must be due to a qualifying drought condition during the normal grazing period for the county.

LFP also provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses on rangeland managed by a Federal agency if the eligible livestock producer is prohibited by the Federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire. The grazing losses must have occurred on or after October 1, 2011. LFP is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Eligibility

Livestock producers that own or lease grazing land or pastureland physically located in a county rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as severe drought (D2), extreme drought (D3), or exceptional drought (D4) may be eligible for LFP.

  • Producers are eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to one monthly payment if any area of the county had a severe drought rating for at least eight consecutive weeks during the normal grazing period.
  • Producers are eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to three monthly payments if any area of the county had an extreme drought rating at any time during the normal grazing period.
  • Producers are eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to four monthly payments if any area of the county had an extreme drought rating for at least four weeks during the normal grazing period or if any area of the county had an exceptional drought rating at any time during the grazing season.
  • Producers are eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to five monthly payments if any area of the county had an exceptional drought rating for at least four weeks during the normal grazing period.

A map of eligible counties for LFP drought is available at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

Rates & Payments

Payment rates vary by species and year, and they also vary by cause of loss.

FSA will calculate LFP payments for an eligible livestock producer for grazing losses due to qualifying drought equal to 1, 3, 4 or 5 times the LFP monthly payment rate. Eligible livestock producers in qualifying counties will receive 60 percent of the monthly payment rate as calculated by the FSA.

Eligible livestock producers who sold or otherwise disposed of livestock because of drought conditions in one or both of the two previous production years immediately preceding the current production year will receive 80 percent of the monthly payment rate.

Eligible livestock producers who suffered losses because of a qualifying fire on Federally managed rangeland for which the producer is prohibited from grazing the normally permitted livestock will receive 50 percent of the monthly payment rate.

The following is a hypothetical payment calculation for an eligible rancher who owns and grazed 400 mature cows and 100 yearlings in a county with an exceptional drought rating for one week during each of the 2012 and 2013 summer grazing seasons.

Year Animals Type Rate % Payment Subtotal Months Total
2012 400 Cows $51.81 60% $12,434.40 4 $49,737.60
2012 100 Yearlings $38.86 60% $2,331.60 4 $9,326.40
2013 400 Cows $57.27 60% $13,744.80 4 $54,979.20
2013 100 Yearlings $42.96 60% $2,577.60 4 $10,310.40
Total $124,353.60

Producers are limited to $125,000 in payments per producer per year.  Also, producers are ineligible if their individual or entity’s average Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $900,000.

For complete LFP eligibility requirements, producers are encouraged to visit their county Farm Service Agency office. Additional risk management tools and programs are available through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). Visit the RMA website (www.RMA.USDA.gov) to find many useful tools, including premium calculators, extensive program descriptions, and a variety of educational materials.

Federal crop insurance program policies are sold and serviced by private crop insurance companies.  Custom Ag Solutions works with RMA and other partner organizations to educate Montana producers about risk management and Federal crop insurance programs.  To receive information by mail, call CAS at 877-227-8094.  USDA, RMA, and CAS are equal opportunity providers.