April 23, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Why Affiliate with a Professional Trade Association?

Errol RiceBy Errol Rice, MSGA Executive Vice President

We often receive questions about how and why MSGA structures formalized relationships with national trade associations. In our case, we have a formalized relationship with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. I would like to offer some broader context about why having a state and national relationship structure is important. Strategically, we always find benefit in maintaining both formal and informal relationships with a variety of state and national organizations. Building coalitions is something that we do in Montana as a way to leverage agriculture’s influence at the state capitol. The Montana agriculture coalition is very effective. Members of this coalition include: the Montana Cattle Women, Montana Farm Bureau Federation, Montana Grain Growers Association, Woolgrowers Association, Farmers Union, Montana Pork Producers and Montana Agribusiness Association, WIFE, Montana Water Resources Association, and others.

From a policy perspective, MSGA can wield influence pretty effectively within the state of Montana. We can even strategically align with our Congressional delegation to leverage our positioning in Washington D.C. However, our sphere of influence becomes limited if we cannot access a broader industry network through the NCBA. We have to be able to insert and scale our positions into a larger framework. Do we always get what we want? Of course not. More often than not though, we do get what we want. We have a seat at the table. We are always in a position to negotiate our best interests.

Most importantly, we share resources in the areas of social media, communications, issues management, political action, and producer education. We have successfully elevated the profile of some of Montana’s best in the areas of environmental stewardship and beef quality assurance. Our talent pipeline remains full because we sponsor young ranchers into the NCBA Young Cattlemen’s Conference. This is an amazing leadership development program. We share resources in information technology, allied industry networks and contacts that help to move our initiatives forward in Montana.

Like any relationship. It takes effort and work. A relationship is only as good as the amount of effort that you put into it. Sometimes people get upset over a policy position taken nationally that doesn’t sit well with them personally. That doesn’t mean you give up on the relationship. Instead, it means that you find a way to influence the process of decision making in a more meaningful and impactful way.

Developing high impact relationships is one of the most beneficial outcomes that I see in carrying out both formal and informal relationships with professional trade associations. These relationships can help move our business forward, innovate and create value to the system.

April 15, 2011 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSGA works to ensure ranchers’ voices are heard on bison management

Helena – On April 14, the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) attended an open house in Gardiner, Mont. hosted by the Interagency Bison Management Plan partners to discuss their “adaptive management adjustments” that would allow bison to roam freely outside of Yellowstone National Park in the Gardiner basin. A formal agreement on the adjustments was finalized by the partners with no input from the local citizens or area ranchers who would be affected. MSGA’s Executive Vice President, Errol Rice, and chairman of MSGA’s Cattle Health Committee, Dr. Dick Raths, attended the open house to ensure Montana ranchers’ voices were heard on the issue. Several area ranchers joined with many local concerned citizens to voice their disapproval of the plan.
Rice toured the Gardiner area earlier in the day to see first-hand the effect of the bison.
“What we really saw was chaos on the ground with a tremendous amount of bison out in the greater Gardiner basin area and what appeared to be a real lack of leadership by the Interagency Bison Management Plan partners,” Rice said.
Rice said further that although MSGA understands the IBMP partners’ desire to adapt their management, their lack of transparency leaves ranchers very concerned. While the partners hosted an open house, they did not release the plan prior to the meeting or give a forum for public comment on the plan.
“They are really on shaky ground because they have no support from Montana ranchers or the ranching community at this point, due to their lack of transparency and accountability to our concerns with the issue,” Rice said. “Montana ranchers do have a lot at stake with the brucellosis issue and we’ve sacrificed a lot already.”
Rice said that based on viewing the situation first-hand and attending the open house, MSGA is opposed to the adjustments for the Gardiner basin.
“We are not only asking the IBMP partners to revoke this Gardiner basin adaptive management plan, but to also demonstrate leadership and ensure ranchers voices are being heard on this,” Rice said. 

November 8, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Stockgrowers Association actively pursuing congressional wolf delisting solution

Helena – The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) recently announced its support of several congressional bills seeking to remove the gray wolf from the list of endangered species and return management to the state of Montana.

“The bottom line for us is to get wolves off the endangered species list so ranchers can have more tools to deal with increasing wolf populations and livestock depredations,” said Errol Rice, executive vice president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association. “We feel this is the opportune time for Congress to gain momentum on this important issue, now and into the next Congress.”

In late October, MSGA joined thirteen livestock groups in writing a letter of support for H.R. 6028 sponsored by Congressman Edwards D-TX, with 14 co-sponsors including Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg, and S. 3919 sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch R-UT along with four co-sponsors, which seek to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list. Other signatories on the letters of support include the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Public Lands Council, the American Sheep Industry Association as well as the Montana Public Lands Council, the Montana Association of State Grazing Districts and Montana’s neighboring Idaho Cattle Association and Wyoming Stock Growers Association. (To see the letters, go to www.mtbeef.org/content/images/HR6028Support.pdf and www.mtbeef.org/content/images/S3919Support.pdf)

MSGA has also offered support to a bill drafted by Montana Senator Max Baucus, S. 3864 “Restoring State Wildlife Management Act of 2010.” The bill, co-sponsored by Montana Senator Jon Tester, would remove the Rocky Mountain gray wolf from the endangered species list once Montana’s state management plan is approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

MSGA has been active representing ranchers on the wolf issue for nearly 20 years.
· In 1991, MSGA filed as interveners in the case when the Defenders of Wildlife were seeking to force the federal government to introduce wolves into Yellowstone before completion of an Environmental Impact Statement. The complaint was dismissed.
· On February 1, 1996, the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA), Beartooth Stock Association and Vernon Keller filed a Motion for Temporary Restraining Order against the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Park Service trying to halt the release of the additional wolves into the park.
· Once wolves were re-introduced, MSGA began to actively participate in a series of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks State Wolf Management Plan meetings to provide extensive comments detailing livestock concerns. MSGA also worked with the Wolf Advisory Council on the development of the plan.
· In 2008, MSGA intervened in a federal lawsuit filed by environmental groups to block wolf delisting.
· MSGA participated in the development of Montana’s wolf livestock loss and mitigation program to reimburse livestock producers for livestock losses due to wolves. In 2009, MSGA worked with Montana Senator Jon Tester on his Federal Wolf Livestock Loss Demonstration Project, better known as the Wolf Kill Bill, which allowed the federal government to approve a 50-percent cost share of funds for repayment for depredation and proactive incentives, up to $1 million per year.

“MSGA has been extremely active standing up for Montana’s family ranchers on all fronts of the wolf issue,” Rice said. “We will continue to work hard to ensure that ranchers can protect their livestock. Our best option right now is for Congress to support one of these bills, or a compromise between them, so wolves can be delisted finally and permanently.”

September 24, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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September 24, 2010 – Friday Video Update with Errol Rice

In this week’s MSGA Friday Video Update, Executive Vice President, Errol Rice, discusses MSGA’s recent trip to Washington, D.C. to discuss the federal estate tax and the Antiquities Act with members of Congress. Rice also discusses BLM Director Robert Abbey’s visit to Malta to discuss the possibility of a National Monument designation in the area, MSGA hosting a group of foreign ambassadors to encourage increased beef trade with countries like China and Japan, and the National Public Lands Council meeting in Pendleton, Oregon.

August 6, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Stockgrowers Statement on Wolf Decision

Errol Rice, executive vice president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, comments on the August 5, 2010 decision by Judge Donald Molloy to return the Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf to the Endangered Species List. MSGA is disappointed in the decision but focused on efforts to ensure ranchers have the tools they need to protect their cattle from ever-increasing wolf depredations. MSGA is also working to press the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to expedite the process of achieving the successful delisting of wolves.
July 27, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranch…

The Montana Stockgrowers Association captured many of the stories of Montana’s centennial ranches in a commemorative book to celebrate the association’s 125th Anniversary, “The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana.” The Wills family in Potomac, Montana is one of 142 families featured in this book.
To purchase your own copy, please call MSGA: (406) 442-3420 or visit us online: www.mtbeef.org.
This video is brought to you by MSGA’s Research, Education, and Endowment Foundation.
June 24, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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June 24, 2010 – Errol Rice Comments on Double Property Taxation Initiative at Capitol

On June 24, 2010, Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Executive Vice President Errol Rice spoke at the Montana Capitol about MSGA’s support of CI-105. This amendment would prevent double taxation for property owners. CI-105 received enough signatures and will be on the November ballot.



June 18, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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June 18, 2010 – MSGA Friday Video Update with Errol Rice

This week, Executive Vice President of MSGA, Errol Rice, talks about the successful Mid-Year Meeting in Dillon, Montana, MSGA-sponsored Range Days, an open house about bison brucellosis vaccination, and an amendment that could change the Antiquities Act. Watch the video update to find out more.