July 16, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Three Forks Native Recipient of CattleWomen’s Scholarship

Lilly BroggerThe 2015 Montana Cattlewomen’s Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to Lilly Brogger, a senior at Montana State University, Bozeman. Lilly is majoring in English Writing with a minor in Agricultural Business. She has already aligned herself on her career path by writing agriculture-related articles for the school newspaper, The MSU Exponent. Lilly’s plan is to become a Professional Agricultural Journalist.

Lilly is the daughter of Marc and Lola Brogger of Three Forks, Montana. Coming from a ranch background herself, Lilly knows she can be a bridge between the producer and consumer. “No community can function without good communication,” states Lilly, “and part of good communication is working with the opposition”.

With all of the misconceptions in today’s world of “where our food comes from” and the extremely high percentage of people who are uneducated or misinformed as to our role as farmers and ranchers, the challenge to clearly communicate is enormous. Lilly recognizes the importance and the need for writers with an ag background, who can more easily and effectively share the agricultural community’s story.

The Montana Cattlewomen’s Scholarship is in the amount of $1,000 and is funded through memorials. This scholarship was established in 1963, which makes this the 53rd consecutive year it has been awarded to a worthy student.

As a voice for the producer, Lilly Brogger will surely be an asset to the agriculture and livestock industry.  Congratulations Lilly – The Montana Cattlewomen are proud to invest in you!

July 7, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Beef To School Program Receives Research Funding

A team of Montana State University researchers and community partners has been awarded a three-year, $220,000 grant to help Montana beef producers and meat processors and increase the use of local beef in Montana’s schools and communities. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham.

A team of Montana State University researchers and community partners has been awarded a three-year, $220,000 grant to help Montana beef producers and meat processors and increase the use of local beef in Montana’s schools and communities. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham.

MSU News Service – A team of Montana State University researchers and community partners has been awarded a three-year, $220,000 grant to help Montana beef producers and meat processors and increase the use of local beef in Montana’s schools and communities.

The grant, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, is intended to increase the availability and consumption of local beef in Montana’s schools and communities and help improve Montana beef producers’ and meat processors’ viability and sustainability. It is also intended to discern which “beef to school” methods are most sustainable for producers, processors and schools.

The team is led by Carmen Byker Shanks, assistant professor in the MSU Department of Health and Human Development.

In Montana and nationally, producers and consumers are beginning to see social, environmental and economic benefits from local procurement efforts that link ranchers and local beef processors with schools in their community and region, according to Byker Shanks. She added that the ‘beef to school’ efforts involve support of local beef from a variety of people, including producers, processors, and foodservices and students at K-12 schools.

“Beef to school efforts can increase the sustainability and viability of local and regional food systems,” Byker Shanks said. “The recently published 2015 dietary guidelines for Americans highlights that beef production has a potentially large impact on the environment. In Montana and beyond, it is important to support beef production through efforts such as beef to school programs. Beef to school programs have the potential to reduce the need for transportation, packaging, and other inputs; increase access to local food; provide farmers an additional market for their beef; enhance community food literacy and connections to local agriculture; keep money circulating in local economies; and possibly utilize cattle that are grass-fed.”

Byker Shanks noted that the Montana Beef to School Coalition – a group formed in 2012 that includes a range of representatives, from school foodservice to meat processors and producers to food and agricultural organizations and agencies – has identified four items that are needed to grow beef to school programs in the state. Those items include identifying current successful models of beef to school efforts, analyzing the capacity and motivations of beef producers and meat processors to fill the demand for local beef, an availability of resources about how to make beef to school efforts economically and nutritionally viable for schools, and implementing strategies to include beef to school programming at schools.

To address these needs, researchers will conduct comprehensive case studies of current beef to school efforts to identify the benefits, challenges, best practices and gaps that exist for beef to school procurement models, Byker Shanks said. Additionally, the team will examine how local beef is utilized in schools and evaluate student acceptance and preference of local versus non-local beef.

Researchers will then use this information to evaluate the larger Montana beef to school market by developing and testing evaluation tools, analyzing characteristics of beef to school supply chain issues, and assessing capacity and needs for slaughter, processing and storage facilities.

“As schools and ranchers in Montana are beginning to work together to bring local beef into schools, the results have been mixed: some procurement models seem successful for all parties involved, while others have faced significant barriers in making beef to school programs viable,” Byker Shanks said “These evaluation results will help create solutions to overcoming barriers to optimizing beef to school efforts.”

The researchers will also develop extensive outreach, educational and promotional materials for multiple groups, including K-12 students and teachers, university students, producers and school foodservice programs. Outreach efforts will also include both in-person trainings and webinars for school foodservice, producers and processors.

“The tools and findings of this project will give Montana’s producers, processors and schools the resources they need to form productive, sustainable procurement relationships,” Byker Shanks said, adding that those resources will be applicable to other stakeholders, as well. “Additionally, this project will foster partnerships among producers, processors and other stakeholders, garnering long-term interest and investment in local and regional beef markets as well as the sustainable production and marketing of other local and regional meat products.”

In addition to Byker Shanks, others involved with the project include Thomas Bass and Joel Schumacher of MSU Extension, Karla Buck of Bear Paw Meats, Katie Halloran of National Center for Appropriate Technology, Jennifer Montague of Kalispell Public Schools Foodservice, Garl Germann of Montana Meats, Jeremy Plummer of Lower Valley Processing, John Polacik of Park High School Foodservice, Aubree Roth of Montana Team Nutrition and members of the Montana Beef to School Coalition.

For more information, contact Byker Shanks at [email protected] or visit the Montana Beef to School Coalition’s Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/beef2school or its Twitter account at https://twitter.com/mtbeeftoschool.

June 26, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSU’s Northern Agricultural Research Center in Havre to celebrate centennial on July 1

MSU Northern Ag Research CenterWe hope to see you at this year’s Northern Ag Research Center Field Day in Havre on July 1! MSGA will be on site all day with our Ford Truck, John Deere Gator and Massey Ferguson Tractor. A big congratulations to the crew at NARC and a Thank You for all their work contributing to our state’s farming and ranching communities through research and education for the past 100 years.

MSU News Service – One hundred years ago, as the dust settled on the American Indian Wars near northern Montana’s border with Canada, the Fort Assiniboine military post south of Havre sold 2,000 acres to Montana State University. The university turned that land into its Northern Agricultural Research Center, or NARC, which is one of seven agricultural research centers across the state that comprise the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, or MAES. MAES is charged with delivering cutting-edge agricultural research for the state’s public.

Now, NARC will celebrate its 100-year legacy of agriculture research for thousands of Montana’s farmers and ranchers along the Hi-Line during its annual field day, set for Wednesday, July 1. The day will include field tours, presentations and demonstrations of current research. In addition, the Montana Board of Regents will rename the center’s office/lab building the Gregg R. Carlson Agricultural Science Center in honor of retired NARC Superintendent and Agronomist Gregg Carlson’s significant contributions to agriculture. The Havre Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Ag Appreciation celebration will take place, as well. All are invited to attend the day’s events, which will be held from noon to 5 p.m.

The day is intended to celebrate the center as a trusted source of agricultural science and support that has greatly changed agriculture for a significant portion of the state’s farmers and ranchers, according to Darrin Boss, NARC superintendent.

The land on which NARC now sits is steeped in history. According to Boss, before being sold to MSU, the land was a bustling military fort housing more than 700 enlisted United States military officers and their families on 704,000 acres. The fort included a hospital, ice house and living quarters. Today, bullet cartridges and arrowheads can still be found scattered around the center’s 7,000 acres. Summer student workers and ranch hands still live in the historic officers’ quarters built in the early 19th century. The building’s architecture is modeled after colonial civil war military barracks. A brick turret still sits on top of the officer’s barracks, and the old agronomy lab housed Havre’s first jail.

Through a collaborative effort, the Fort Assiniboine Preservation Society aids MAES and NARC in restoration and preservation of the historic fort. Though the research center has since moved to modern facilities, Boss considers the center’s unique history an integral part of the center’s identity.

“You can’t talk about this place without talking about its history,” said Boss. “We started with an initial 2,000 acres, added a few leases along the way, and in 1992 purchased the 3,000-acre Thackeray Ranch from Webster and Charlotte Thackeray to solidify our legacy as a 7,000-acre world-class agronomic and livestock research facility. I am not bragging, since I stand on the shoulders of all who have worked or been involved with the station before me, but when I say I have been to a very large number of research facilities from the Midwest to the West Coast, I would stack MSU agronomic and livestock facilities, research support staff and faculty with any in the nation.”

The center is credited with making many agricultural advancements through the years and has influenced a majority of current agricultural practices in the region, according to Barry Jacobsen, associate director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. Some of these include adoption of no-till farming, GPS use in crop rotation, seeding and fertilizing, increasing calf weaning weights, increase of yields in drought years, irrigation practices, nutrient application techniques, range renovation, grazing practices, breeding and genetic development of heterosis in cattle and soil physics research. NARC is the only statewide research center that conducts both agronomy and livestock research.

“NARC has been immensely successful in the manner in which the center’s years of science and research has changed the way many Montanans operate in agriculture,” Jacobsen said. “Not only does the center have an important historical legacy for the state, but it is also a place of 21st century, cutting-edge livestock and crop research that I know we will see more advancements from in the next 100 years.”

Boss credits the legacy of NARC with those that conducted both technical science research, as well as the hard labor required of farm and ranch work.

“There is no way a research center could survive and generate pertinent producer-driven research without the dedicated service of every employee who has worked at the station,” Boss said. “Nobody chose agricultural research to get rich and retire wealthy; most chose a profession at the center because of their ties to the land, cattle or family. The scientists conducting and publishing the research get national attention, as they should, but I think back to the young men who broke the plot field with both teams of horses and one of the very first steam engines on the hi-line, every plot worker who has spent the day counting newly germinated wheat plants, to the cowboys who are out in the -30 (degree) weather saving that newborn calf. It truly was, is and will always be a team environment at NARC, and we could not survive the first 100 years and will not be here for another 100 years without that attitude.”

Contact: Darrin Boss, [email protected] or 406-265-6115

MidYear Meeting 2015
June 10, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Stockgrowers Meet in Bozeman for MidYear

The 2015 Montana Stockgrowers Association’s (MSGA) Mid-Year Meeting, held in Bozeman on June 4-6, drew over 150 ranchers and members of the cattle industry from across the state for policy meetings, a leadership-training workshop, the annual Ranch Tour and a concert with Ringling 5. Special guests in attendance included Dr. Gary Brester and Senator Steve Daines.

“Stockgrowers is very thankful to the Bozeman community and Montana State University for welcoming our MidYear event into town,” said MSGA President, Gene Curry from Valier. “Our ranchers enjoyed the opportunity to visit and learn more about the economy and businesses in the Gallatin Valley during this year’s meetings and tour.”

IMG_1668 Ranchers in attendance kicked off the event by taking part in a workshop with leadership coach, Sarah Bohnenkamp. Ranchers of all ages participated in the engaging workshop, learning how to develop individual strengths to be better leaders on family operations and in ranching communities across the state.

A Welcome Reception was held on Thursday evening to benefit the Stockgrowers’ Research and Education Endowment Foundation. The reception included a live auction and recognition of Foundation programs, including scholarship recipients, Young Cattlemen’s Conference Attendees, Environmental Stewardship Award Program honorees and introduction of the Foundation’s new specialty license plates.

Senator Steve Daines joined ranchers in discussions during interim-policy meetings on Friday morning. Daines expressed support for the state’s ranchers and provided an update on important legislation debated this year on Capitol Hill. Contentious topics of discussion included passage of the Trade Promotion Authority, limiting of EPA’s proposed Waters of the U.S. rule and keeping sage grouse off the Endangered Species list.

Other topics discussed during interim-policy meetings included repeal of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling, proposed EIS for bison management in the Greater Yellowstone Area, changes in the Department of Livestock and the state’s Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory along with updates on programs from MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Opening General Session featured MSU agriculture economics professor, Dr. Gary Brester with insight on current cattle market trends. Brester was optimistic on the cattle market outlook, confident that high quality will continue to support strong international demand for U.S. cattle genetics and beef.

IMG_1647MidYear attendees had the opportunity to learn about businesses and the rural economy of the Gallatin Valley during the annual Ranch Tour and Dinner. Tour stops included Simms Fishing Products at Four Corners where ranchers learned about the company’s international business in fishing gear and clothing products. The tour then visited Copper Spring Ranch to learn more about the performance quarter horse operation and the ranch’s investments in holding benefit events to help those in the ranching communities across the state.

Ranchers wrapped up the event with a dinner at Broken Hart Ranch near Gallatin Gateway and live entertainment by Ringling 5.

Plans are in the works for Stockgrowers’ Annual Convention and Trade Show, taking place December 3-5 at the MetraPark in Billings. To learn more about Montana Stockgrowers membership, programs and events, visit mtbeef.org or contact the MSGA office at (406) 442-3420.

For more photos from the event, visit our Facebook page.

MidYear Meeting 2015
May 13, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Stockgrowers MidYear to Feature Short and Long Term Cattle Price Outlook

What will the markets do next? Aside from keeping an eye on the weather forecast, this seems to be the frequent question among ranchers in today’s cattle business. With recent record-high calf prices, we’re not always sure what to expect next, only guessing whether the markets will fall or continue climbing.

At Stockgrowers 2015 MidYear meeting, attendees will be provided with some insight and historical context to today’s cattle market prices and what can be expected in the months ahead. Dr. Gary Brester, Professor in the Department of Ag Economics at Montana State University, will highlight the Opening General Session on Friday, June 5.

Gary Brester, ag econ MSU photo by Kelly Gorham“Current record-high calf prices have occurred (in inflation-adjusted terms) three times since 1920 — in 1951, 1973, and 1979,” says Brester. “In each case, price spikes were caused by a combination of low cattle numbers and unusual market situations. Each of these record-high price events was short-lived — less than two years.”

In general, prices declined after each of these price spikes after outside economic conditions corrected themselves in response to world events. During these previous periods of high prices, cattle inventories increased for a short time.

Will history repeat itself after 2014’s record-setting cattle prices? Will these high returns to ranchers continue in response to lower world cattle inventories and continued strong beef demand?

Find out more by attending Montana Stockgrowers’ MidYear meeting and hearing from Dr. Brester at the Opening General Session. Event tickets are available online for a 20% discount if registration is completed prior to June 1.

The 2015 MSGA MidYear Meeting takes place on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman, June 4-6. For more information, contact the MSGA office at (406) 442-3420 or visit our event page.

May 8, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Judith Gap Rancher Receives Honorary Doctorate from Montana State

robert bob lee judith gapAt this weekend’s Spring Commencement, a long-time Stockgrowers member will receive an honorary doctorate in Animal and Range Sciences from Montana State University. Robert “Bob” Lee of Judith Gap is an established leader in the Montana agricultural community and has received many recognitions for his work throughout the years.

Lee and his wife, Kathy, own and operate the Robert E. Lee Ranch Company, a diversified cattle and grain operation located in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains in central Montana. The ranch has been recognized for its approach to managing its natural resources, including rangeland and water resources. It is also well-known for the tours it offers to groups from across the state and nation, as well as around the globe.

Bob Lee speaking with media at his ranch after receiving the 1996 Environmental Stewardship Award.

Bob Lee speaking with media at his ranch after receiving the 1996 Environmental Stewardship Award.

“Bob’s service to our country interrupted his college career but did not stop him from becoming an integral part of Montana’s premier cattle industry.” says Errol Rice, MSGA Executive Vice President. “His contributions to the betterment of our business and his ongoing stewardship for the land, and commitment to building strong agriculture leaders demonstrates his dedication to what he believes in.”

Lee has served as an active member of Montana Stockgrowers  for many years. In 1995 and 1996, the Lee Ranch was recognized for their work in environmental stewardship, conservation and sustainability as recipients of the Montana, Regional and National Environmental Stewardship Award.

Lee served as chairman of the Montana Board of Livestock from 1999-2005, as well as chairman of the Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative steering committee and Montana Governor’s Rangelands Resource executive committee. On a national level, Lee has served as chairman of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Property Rights and Environmental Management Committee, as well as on the National Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative steering committee.

Lee attended MSU Northern, but was drafted two months before graduation and spent six years serving the country in the Air National Guard.

Everyone at MSGA congratulates Bob on his recognition and thanks him for continued work and contributions in the Montana ranching community.

March 3, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSU Collegiate Stockgrowers Elect 2015 Officer Team

Back, L-R: Amanda Williams, Connor Hodgskiss, Brady Johnson, Kamron Ratzburg, Kyle Moore Front, L-R: Brittany Hansen, Kensey Mikkelsen, Marni Wade

Back, L-R: Amanda Williams, Connor Hodgskiss, Brady Johnson, Kamron Ratzburg, Kyle Moore
Front, L-R: Brittany Hansen, Kensey Mikkelsen, Marni Wade

The New Year and semester at Montana State University brought a new officer team for the Collegiate Stockgrowers! The team has made plans and goals for the year and is very excited for what the club has in store.

The new 2015 Collegiate Stockgrowers Officer Team includes:

  • President – A sophomore is Kamron Ratzburg from Sunburst, majoring in Animal Science, Pre-Vet option.
  • Vice President – Brittany Hansen, from Ekalaka, is a sophomore in the Pre-Nursing program.
  • Secretary – Baker native, Marni Wade is in her junior year of Business Management with an Entrepreneurship and Accounting minor.
  • Treasurer – From Choteau, Connor Hodgskiss is double majoring in Ag-Business and Crop Sciences in his sophomore year.
  • Historian – From Hobson, Kensey Mikkelsen is in her sophomore year majoring in Exercise Science with a minor in Ag-Business.
  • Social Media Specialist – Amanda Williams is a freshman double majoring in Animal Science, Livestock Management & Industry option and Rangeland Ecology & Management. She is from Miles City.
  • Agriculture Student Council Representative – Brady Johnson, from Hinsdale, is a junior in Animal Science, Livestock Management & Industry option with a minor in Business Administration.
  • Agriculture Student Council Representative – Originally from Maine, Kyle Moore is studying both Ag-Business and Animal Science in his freshman year.

As in the past, we have a Work Crew available to help ranchers/farmers with any job. Branding help is always popular in the spring, but we aren’t limited to only helping with brandings. If you or someone you know needs any kind of ranch/farm help, please contact Vice President Brittany at her email: [email protected], a few days in advance if possible.

Our meetings are the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at 6 pm in the Animal Bioscience Building Room 138 and we’d love to have you join us if you’re in Bozeman! Do you know an MSU student that we should contact about joining CSG? Let us know at [email protected]. Don’t forget to “like” our Facebook page and stay updated with us!

October 23, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSU to Host Annual Agricultural Economics Outlook Conference Nov. 7

montana state extension logoMontana State University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics and MSU Extension will host an annual Agricultural Economics Outlook Conference Friday, Nov. 7.

This year’s conference, “Montana Agriculture: Current Issues and the Role of Agriculture Research,” will run from 8:30 a.m.-noon in the Procrastinator Theater in MSU’s Strand Union Building. The program will feature MSU faculty experts on agricultural policy, the Montana economy and livestock and grain markets.

The conference’s keynote speaker, Philip Pardey, will address the changing landscape of U.S. global research for food and agriculture.Pardey is professor of applied economics at the University of Minnesota and director of the International Science and Technology Practice and Policy Center.

“Dr. Philip Pardey is internationally recognized as the world’s leading expert on the economic effects of agriculture research and development,” said Vincent Smith, MSU professor of economics and event organizer. “His work has been funded by several international and national research institutions, and he is the go-to person on the global role of agricultural research that changes and improves lives.”

The conference, which is part of MSU’s Celebrate Agriculture weekend, is also designed to provide agricultural business leaders, agricultural bankers, producers and others in agriculture with quality, unbiased information about issues facing Montana agriculture.

“The outlook conference is an outstanding example of MSU’s commitment to the land-grant mission of bringing high-quality, relevant research findings to the citizens of Montana,” said Jeff Bader, director of MSU Extension. “The event brings important insights about the current standing and future of agriculture from a research perspective, which is always appreciated by our stakeholders.”

During the conference, MSU agricultural economics experts will present information as follows:

  • Kate Fuller will discuss the status of Montana agriculture.
  • Joe Janzen will discuss high frequency trading in agricultural futures markets.
  • Tim Fitzgerald will discuss the importance of oil and gas royalties for Montana agricultural producers.
  • Eric Belasco will discuss the livestock disaster aid program.
  • Gary Brester will discuss changes in the U.S. Fertilizer landscape.

Following lunch, MSU Extension Specialist Marsha Goetting will host a two-hour, in-depth workshop, “Transferring Your Farm or Ranch to the Next Generation.”

Registration for the conference is $25. Those who register by Wednesday, Oct. 29, will receive a free parking pass. For more information or to register please visit http://www.ampc.montana.edu/fallconference.html.

A full schedule of events for the Celebrate Agriculture weekend event is available at:http://ag.montana.edu/excellence/agappreciation.htm.

October 10, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana State Collegiate Stockgrower interns with CAB

Karoline RoseKaroline Rose of Three Forks, Mont., joins the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) team this fall as an Industry Information school term intern. Based out of her home office in Bozeman, Mont., Rose assists CAB in writing news releases and industry updates, produces feature stories on Montana’s Angus ranchers, and creates social media posts to help explain the people and ideas behind high-quality beef.

She is a senior in animal science at Montana State University, where she co-founded Collegiate Stockgrowers. Other interests include the MSU wool and livestock judging teams, Collegiate CattleWomen, Young Farmers and Ranchers, and New Century Farmer.

Rose comes from a cattle family. Her father is a full-time rancher and cattle buyer, who also trains cow dogs. She runs a small Angus herd of her own and hopes to expand the family operations some day.

“I am humbled to be chosen as an intern for Certified Angus Beef. It’s quite a unique opportunity to share what the producers in Montana and across the country are doing to bring quality beef to the table,” said Rose. “I hope to not only learn but also inspire others to be better beef advocates through this experience.”

Launched in 1978 and owned by 30,000 American Angus Association members, CAB is the largest branded beef program in the world, with 15,000 licensed partners selling 2.2 million pounds of branded product daily in more than 45 countries. For producer resources including intern articles, visit www.cabpartners.com, the blog at www.blackinkwithcab.com; or check out the consumer site at www.certifiedangusbeef.com.

September 30, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Rancher Q and A: John Henry Beardsley, Miles City

Like many Montanans, cattle ranching goes back several generations in the family’s history. One of these ranchers is John Henry Beardsley of Miles City, Montana. John Henry grew up on his family’s ranch and recently, graduated from Montana State University. Today, we learn what his next steps are and how the family ranch plays a role in his future….

What is the history of your family’s ranch? 

The ranch was homesteaded in 1910 by my great-grandpa John Henry Beardsley. My Grandpa, John Henry, kept slowly building the ranch by raising crops, kids, cattle, horses, pigs and sheep. My dad, Jim Beardsley, has expanded what my grandpa had to where we are today.

John Henry on his working horse.

John Henry on his working horse.

What is the ranch like today?

Our cow herd consists of Angus and Red Angus cows that we have developed through 40+ years of artificially inseminating (A.I.). We use Hereford bulls on the cows now and still have an A.I. program in place.  Recently, we started doing a terminal cross and have been really pleased with it for its marketing and maternal aspects. We strive to raise a very low input, productive cow that will make a living for herself. We have a rotational grazing program in place and have developed water to enhance grazing.

Can you describe a hardship that your family had to overcome on the ranch? 

The process of trying to keep the ranch in the family and pass it on to the next generation…while having it be a successful business.

Can you recall any advice your grandparents gave you about ranching? 

I was never fortunate to meet either of my grandpas, but people tell me stories of my grandpa Beardsley and how he started with nothing…but went on to build an operation to support his family and make a manageable business. It shows me that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything.

John Henry Beardsley 2What are a few things you’ve learned growing up on a ranch?

  • Taking care of the land. I have learned from a very young age that if you take care of the land it will take care of you.
  • How to be a entrepreneur. When I was little I would always get frustrated of why dad wouldn’t just do something and it seemed as easy as just writing that check to pay for something. When you get behind the books and see how its done, you lose that mindset in a hurry.
  • Not everything is wine and roses, but there are so many little things in everyday ranch life that makes you stop and enjoy what you are doing.

What does Montana family ranching mean to you?

Montana ranching is one of the biggest conservation groups that I have been around. Every rancher is a steward of the land while sustaining a viable operation that helps supply the world with a great source of protein and creating an environment that is appealing to families and making memories.

John Henry looks over the 2014 piglets.

John Henry looks over the 2014 piglets.

What do you hope the ranch (or business) will look like in 10 years? 50 years?

I hope to keep expanding the ranch. The future excites me in not knowing what it will hold. We recently went back to our roots with raising sheep on the ranch. I hope to follow in past generations footsteps and keep expanding and moving forward.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 

I recently signed on as a representative for Superior Livestock Auction, with my partner John Andras of Big Timber, MT. We operate as J&J Cattle Marketing LLC. This past year has been one full of windshield time, but at the end of the day I couldn’t ask for a better job. I am very excited about this position and the network of people I have met over my short time here has been incredible.

I am very proud to say that my four siblings and I are all involved in agriculture. My family is great to have around, because we are all different enough that we look at a situation in five different ways, and definitely makes you keep an open mind. I have five nieces and three nephews that make it so there is never a dull moment.

To participate in a future Q&A or to recommend someone from the Montana ranching community, please contact [email protected].