December 18, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Convention Perspective from Rich Roth

rich roth ix ranch montana stockgrowers

See more blog coverage from the 129th Annual Stockgrowers Convention by clicking here.

Today’s perspective of Convention comes to us from Rich Roth, IX Ranch, Big Sandy, Montana.

The 2013 MSGA Convention was very well attended and the overall attitude and outlook for the next year was positive. I was encouraged to see lots of young faces and excitement about the future of the industry.

There was a lot of passion when it came to important issues such as water rights. I was impressed that members took the time to research, talk to neighbors and ultimately draft resolutions that they felt strongly about. Equally impressive was the ability to discuss, amend and agree to disagree.

Utilizing technology has given our industry the opportunity to not only tell the ranching story, it has helped those living it to communicate within. Tools like Facebook enable us to read and see how a rancher in another part of the state is doing and communicate on a moment’s notice about an important topic being discussed. Smart phones have enabled agencies like the Department of Livestock to put all the state brands into a mobile app that allows us to check a stray cow’s brand and find out who it belongs to within minutes. What an exciting time to be in the ranching business and to be a part of such a great organization.

More about the IX Ranch and the Roth Family

Rich Roth IX Ranch Big Sandy MontanaThe IX Ranch is located south-east of a small town called Big Sandy in the mixed-grass prairie of north central Montana. The ranch extends through the southern edge of the Bear Paw mountain range and on east towards the Missouri River. The ranch encompasses a wide variety of terrain from rolling hills and willow creek bottoms to jagged river breaks and mountains.

Since 1955, the main goal of IX Ranch has been to raise high quality feeder cattle while maintaining natural resources in the way Mother Nature intended. The IX strives for perfection in all aspects of the operation. From the range they manage and the animals’ welfare, to employees and the conditions they work in everyday. The Roth family continues to keep an eye on the future and look forward to the many challenges and opportunities that exist in this ever-changing industry.

Three generations strong, the IX Ranch continues a family tradition of ranching with a commitment to excellence in environmental stewardship and livestock production. Steve Roth – CEO – oversees all ranch operations. In 2008 Steve finished his second and final year as President of the Montana Stockgrowers Association. He is also actively involved in many committees and agencies concerning government policy, water and private land rights, and environmental issues. Karen is involved in many activities but focuses most of her attention on her grandchildren and keeping Steve on the straight and narrow.

Rich Roth returned to the ranch in 2001 after spending 10 years in the field of agricultural commodity marketing. Along with day-to-day ranch activities, he is responsible for marketing the ranch’s livestock and maintaining the ranch’s extensive range management software. He also administers the ranch website, ranch safety program and internship program. He is a member of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, NCBA, Big Sandy Water Conservation Board and Rotary. Richard has two children, Jessica and Ryan, who are active in both school sports and ranch activities. Both love the outdoors and being on the ranch. Jessica loves horses and wants to be a large animal vet and Ryan, well we don’t know about him yet but he likes things that go fast.

Learn more about the IX ranch on their website, blog, and Facebook.

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Montana Young Stockgrowers Walker Milhoan Convention
December 17, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Ranchers are Role Models

Montana Young Stockgrowers Walker Milhoan Convention

See more blog coverage from the 129th Annual Stockgrowers Convention by clicking here.

By Walker Milhoan, Collegiate Stockgrowers member, University of Montana

The 129th annual Montana Stockgrowers Convention was wonderful this year and the connections and friends I have been in contact with are a constant reminder to me of why I choose to fulfill my career goals within Montana’s ranching industry.

In America today, a 33 year-old male would most likely idolize an NFL star with a sleek physique and a multi-year, multimillion dollar contract. But not this guy. My heroes certainly don’t have chiseled six packs under their button down shirts, their hair is grey, their faces are weathered, and if you were to walk down main street in Billings, Montana and mention their names, people would most likely have to navigate to the third page of Google to find any information about who they are.

These are Americas ranchers; individuals who manage some of the most complex businesses in the world, on some of the most beautiful, yet harsh landscapes known to man. Men like Ray Marxer, Wayne Fahsholtz, and Steve Roth are in charge of keeping extremely complex landscapes running like a Swiss Watch and they do it with the utmost integrity, honor and dedication to the environment, the livestock, and the people.

America should be very proud to have land stewards like this in charge of their food supply!

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Montana Stockgrowers Collegiate member
December 14, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Public Lands Council discusses issues at Convention

Montana Stockgrowers Collegiate memberSee more blog coverage from the 129th Annual Stockgrowers Convention by clicking here.

By Kelsey Haughian, Montana State University Collegiate Stockgrower member. 

The 129th annual MSGA Convention and Trade Show kicked off Thursday with numerous committee meetings and workshops at the Holiday Inn and Convention center in Billings. Thus far the member turnout has been outstanding.  Members had the opportunity to weigh in on the Montana  Public Lands Council Annual Meeting, Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Workshop and Membership Development & Services Committee meeting to name a few.

I was fortunate to attend the Montana Public Lands Council’s annual meeting held yesterday morning. It was great to see such a dedicated group of individuals from different areas of the state show up and voice their opinion. The diverse perspectives made for valuable and informative sessions with attendees ranging from collegiate members to veteran producers.

The Public Lands Council discussed issues ranging from sage grouse to forest fires to Confederate Salish Kootenai Tribal water rights. People stepped up to the podium to voice their opinion on topics that hit home for them. Topics that were discussed can directly affect ranchers; therefor it was and is, pertinent that their voices be heard.

MSGA’s annual convention is a place for people to come together to make sure congressional policy is in the best interest of the people who live and work in the industry day in and day out.

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December 14, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Membership Development Committee Highlights Association Progress

Rachel Endecott, Montana State University Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

See more blog coverage from the 129th Annual Stockgrowers Convention by clicking here.

By Rachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Specialist

A good crowd was on hand at the Membership Development and Services Committee meeting at the 2013 Montana Stockgrowers Convention. In this post, I’d like to share some of the highlights from the meeting.

The return on investment for social media efforts is often hard to quantify. It was so exciting to hear from Errol Rice that 99 new MSGA memberships have resulted from the Association’s social media work in the past year! During his NCBA update, Dan McCarty shared that other associations are asking him what Montana is doing. I’m proud to be a member of such a progressive organization!

Updates from Montana State University and USDA-ARS Fort Keogh added to the upbeat nature of the meeting. New faculty positions and exciting research projects are on tap to continue to support Montana ranching.

Collegiate Stockgrowers presidents John Henry Beardsley (Montana State University) and Laramie Pursley in (MSU-Northern) reported on their club activities during 2013.  It was impressive to see how much these clubs have accomplished in the short time since they’ve been established. I look forward to these individuals becoming an integral part of the Young Stockgrowers as they finish their college careers.

Overall, the tone of our committee meeting was member-benefit focused. The value received from MSGA membership is well above the cost of membership dues.

Sage Grouse Habitat Montana
December 11, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Sage grouse, farm and ranch succession planning among topics at 2014 Winter Grazing Seminar

MILES CITY, Mont. – An in-depth discussion of sage grouse conservation and management – including a panel of ranchers who are currently managing sage grouse on their lands – is one of several topics on the agenda of the 2014 Winter Grazing Seminar, to be held Jan. 29-30 in Miles City, Mont.

The first day of the seminar will feature representatives from the Public Lands Council. Executive Director Dustin Van Liew will speak on multiple issues in agriculture. Montana Executive Director Jay Bodner and federal grazing permitee Lon Reukauf will also join the discussion. Next Tim Griffiths and Dr. David Naugle will give a presentation on Sage Grouse. To conclude the first day of the seminar a producer panel including Robert Lee from Forsyth will speak on a rancher’s perspective of sage grouse management on rangelands.

That evening, a social hour and banquet will be held at the Town & Country Club in Miles City. Northern Ag Network’s Haylie Shipp will be the Master of Ceremonies for the banquet. Range Leader of the Year Awards will be given to the winners of the rancher and professional categories. Governor Bullock is invited to give the keynote address. Bill Rossiter will be the evening’s entertainment with cowboy poetry and music.

The second day of the seminar will begin with Kevin Spafford, founder of Legacy by Design, with his presentation on Succession Solutions for Farm Families. The seminar will conclude with presentations from Fort Keogh researchers Dr. Andy Roberts on Heifer Development and Dr. Mark Petersen on Water Quality.

The seminar will be held at the Sleep Inn of Miles City. Registration is $30 per person before January 15 and $35 after. You may attend the banquet for $25 if you will be joining us for the meal.

There is no charge for those who would like to see Bill Rossiter for entertainment at the banquet.

This year’s Winter Grazing Seminar is proudly sponsored by the Custer County Conservation District, Prairie County Conservation District and USDA-ARS Fort Keogh LARRL, and in cooperation with the Rangeland Resources Executive Committee (RREC).

For the agenda and registration form please visit: http://dnrc.mt.gov/cardd/ConservationDistricts/WinterGrazing/default.asp

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Montana Stockgrowers Big Sky Boots Rancher Christmas Gift Ideas
December 10, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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5 Reasons Why Big Sky Boots is the Perfect Christmas Present

Montana Stockgrowers Big Sky Boots Book Rancher Christmas Gift IdeasWondering what to get Dad for Christmas? Why not get him something he will enjoy for years to come! The Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Big Sky Boots makes the perfect Christmas present and here’s why:

1. CAN’T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF IT—There are nearly 200 pages of  picturesque Montana ranches, great cattle and hard-working cowboys. Spend hours curled up in your favorite chair and flip through the pages, learning all about what it takes to run a Montana family ranch.

2. ENGAGING WITH CONSUMERS—Big Sky Boots is not just for your family involved in agriculture. This book can help teach the public about where their beef comes from…and what better gift for your New York City friend than something that showcases Montana family ranching!

3. SUPPORT THE STOCKGROWERS—Help support the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation, as well as keeping the Montana Family Ranching Series going strong through your purchases of the book.

Montana Stockgrowers Big Sky Boots Book Rancher Christmas Gift Ideas4. SPECIAL OFFER — Buy Big Sky Boots between now and December 15 and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Atlas Blizzard Rancher Relief Fund.

5. NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED—Big Sky Boots will arrive to you in a pre-assembled box. All you will need to do it put the wrapping paper and a bow on it and place it under the tree! It’s that easy!

Purchase your copy of Big Sky Boots from the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s online store.

 

First Interstate Bank Sponsor Montana Stockgrowers Committee Meetings
December 4, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Committee Meetings an important part of 2013 Annual Convention

First Interstate Bank Sponsor Montana Stockgrowers Committee MeetingsEach 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, held December 12-14, 2013 in Billings, Mont. Interim policy is set at MSGA’s Mid-Year Meeting, held in June in different locations across the state each year. Policies often originate from the local affiliates of MSGA who bring the proposed policies to the appropriate standing committee for discussion at MSGA’s mid-year meeting or annual convention. MSGA’s policy development process begins with four standing committees. Each committee has MSGA board representatives and chairmen appointed by the president. Members attending committee meetings vote on proposed resolutions which must pass out of the committee with a majority vote and pass through Second Reading and Final Reading before becoming official policy.

This year, Committee meetings at Annual Convention will take place on Thursday and Friday, December 12 and 13. Below is a listing of Committees and Guest Speaker topics. Agendas and Schedules will be available at Convention Registration.

Land Use and Environment Committee – Thursday, December 12 – 1:00-4:00 p.m.

This committee includes four subcommittees – Endangered Species, Landowner/Recreation and Wildlife, Land Use, and Water. Guest speakers will address the topics of MT Trapping Ban, Bison Habitat Expansion, Gray Wold Management, Access Tax Credit/Private lands-Public wildlife, Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, Sage Grouse, Wildlife Services Update, Livestock Loss Board Update, and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Water Compact.

Membership Development & Services Committee – Thursday, December 12 – 1:00-4:00 p.m.

This committee includes four subcommittees – Education and Research, Outreach, Recruitment, and Young Stockgrowers. Guest speakers will address the topics of Membership and National updates, Outreach efforts, Tradition and Social Media approaches to communication, and Collegiate Stockgrower Updates.

Beef Production and Marketing Committee – Friday, December 13 – 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

This committee includes four subcommittees – Cattle Feeders; Cattle Health, Brand and Theft; Seedstock; and Marketing. Guest speakers will address the topics of Beta Agonists, Johnes Disease, Recent Development in Brucellosis, Trichmoniasis, the Montana Stockgrowers Commercial Cattle Directory, and a Verified Beef Update.

Tax, Finance & Ag Policy – Friday, December 13 – 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

This committee will include updates on the Farm Bill and Ag Policy from NCBA, as well as Congressional Briefings from the offices of Montana U.S. Representatives and Senators.

To learn more about the Committees and Policy of areas covered by Montana Stockgrowers at our Annual Convention, visit www.mtbeef.org. A big thank you goes to First Interstate Bank for sponsoring the 2013 Annual Committee Meetings.

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December 3, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Comments Needed on New State Land Access Program Rule

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks logo

The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission is seeking comment on a proposed rule that would offer tax incentives to private landowners who provide public access to state lands.

The proposed rule is in response to a new law that established the Unlocking State Lands Program. Under the program, landowners can receive a $500 tax credit by providing public access to a parcel of state land through contractual agreements with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. A tax credit would be offered for each qualified access point, with a limit of $2,000 per year, per landowner.

The law requires the commission to adopt administrative rules for establishing contracts that address duration of access, types of qualified access, and reasonable landowner-imposed restrictions.

The law becomes effective Jan. 1, 2014 and terminates Dec. 31, 2018.

Public comment on the draft rule will be accepted through, Dec. 27. Copies of the draft rule and comment forms are available online at fwp.mt.gov, click “Public Notices“. E-mail comments to [email protected]; or mail to Alan Charles, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Century of Montana Family Ranching History Book
December 2, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Gift Ideas: A Century of Montana Family Ranching

Century of Montana Family Ranching History BookIt’s hard to believe, but the Christmas shopping season is well upon us and the days of 2013 are counting down quickly. There are many gifting options out there for your ranching family, but some may be hard to choose from. The MSGA store is a great place to start and find some personalized gifts that really embracing Montana’s ranching heritage.

One of those gifts available in the MSGA store is a book that chronicles 142 Montana family century ranches. For a ranch to exist and continue in a family for more than 100 years is truly a signal of sustainability and Montana Stockgrowers is proud to have a book that chronicles both the good and bad times for these ranching families.

The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards Never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana 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. While the heart of the 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. This book demonstrates the importance of the relationship between some of Montana’s oldest and most enduring ranches and the Montana Stockgrowers Association.

The Weak Ones Turned Back, The Cowards never Started: A Century of Ranching in Montana tells the heart-wrenching and inspiring stories of the ranch families who have endured with great fortitude 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. This collection of family histories tells the history of Montana, from a territory to a state, and demonstrates the sustainability of not only an industry, but a way of life. MSGA hopes that this commemorative masterpiece will be cherished by ranchers and non-ranchers alike for years to come.

“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

To get your own copy of the book along with several other Holiday ranching gifts, check out the Store at MTbeef.org.

November 28, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Ranchers’ Thanksgiving 2013

By Lauren Chase for the Montana Stockgrowers Association and Foundation

Montana’s ranch families would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. As we prepared for this celebration, we asked some Montana ranchers what they are thankful for. Below is a compilation of their responses.

As the MSGA and the Foundation, we are grateful for our members who work day in and day out to provide the world with safe, healthy, environmentally wholesome beef to the world. Each one of you are gems to the industry and we are thankful that you let us represent you. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanksgiving 2013 - Janet Goggins Endecott

Thanksgiving 2013 - Bob MortonThanksgiving 2013 - Heather Quigley

Thanksgiving 2013 - Billie Jo Holzer

Thanksgiving 2013Thanksgiving 2013 - Terlene KellerThanksgiving 2013 - Maggie Nutter

Thanksgiving 2013 - Austin Swanson Thanksgiving 2013 - Bree Swanson