AUDIO SLIDE SHOW: Watch and hear Angus bulls being sold at the Mussard Family sale in Dillon, Montana. There is also a speech from NCBA president, Bill Donald and some dancing at the end of the night, after a great sale. To see photos from the sale, head over to the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Facebook page: click here.
Yesterday, Lauren Chase had the opportunity to spend the day at Bill Donald’s Montana ranch, Cayuse Livestock Co. Bill is the current president of theNational Cattlemen’s Beef Association, past-president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association and founder of the Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers Association. He runs a ranch near Melville with his wife Betsy, sons, and grandchildren. On this visit, the crew was freeze branding in the calving shed. His grandson William helped him feed cows later in the day. To see more photos click here and to see an audio slide show click here.
Sitz Angus Ranch has a great reputation of having some of the best Angus genetics. February is calving season and MSGA’s Multimedia Outreach Specialist, Lauren Chase, was able to spend a few days with the crew. To find out more information about Sitz Angus Ranch, check out their website: Sitz Angus Ranch.
To see all the photos from her trip, head on over to Facebook for a view! Click here.
Ehlke Herefords in Townsend, Montana is a family-owned ranch that focuses on the female. Mark, Della, Jane’a and Lacey work the ranch with Ryan Hamilton. The Ehlke Family is a great group of people and have worked hard to develop the Hereford breed. Check out photos from Lauren’s visit to the ranch during calving season. Click here.
MFBF – Twenty young farmers and ranchers from across the state had the opportunity to sit in on hearings, have breakfast with legislators and meet with various state agencies during the Montana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers (MFBF YF&R) and/Montana Young Stockgrower’s Calling on the Capitol Feb. 24-25 in Helena.
“The legislative breakfast provided a great opportunity to sit down and visit with your local legislator about any concerns,” noted Aaron Phipps, who sits on the MFBF YF&R Committee. He and his wife, Mollie, attended the event. “You really see how important agriculture is to Montana when you travel to Helena for the session. The legislators are very interested in what we have to say.”
The group met with the deputy director of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, with Montana State Veterinarian Marty Zaluski and Dept. of Livestock Executive Officer Christian MacKay, as well as with President of the Senate Jim Peterson and Speaker of the House Mike Milburn.
“I can’t stress enough that you must become an advocate, if you are going to protect your rights as a property owner and ag producer,” advised Milburn. “There are a lot of tough issues out there, like the current eminent domain one. There is a real need for transmission lines, but at the same time, the rights of the property owner need to be met.”
Peterson said as he looked around the room of young producers, he was very optimistic about agriculture, the state’s largest industry. “It seems agriculture is what’s going to lead this state out of its economic depression,” Peterson said. “This is the first time in a long time that agriculture is leading this show and you young people are the ones who are going to lead.”
In addition, they learned about working with the media and legislators in a session conducted by Ariel Overstreet, MSGA and Nicole Rolf, MFBF.
Overstreet encouraged the group to accept media interviews, gave them tips on getting their message across, and how to put a positive face on a story. Rolf told the group that before they testified, “Read the bill, make sure your comments are relevant, be factual, and tell your story in a concise manner.”
“This was an amazing opportunity to sit in on the hearings and see the legislative process in actions. Several of our group testified on a predator bill,” noted Charlie Rein, chair of the Montana Young Stockgrowers’ from Big Timber. “We were able to sit in the gallery and watch the Senate floor session, another really good experience. I feel privileged to have been able to meet one-on-one with our legislators, talk directly to agency leaders, and even have a guided tour the Capitol during this excellent event.”
MSGA’s Research, Education, and Endowment Foundation (REEF) is accepting applications to send one participant to the Young Cattlemen’s Conference tour, held June 2-9. The tour exposes young cattlemen to all areas of the cattle industry ranging from industry structure to issues management, from production research to marketing, and is designed to develop leadership qualities. Many past attendees from Montana have described this tour as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” (Including last year’s participant, Tater Erickson who is pictured at right with Melville, MT rancher and NCBA President-elect, Bill Donald, left, and John Goggins with the Western Ag Reporter out of Billings, MT, center.) REEF will pay the full cost of the tuition (approximately $2,700) and will provide $500 for travel costs.
The tour will host 45 participants from across the country and will begin in Denver with a comprehensive overview of the industry. The group will take an in-depth look at many of the issues affecting the cattle industry and what NCBA is doing to address these issues on behalf of its members, plus receive a comprehensive view of market information from Cattle-Fax. The group will then travel to JBS Five Rivers’ Kuner Feedyard, one of the nation’s largest cattle feeding operations, a one-time capacity of over 100,000 head located in Northern Colorado. The group will then tour the JBS Greeley facility, one of the nation’s largest beef packing and processing plants. JBS will host the group and will share their views of the beef industry from a processor standpoint. Chicago is the next destination where the group will visit the Chicago Board of Trade & OSI, Inc. one of the nation’s premiere beef patty manufacturers. The participants will then travel to the nation’s Capitol where they will get a chance to meet with their respective congressmen and senators. In addition, the group will visit with a number of regulatory agencies that make decisions affecting agriculture.
2011 will be the 32nd year the Young Cattlemen’s Conference tour has been conducted. Over 1,000 cattlemen and women have graduated from the YCC program since its inception in 1980. For an individual to participate in the YCC, he or she must be nominated by one of NCBA’s affiliate members, be between the ages of 25 to 50 and be an NCBA member. Participants will need to arrive in Denver on June 1 and may depart from Washington, D.C. on June 10. To apply, visit MSGA’s website and download the application form. If you have any questions, please contact Ariel at [email protected] or at the MSGA office, (406) 442-3420.
Helena – The Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Young Stockgrowers and Montana Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers and Ranchers will meet in Helena, Jan. 24-25, for the 2011 “Calling on the Capitol.” This year’s event is the first joint conference for the associations.
“MSGA and MFBF are looking forward to bringing young farmers and ranchers to Helena to see the 62nd session of the Montana Legislature,” said Peter Taylor, chair of MFBF’s Young Farmers and Ranchers.
“Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with the leaders of both associations, the legislature and our state agencies,” said Charlie Rein, chair of MSGA’s Young Stockgrowers.
The “Calling on the Capitol” will feature visits with President of the Senate, Senator Jim Peterson (R-Buffalo); Speaker of the House, Representative Mike Milburn (R-Cascade); a tour of the Capitol; meetings with Montana Department of Livestock and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials; media training; and an opportunity to attend legislative hearings.
The conference will be headquartered at the Red Lion Colonial Inn in Helena. Registration and hotel rooms are free for attendees. The conference is limited to the first 30 registrants and registrations close Jan. 21, 2011. Registration forms are available at www.mtbeef.org or www.mfbf.org, or by calling MSGA at (406) 442-3420 or MFBF at (406) 587-3153.
The 126th Annual Montana Stockgrowers Association Convention and Trade Show, held at the Crowne Plaza hotel and MetraPark in Billings, Dec. 16-18, drew over 600 participants from across the state.
“We had another great convention this year,” said Tom Hougen, MSGA’s out-going president. “With the great cattle market we’ve had, everyone seemed to be in high spirits. We had one of the most robust policy discussions I can remember, developing policy on a wide variety of issues that affect family ranches in Montana. Convention attendees also got to enjoy our top-notch trade show and the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Rodeo.”
Here are some of the highlights:
-Walter “Watty” Taylor, of Kirby was elected President; Tucker Hughes of Stanford was elected 1st Vice President; and Gene Curry of Valier was elected 2nd Vice President.
– Jeff Pattison in the Northeast District, Larry Berg in the South Central District, and Dean Wang in the Southeast District were elected to second terms on the Board of Directors.
-Ray Marxer of Dillon was newly elected to the Board of Directors representing the Western District, filling the seat vacated by term-limited Steve Wilcox of Sheridan. Mark Harrison of Belt was elected from the North Central District to fill the seat vacated by term-limited Fred Finke of Big Sandy.
-Policy to guide MSGA officers and staff through 2011, and the upcoming legislative session, was set in a process that began with committee meetings, progressed to the second reading and finished at the third reading. Notable new policies address freeze branding, the proposed Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration rules, funding for the MT Livestock Loss Reduction Board, Antiquities Act reform, grazing issues, energy access agreements, predator control funding, and irrigated pasture assessments.
-Travis Choat, Director of Technical Consulting for Elanco Animal Health, was the keynote speaker at the Opening General Session. His presentation “Food Economics and Consumer Choice” discussed the use of technology to meet a growing world population’s demand for safe, nutritious and affordable food.
-The Trade Show boasted nearly 90 booths, a lineup of Ford vehicles, free boot shines, complimentary tote bags, beef dinner stations and “watering holes.”
-John Rose ad Tim Feddes’ stock dog clinic headlined a full and diverse group of Pfizer Cattlemen’s Colleges that educated attendees about estate planning, calfhood vaccination programs, the difference between generic and brand name compounds, cow herd efficiency, and fertility.
-Keystone Ranches, Inc. of Ismay, owned and operated by Bill and Joyce Almy, was named winner of the 2011 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award sponsored by MSGA and the Montana Beef Council. Keystone Ranches is the 18th winner in the history of the award. MSGA will submit Keystone Ranches for the regional and national Environmental Stewardship Award in February.
-Tucker Hughes of Stanford was named the association’s “Top Hand” for recruiting the most new members throughout the year. Gene Curry of Valier and Jeff Pattison of Glasgow tied for second.
-Marian Hanson of Ashland was named “Ranching Woman of the Year.”
-Montana State University and University of Montana mascots Champ and Monte provided entertainment during the President’ s Lunch.
-Kyle Shobe, 2010 World Champion Livestock Auctioneer was on hand to auction off many items to raise funds for MSGA’s Advocacy Fund, as well as the Seedstock and Commercial Cattle Directory page auction which raises money to promote Montana cattle and associated services across the country.
-MSGA held many drawings throughout the course of the convention. Shawn Pilster of Alzada won the NutraLix saddle drawing, Melinda Berg of Sand Springs won the Young Stockgrower PBR tickets drawing, and Karla Johnson of East Helena won the Women of the West Fair Coldwater Creek Gift Certificate drawing.
-The biggest drawing, however, was for the 2011 Ford Super Duty truck from the Montana Ford Stores and MSGA. Buck and Dee Ward of Great Falls were the lucky winners. To be eligible for the drawing, people had to be MSGA rancher members and present at the President’s Lunch when the drawing was held.
-MSGA members received discounted tickets to the Chase Hawks Memorial Association Rough Stock Rodeo on Saturday, Dec. 18, where they were able to enjoy rodeo action from some of the top cowboys and rough stock in the country. Proceeds from the event benefited the Chase Hawks Memorial Association Community Crisis Fund which provides short-term assistance to families facing an immediate crisis.
-Convention photos and a highlight video can be seen on MSGA’s Facebook Page.
-Plans are already underway for MSGA’s Mid-Year meeting which will be held in June 2011.
Video highlights from this year’s convention, trade show, and Chase Hawks Memorial Rodeo.
Introduction of MSGA’s President Watty Taylor: