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.
MSGA’s media intern Lauren Chase, interviewed her grandfather, David Dohnalek. He was a farmer in Iowa his entire life. Enjoying being retired, David and his wife Barb, drove to Montana to see Lauren. He shared with her the reason why Iowa farmers bought cattle from Montana and why agriculture is important for the nation.
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.
Hi all.
Photos from 2010’s Mid-Year meeting have been posted to Facebook. Even if you do not have a Facebook account, you can still view them by clicking this link: Mid-Year Photos.
Let us know what you thought of the meeting by leaving comments either on this blog or on Facebook. Enjoy!
Click the play button to see a selection of photos from Lauren Chase’s time with ranchers in South Phillips County, Montana. You can view the same photos and read their captions by clicking this link to Facebook. You can also see this slideshow full screen by clicking any place in the box and selecting “view full screen.”
Written by media intern Lauren Chase
MALTA—After spending one week in South Phillips County Montana, I’ve come away with a lot of things, but there’s one that is the most important: the importance of agriculture producers to this country.
I grew up in Iowa, a state known for corn and pigs, but could I tell you the basics of farming? No. And when I started talking with ranchers in Montana, I realized just how embarrassing it is that I knew nothing about where my food comes from and especially how much work it is to make that food.
Back in Iowa, we have roughly seven high schools in the metro area and one that is in the outskirts of town. That one is known as “cow pie high” because farmer’s kids go there. I’m sure they know about the work farmers and their families dedicate to the production, but the rest of us, just fifteen minutes away aren’t taught even the basics and therefore, make fun of it. I think that is ridiculous now.
Starting at a young age, every child in this country needs to know why we have farms, why we raise livestock, and why individuals do back-breaking labor from sunrise to sunset. It is to keep their families, communities and the world from going hungry and I think they need more appreciation for what they do.
With MSGA’s Mid-Year meeting fast approaching, today is the last day to pre-register. (Click here to see the event schedule and registration form.) We have an outstanding line up of speakers and discussions set for Friday’s Opening General Session and Committee meetings.
Jim Peterson, a Buffalo, Mont. rancher and chairman of the U.S. Meat Export Federation will keynote the Opening General Session which begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 11. Peterson will discuss the outlook for beef exports this year. (Click here to for a preview of Peterson’s comments with an audio file of Peterson discussing the recent USMEF Board of Directors Meeting.) Errol Rice, MSGA’s executive vice president, and Ariel Overstreet, MSGA’s manager of communications, will also discuss “MSGA’s Issues and Media Response for the 21st Century: Embracing Social Media.”
Committee meetings will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday. The Tax, Finance and Ag Policy Committee will feature a discussion of rural families and the new health care legislation. Senate Finance Committee staffer, David Schwartz, will present an overview of the process and complexities of the legislation. An insurance representative has also been invited to discuss the health care insurance implications for ranch operations and rural families. Representatives from Montana’s congressional delegation will be on hand to give a legislative and 2010 Farm Bill update to the committee. Mike Faupel, program manager for the University of Arkansas’ Applied Sustainability Center at the Sam M. Walton College of Business , will discuss sustainability issues and their affect on the beef marketplace for both the Tax, Finance and Ag Policy Committee (afternoon) and the Beef Production and Marketing Committee (morning). The Beef Production and Marketing Committee will also feature a brucellosis panel discussion with veterinary officials from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and USDA APHIS. They will address brucellosis-related issues including surveillance, vaccination and wildlife. There will be an opportunity for those in attendance to ask questions to the panelists. The Land Use and Environment Committee will discuss wolf depredation and a new research project that is seeking to discover the additional impacts wolves have on cattle beyond depredations. The Committee will also hear from Steve Becker, State Conservation Engineer for the Natural Resource Conservation Service, who will present a new Feedlot Runoff Model. Also on the agenda for this committee is NorthWestern Energy’s MSTI project proposal.
The Business Session will take place immediately following the conclusion of the committee meetings. Committee chairs will give their reports from the meetings and Bill Donald, Melville rancher and President-Elect of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, will present NCBA’s proposed restructuring plan.
After the meetings on Friday, MSGA will have a prime rib dinner with music provided by the Dillon Junior Fiddlers at the Beaverhead County Fairgrounds. Then there will be three fun events to choose from on Saturday, June 12. We will kick the day off with a parade through Dillon featuring horse and horse drawn entries only. Then attendees will have the choice of participating the Cow Pasture Golf Scramble or a tour of four of the area’s ranches. Today is the last day to pre-register so click here to see the schedule of events, lodging information, and registration form. You can print it out and fax it in today to receive the pre-registration discount!
Hi all! My name is Lauren Chase and I am from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I’m finishing up my final year at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Go Hawks! I have a double major in journalism and anthropology and a minor in Spanish. This summer, I am the media intern for the Montana Stockgrowers Association.
The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is excited to announce that the Montana Ford Stores is continuing its partnership with MSGA, designating Ford “The Official Truck of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.”
“We make a great team because ranchers rely on quality, dependable trucks that can hold up to the demands of a working ranch,” said Tom Hougen, MSGA president. “This year we are very excited to announce that one lucky member will drive home from our annual convention with full ownership of a 2011 Ford F-250.”
The truck is a silver 2011 model F-250 4×4 XLT Premium featuring 85 more horsepower and better fuel efficiency than the 2010 model, a sync-voice activated system, LCD productivity screen, block heater, 5th wheel hitch prep, and power scoping trailer mirrors.
To be eligible to win the 2011 Ford F-250, you must be current MSGA member, fill out an entry form, and be present at annual convention in December when the truck winner will be drawn from the entries. For more information about the MSGA/Ford partnership, please visit www.mtbeef.org or call (406) 442-3420. To join MSGA click here!