Email: [email protected]
Hometown: Galata
Elected: 2023
Industry Involvement: I am a 4th generation to farm and ranch on our family’s land north of Galata, MT. I currently own/operate Rocky Ridge Angus with my wife, Carrie Sue. We have two children. We run a cow/calf operation in the Sweetgrass Hills. We also run a bull development center and have just recently started in the embryo/transfer business. I have farmed and ranched for thirty-six years. My son, Lane Lerum, and my son-in-law Lane Gordon also are working on our ranch with the goal to continue to be a sustainable operation.
Leadership Service:
- President of Marias River Livestock Association for 2 years.
- President of the Marias Fair 4-H Livestock Committee from 2012-2020.
- School Board Chairman at Galata Elementary School (8 yrs)
- Served on the Board of Directors for the Toole County Conservation Service (4 yrs)
- Head Football Coach at North Toole County High School, Sunburst, MT (9 yrs)
Challenges Facing the Beef Industry: The beef industry will have to maintain and grow their exporting ability not only nationwide but worldwide. We need to control outsider corporations and foreign countries acquiring agricultural land. I believe it is important to keep land owned by private individuals who will continue to support small rural communities. We need more sustainable programs to manage predators like wolves and bears. I also believe we need government support by providing better programming for water systems throughout pastures and much better support on weather disasters. Another challenge is that we need to educate the consumer about purchasing US beef. Country of Origin Labeling needs to have clearer rules that insure the consumer knows exactly where their beef is coming from.