2024 Board of Directors Election

Voting for District Candidates

Voting by district is now open!

MSGA has sent all active voting members their voter ID and password to vote for candidates online. You can find your district below to begin voting. District votes must be placed by Sunday, December 3, 2023 to vote for officer candidates and candidates in your district.

You may only vote once – if you plan to vote on statewide candidates, please vote an Annual Convention. 

Voting for Statewide Candidates

Voting for statewide candidates can only be done if a voting member submits their ballot during Annual Convention.

Voting times:

Wednesday, Dec 6: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Thursday, Dec 7: 7:30 am – 5:00 pm

Friday, Dec 8: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm

Voting Location:

3rd floor of the DoubleTree Hotel at registration

If you have already voted in your district election for 2024, you will not be able to vote in the statewide election at Annual Convention.

Winners will be announced at the Grand Finale Banquet on Friday, December 8, 2023. 

If you have not received your email, please check your spam folder.
Questions? Please contact the MSGA office at 406-442-3420 or [email protected]

2023 Board of Directors Elections

Nominating Committee’s Recommendations:

Officers
President: John Grande, Martinsdale
1st Vice President: Lesley Robinson, Dodson
2nd Vice President: Turk Stovall, Billings

Directors Up for 2nd Term Re-election
North Central District – Rich Roth, Big Sandy
Northeastern District – Keith Dynneson, Sidney
Western District – John Hagenbarth, Dillon

Directors Up for 1st Term Election
North Central District – Dean Lerum, Galata
South Central District – Kirk Donsbach, Roy
Southeastern District – Ty Jones, Miles City

Candidate Bios

Kirk Donsbach – Running for South Central District Director

City: Roy

Family: 

  • Children: Blake and Bodie

Beef Industry Business Involvement: Commercial Cow/Calf, Stocker/Backgrounder, Feeder, Market/Dealer/Order Buyer

Ranch Business Involvement: I own/operate a cow/calf operation in Central Montana, and occasionally keep the light calves to run as stockers.  The operation consists of one full time employee, myself, and one seasonal employee (Bodie).    I am responsible for all the decisions regarding the ranch, with my mother as a silent co/owner.  The ranch consists of irrigated deeded acres, private acres, state lands, and BLM,  A large percentage of the Federal lands are  within a Montana State Grazing District.

Industry Involvement:

Local:

  • Vice President Fergus County Livestock Association
  • Vice President Indian Butte Montana State Grazing District

State:

  • Past Chairman Endangered Species Committee MSGA
  • Chairman Marketing Committee MSGA

National:  Member Cattle Contracts Library Working Group NCBA

In your opinion what are the major challenges the beef industry will face in the next ten years?

The biggest challenge the beef industry may face over the next 10 years could very well be high interest rates that threaten economic viability and expose our vulnerability to all the other “political motivated” challenges facing every one of us.  Since there is nothing any one of us can do about interest rates, I will move on to the mariad of other threats facing the industry.

Packer Leverage and fair markets was the largest threat to the industry last year.  Supply and demand forces have largely neutralized this threat for the time being.  However, while the production side of the industry is experiencing a beneficial shift in leverage to our side, the packing side of the industry is still dominated by 4 major packers.  I am not sure what the answer is, but we must strive to avoid the scenario we found ourselves in after 2014, while insuring that the “medicine” isn’t worse than the cure.

Disease control and management, specifically Brucellosis
Endangered Species management, specifically Grizzly Bears and Wolves
Protecting public lands grazing
Protecting the “story” of beef and those who grow it
Resisting Government growth/overreach specifically in regards to the EPA and IRS

Dean Lerum – Running for North Central District Director

City: Galata

Family: 

  • Spouse: Carrie
  • Children: Caitlin and Lane

Beef Industry Business Involvement: Commercial Cow/Calf

Ranch Business 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.

Industry Involvement: 

Local: 

  • President of Marias River Livestock Association for 2 years.
  • President of the Marias Fair 4-H Livestock Committee from 2012-2020.
  • Promoted agriculture on KSEN

State: Worked with Colter Brown (Northern Ag Network) promoting ag events, MT Range Days, and sharing industry information.

National:  Was interview by Dana Perino on Fox News about the trucking shortage due to Covid restrictions crossing the Canadian border.

Other Leadership Positions:

Local

  • 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)

In your opinion what are the major challenges the beef industry will face in the next ten years?

The beef industry will have to maintain and grow their exporting ability not only nationwide but worldwide.  We need to control outsider cororations and foreign countries acquiring agricultural land. I believe it is importanat 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.

Ty Jones – Running for Southeastern District Director

City: Miles City

Beef Industry Business Involvement: Commercial Cow/Calf

Ranch Business Involvement: My family runs a cow/calf operation that includes some small grain production southwest of Miles City. The cow herd is Black Angus and runs on a combination of owned and leased ground. I have been involved since graduating from MSU in 1997. GO CATS! Additionally I custom AI cattle as well as work for Agribest Feeds as a regional manager.

Industry Involvement: 

Local:

  • President, Southeastern Livestock Assn. 2017-2019
  • Ft Keogh Focus group member 2017-present

State: Board member, Montana Ag Experiment Station Advisory Council 2020-present

Other Leadership Positions:

Local:

  • President, Miles City Club 2019-2021
  • Board Member, Custer Co Conservation District 2012-present
  • Vice President, Miles City FFA Alumni 2020-present
  • Vice President, Miles City High School Booster Club

State: Board Member, MT FFA Foundation 2000-2004

In your opinion what are the major challenges the beef industry will face in the next ten years?

Economic sustainability of family operations

Pressure from environmental extremists

Political headwinds to profitability