September 27, 2017 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Public Lands Stewards Recognized by BLM at PLC Meeting

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced three 2017 Rangeland Stewardship Award recipients at the Public Lands Council (PLC) Annual Meeting in Flagstaff, Ariz. Recipients included Utah rancher, Bill Kennedy, the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, and The Stewardship Alliance of Northeastern Elko County.

“Public lands ranchers plan their operation around sustaining a healthy, diverse and productive rangeland,” said Dave Eliason, Utah rancher and president of the Public Lands Council. “They invest time, money and resources into the process and it’s exciting to see some of these phenomenal ranchers recognized for their efforts.”

Kennedy, the recipient of The Rangeland Stewardship Permittee Award, runs an operation on a combination of federal, private, and state land located southeast of Bear Lake, Utah. Kennedy was recognized for his leadership in livestock management and advocating for proper grazing on public lands.

The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association received The Rangeland Stewardship Collaborate Team Award. The 150-year-old organization has promoted multiple use and sustainable land management through producer-facing programs. The organization also was commended for establishing a productive setting for mediation services and supporting Sagebrush Steppe management objectives.

The Stewardship Alliance of Northeastern Elko County received The Sagebrush Steppe Collaborative Team Award for their work to conserve sagebrush ecosystems while supporting multiple use management. The group of landowners, public land users, and resource agency specialist developed an ecosystem conservation plan designed to protect Greater Sage-grouse and Sagebrush Steppe habitats.
Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council emphasized the importance of the stewardship awards.

“It has been a privilege for the Public Lands Council to host this award ceremony for the last several years,” said Lane. “Public land ranchers continually exemplify the best conservation and stewardship practices, and are highly deserving of the recognition.”

May 12, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Looking Ahead For Montana Sage Grouse Stewardship | Podcast

PodcastOn this week’s podcast, we’ll continue our conversation with Stockgrowers Executive Vice President, Errol Rice, to find out what happens in policy work after the legislative session ends in Helena. Plus, we’ll have a recap on sage grouse stewardship and what conservation of this bird’s habitat means for ranchers in the western states.

Learn more about Senate Bill 261, which establishes Montana’s sage grouse stewardship plans, that was signed by Governor Bullock last week.

Have questions or suggestions for future podcast topics? Connect with us via our Contact form.

April 25, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSGA Board Member Recognized as Montana Neighbor

 

Image via Glasgow Courier

Image via Glasgow Courier

Gov. Steve Bullock, center, presents one of the 2014 Montana Neighbor Awards to Lee and Madylon Cornwell of Glasgow during an April 16 ceremony at the state capitol in Helena. The awards go annually to Montana landowners who exemplify the tradition of good-neighborliness through community leadership, cooperation, top-quality land stewardship and allowing public recreational access. Winners are decided by a team from Artemis Common Ground, Montana FWP, the Montana Association of Land Trusts, The Nature Conservancy, the Montana Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a rancher and the governor’s office. — via The Glasgow Courier

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April 8, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Importance of Environmental Stewardship with Padlock Ranch’s Wayne Fahsholtz | Montana Rancher Q&A

Wayne Fahsholtz Padlock Ranch

Wayne Fahsholtz

Each year, the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Beef Council and the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Foundation, honors a Montana ranch that exemplifies environmental stewardship and demonstrates a commitment toward improved sustainability within their communities. This award recognizes Montana ranchers who are at the forefront in conservation and stewardship and are willing to serve as examples for other ranchers.

The Padlock Ranch, located in both Montana and Wyoming, has won both the respective state awards, and received the Regional ESAP recognition. Ranch manager Wayne Fahsholtz has worked with the ranch crew and family owners to implement outstanding stewardship practices and continues to strive daily to create an environmentally sustainable beef cattle operation. Wayne answered a few questions for us about winning the award and some advice for other ranchers:

Why do you think the Environmental Stewardship Program is important for Montana (and Wyoming)? 

The award is a way to communicate with others about good practices that are occurring on the land.  With rancher to rancher communication, we learn from each other and can improve or avoid costly mistakes.  With rancher to customer, it allows us to visit about what is happening and help dispel some of the myths about land management.  

In your opinion, what makes a Montana/Wyoming rancher a good steward of the land?

Good stewards know what condition their resource is in and have plans that will maintain or improve those resources.  

Can you give us a few examples of innovations and projects you are most proud of at the Padlock Ranch? 

The biggest impact was the implementation of a “planned time” rotational grazing system. This keeps livestock from being in pastures season long and it rotates the time of use for a pasture. It is fairly simple but has great results.  

Cattle on the Padlock RanchThe Padlock Ranch is a great example of how a beef cattle business and the western landscape can co-exist…how can other ranches follow this lead?  

One of the things that I have tried to do is to be transparent about how we operate.  Over 95% of our population is far removed from production agriculture.   We need to be creative in the ways we communicate and educate this population.  So, I would urge ranchers to share their stories and ranches with others around them that may not understand about agriculture.  

How did you feel when you learned that the Padlock Ranch was selected as both state and regional winner? 

It was a great honor and great to be able to share that with everyone involved with the ranch.  At the same time, it was humbling because I know what a good job my fellow ranchers do and to be singled out was an honor and hopefully I represented everyone well.  

Do you have any advice for ranches considering to apply for the award? 

Just do it! The application process can be intimidating but once you get started it flows fairly well. You can get help from stockgrowers staff and past winners.

Ranches wishing to apply for the award and recognition are asked to complete an application packet (available at mtbeef.org/mesap); due to the MSGA office by June 30. Nominations can be submitted by contacting the MSGA office. Ranches must be a member of the Montana Stockgrowers Association to qualify for the award. A committee, which will include representatives from Montana Stockgrowers, Montana Beef Council, past Environmental Stewardship Award winners, and others invested in Montana stewardship and conservation will evaluate the applications after all applications are completed.

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June 21, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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LaSalle Ranch of Havre named winner of 2013 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award

MSGA announced today that the LaSalle Ranch of Havre has been selected winner of the 2013-2014 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award, sponsored by MSGA’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation, funded by Montana Beef Producers with Checkoff Dollars. LaSalle Ranch is a cow/calf and yearling operation mostly located within the boundaries of the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation. The LaSalles are members of the Chippewa Cree Tribe and the first Native American winners of this award. (more…)

August 13, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Rancher Profile: Mannix Brothers Ranch

MSGA’s manager of communications Ariel Overstreet and multimedia intern Lauren Chase interviewed the multi-generational Mannix Family in Helmville, Montana. It takes most of the members of three-brother ranch to gather cattle, operate balers, manage irrigation, prepare meals, and all other ranch tasks. Even though there is always work to be done, David Mannix says that doing it as a family is priceless. This video is brought to you by MSGA’s Research, Education, and Endowment Foundation.
July 6, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Rancher Stewardship: Protecting Montana’s Prairie

In South Phillips County, near the hub of Malta, Montana, ranchers have called the prairie home for over 100 years. Here, ranchers have created a ranch and wildlife haven by working and living in harmony with nature. In this video, ranchers discuss the importance of raising their families here, developing innovative ranch management practices, working in cooperation with each other and building a lasting community to protect these prairielands. Biologists and conservationists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service also discuss the importance of ranchers in sustaining this diverse ecosystem and the wildlife species it supports. This video is brought to you by the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation.