March 2016
TOP TOPSTORIES STORIES GMO labeling bill
Members attending the American Farm Bureau Issues Advisory Committee meetings in Washington. D.C. included (left to right) Tom DePuydt, Gary Heibertshausen, Bruce Wright, Charlene and Larry Switzer and Turk Stovall.
Committees meet in nation’s capital Members of Montana Farm Bureau traveled to Washington, D.C. for the American Farm Bureau Issues Advisory Committee Meetings and Agricultural Advocacy Conference. The meetings, held February 22-25, centered around topics of importance to farmers and ranchers. MFBF members were appointed to serve on five of the 15 committees. Turk Stovall, a rancher from Billings serving on the Animal Care Committee, talked about challenges of the initiative of turning buffalo out on rangeland. “I explained why this isn’t only a property rights problem, but a disease issue with the concern of brucellosis. If we start spreading bison across the state, there could be a real threat to livestock and public health.” Bruce Wright, a small agricultural business owner from Bozeman, serves on the Farm Policy Committee. “Our commit-
tee’s position is it would be harmful to readjust funding in the new farm bill when we are barely half way into implementing it. Trying to tamper with the farm bill after all the work that has gone into it is not good,” said Wright. Larry Switzer, a Richey cattle rancher, said the meeting of the Market Structures Committee primarily revisited a resolution they had developed at last year’s meetings on bonding requirements for livestock dealers and the current cost of cattle. “We had a speaker from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission talk to us about high frequency trading,” Switzer said. “Apparently high frequency trading means they can do 200 trades per second. The belief is we need to slow that down for commodities, as it’s not viable to use it for hedging and it’s just a paper trade that does nothing for commodity producers.” Continued on page 3.
To label or not to label? That is not only the question, but it’s a very important discussion currently taking place in the halls of Congress. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts’ bill that would preempt state GMO labeling mandates was approved by the bi-partisan Ag Committee and is now heading to the Senate for a vote. “Farm Bureau is concerned that without congressional action to make labeling uniform, consumers will be left with a confusing labeling scheme that will increase food costs and limit choice. “A 50-state patchwork of GMO labeling laws would mislead consumers, raise the price of groceries for American families and do nothing to advance food safety,” MFBF President Bob Hanson explained. “Access to current biotech traits help crops resist pests, disease and drought and allows farmers to grow more food using less inputs.” Over 90 percent of U.S. corn, cotton and soybeans are produced using biotechnology. If there are increasing requirements that biotech foods carry what amounts to a warning label, farmers will lose access to a beneficial technology that makes up $64 billion worth of corn, $38 billion worth of soybeans and nearly $8 billion worth of cotton. Montana Farm Bureau urges its members to contact Senator Jon Tester and let him know why a national voluntary labeling bill is important to pass. Senator Steve Daines recently issued a press announcement supporting the bill and biotechnology.
STATE NEWS Forest Service revisions
If you’re concerned about the future of our national forests and how they will be used and maintained, it’s important to be a part of the Forest Plan Revision process. Currently, the 3.1 million acre Custer Gallatin National Forest and the Lewis & Clark National Forest are in the first stages of the Forest Plan Revision. The Forest Plan, a comprehensive overarching document, provides guidance for forest management on the Custer Gallatin National Forest for years to come and will be the product of the four-year revision process. It’s especially important if you have grazing permits on National Forest Land to make sure your interests are heard. Although the first round of community meetings for the Custer Gallatin National Forest have taken place, it’s important to keep informed on the direction the revision plan is going. Go to the websites of the Custer Gallatin National Forest and the Lewis & Clark National Forest to subscribe to their newsletters/announcements.
Farm Bureau offers scholarships
The Montana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee is offering two $1,000 scholarships to deserving high school students judged on scholastic achievement and goals for college courses as well as community and school activities. Applications for the WLC Scholarships must be submitted to your county Farm Bureau president by April 1. Don’t have the county president’s contact information? It is on the application which can be found online at www.mfbf.org. The Montana Farm Bureau Foundation is offering two scholarships: The $1500 Bernard Greufe Honor Scholarship and the Collegiate Young Farmer and Rancher Scholarship. The Bernard Greufe Honor Scholarship must include a letter or statement from the applicant giving reasons for applying along with the applicant’s future plans plus two letters of recommendation and grade transcripts. Applicants for all of the above scholarships must be from a Farm Bureau member family to be eligible. The $1,000 Collegiate YF&R Scholarship is solely for students who are members of the Collegiate YF&R clubs at Montana State University or UM-Western. Applications must be in the office by April 15. Visit http://mfbf.org/member-services/scholarships/ for all scholarship details and deadlines.
MFBF Calendar MFBF Summer Conference Great Falls • June 7-9
People
Win a truck
Picture yourself driving along the road in your 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500 Z71 Crew Cab pickup that you won at the 2016 Montana Farm Bureau Convention in Billings. How? Just fill out an entry form and then be at the convention when your name is drawn! Voting Farm Bureau members and Century Club members are eligible for a bonus entry for every new member they recruit. The new member will receive one entry form, and if you upgrade to a higher Century Club membership, you also get an entry form. Twenty-five entries will be drawn prior to the MFBF annual meeting in November 2016. Those 25 will not only win free registration to the 2016 Annual Convention, but the winner of the Chevy Silverado will be drawn from those 25 entries at the awards banquet. For more information, including a list of participating Chevy dealers, visit http://mfbf.org.
Recruit a member. Win this Chevy Silverado crew cab.
DOL EDITORIAL The Montana Farm Bureau, along with several other agricultural organizations, submitted an editorial to papers regarding the past and current challenges faced by the Department of Livestock. The editorial explained, “Over the past 18 months, the Board of Livestock (BOL) has made several difficult decisions regarding personnel and spending. These decisions were not reached without a great deal of deliberation and we believe the BOL acted with the best interests of Montana’s livestock industry in mind.” The letter complimented the BOL for the recent new staff, adding, “We are encouraged by the department making positive changes that will ultimately allow the department to better fulfill their mission and provide services and support to the long-term viability of the livestock industry in Montana.”
Art and Eilein Nelson were interviewed in the Pride Plus Feature for Polaris. The Nelsons use their Polaris for everything from putting out salt to fencing. Farm Bureau members receive a $300 discount on selected Polaris vehicles. Phillips County Farm Bureau member Lesley Robinson has been selected as running mate by gubernatiorial candidate Greg Gianforte. Robinson was born and raised near Malta and has been ranching with her husband and his family since 1985.
In The News Bruce Wright, GMO labeling, ABC FOX Bob Hanson, GMO labeling, Senator Steve Daines press video Ronda Johnston, Ag Safety Awareness Week, ABC FOX
NATIONAL NEWS Grainger benefits
Farm Bureau and Grainger announce an updated agreement that allows Montana Farm Bureau members to enjoy more money-saving opportunities when they shop at Grainger. Farm Bureau members can save up to 30 percent on products purchased through Grainger, and they receive free standard ground shipping on all standard Grainger products, including orders placed in-store, by phone or online. Discounts cannot be applied to past purchases. Montana registration details can be found at www.fbadvantage.com/grainger.
TPP good for ag
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has released its findings about how the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will tear down trade barriers and help level the playing field for U.S. agricultural exports to 11 nations across the Pacific Rim. Ratifying TPP will boost annual net farm income in the United States by $4.4 billion, compared to not approving the pact, according to the AFBF. In Montana, the TPP agreement is expected to increase cash receipts and net exports by $86.9 million and $56.6 million per year respectively. It is estimated that the increased marketing opportunities for Montana’s farmers and ranchers will add more than 425 jobs to the Montana economy. “Eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers on Montana’s agricultural exports to TPP-partner countries will increase trade for a range of Montana agricultural products, including beef and processed food products,” noted MFBF President Bob Hanson. Export sales make an important contribution to Montana’s farm economy, which had total cash receipts of $4.6 billion in 2014. The full analysis is posted at: http:// www.fb.org/issues/tpp/pdf/TPP Full Report.pdf. The Montana fact sheet is available at http://mfbf.org/wp-content/ uploads/2016/02/Montana-TPP.pdf.
Harvest for All
The farm and ranch families of Farm Bureau raised more than $1.1 million and donated a record of more than 48 million pounds of food to assist hungry Americans as part of Farm Bureau’s “Harvest for All” program. Combined, the monetary and food donations reached a record level of the equivalent of more than 49 million meals. The Montana Farm Bureau YF&R Hoofin’ It For Hunger Race is part of the Harvest for All program, raising more than $30,000 for the Montana Food Bank Network.
Agricultural Data Coalition
The American Farm Bureau Federation and other agricultural groups have revealed a ground-breaking data repository that will give farmers ultimate control over the ever-increasing business data gathered and transmitted by high-tech farm machinery. The newly formed Agricultural Data Coalition will empower farmers to better control, manage and maximize the value of the data they collect every day in the fields. Learn more about data collection by visiting www.AgDataCoaltion.org.
Advisory committees, continued from page 1. Gary Heibertshausen, a sheep rancher from Alzada, serves on the Environmental Regulations Committee. “Our discussion centered on the Endangered Species Act. We discussed how to teach the non-agricultural public about endangered speGary Heibertshausen talks to Janelle Diluccia while cies and what that means to everyone.” Tom DePuydt, Federal Lands Committee, said his Tom DePuydt and Bruce Wright listen. group focused on the Antiquities Act and the new national monuments. “Sometimes it feels like we are fighting a winless battle,” DePuydt said. “Farmers and ranchers are less than two percent of the population and we have 12 states with federal lands. One of the concerns we voiced was that the local input of federal agencies is often ignored.” Telling your story was the main theme behind the Ag Advocacy Conference that took place following the committee meetings. “The conference reminded all of us in agriculture that we need to tell our story and that it is very important to be informed,” noted Stovall. “They reiterated the need to be more open about sharing our story with people who just don’t know about ag. We need to embrace social media.” The group attended the Montana Coffee on Capitol Hill where they visited with Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke. Later in the day, the group had individual meetings with Senator Daines and Representative Zinke, as well as with Janelle Diluccia of Senator Tester’s staff. See full story at www.mfbf.org.
AFBF photo contest deadline looming Submissions are still being accepted for the American Farm Bureau Federation and American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s 2016 Farm Bureau Photo Contest (http://www.fb.org/programs/photocontest/). The contest is open to all state and county Farm Bureau members and staff above 18 years of age at the time of entry, including professional photographers. Photo submissions will be used to accurately portray today’s agriculture and the safe practices of farmers and ranchers. Additionally, submissions will also be used for future publications, promotions and social media by AFBF and related companies. The contest is open for submissions until March 31, 2016. Photos may be entered in four categories: Farm Families, Farm Labor, Technology and Consumer Outreach. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the top three placing photos from each category. First place winners will be awarded $150, second place, $100 and third place, $75. Contest winners will be announced April 15, 2016, on Farm Bureau’s social media platforms and website.
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ISSN: 1555-788X The Montana Farm Bureau Federation News Brief is published monthly except for January, April, July and October by the Montana Farm Bureau Federation at 502 S. 19th Ave., Suite 104, Bozeman, MT 59718. Subscription rates are $4 per year, covered by annual dues to the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. Nonmember subscriptions are $25 per year. Mail at periodical postage rate in Bozeman, MT and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Montana Farm Bureau Federation News Brief, 502 S. 19th Ave., Suite 104, Bozeman, MT 59718. 406-587-3153.
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COUNTY NEWS County Farm Bureaus kept busy this winter with booths at trade shows, socials, safety trainings and board meetings. Yellowstone, Carbon-Stillwater, Gallatin and Sweet Grass County Farm Bureau members worked the booth at the Montana Agri-Trade Exposition (MATE) Show in Billings and members of the Dawson-Wibaux County Farm Bureau had a booth at the Glendive Agri-Trade Exhibiton (GATE) Show.
Phillips County held a Young Farmer and Rancher Social at the Lucky Bullet in Malta. Powder River/Carter County Farm Bureau held an Montana Ag Safety Workshop where they talked about ATV safety as well as family safety on the farm and ranch. The local fire department held a Fire Safe program. The county Farm Bureau hosted a meal for the participants
Beth Blevins, Kayla Bandel, Carol Signalness and Cindy Denning cooking at the Ronald McDonald House.
Counties cooking
Members of the Cascade and Northwest Counties Farm Bureaus Women’s Leadership Committees teamed up at the Ronald McDonald House in Missoula to cook meals and
promote agriculture.
Above: Yellowstone County Farm Burueau members Jim and Gretchen Schubert visit with the public at the MATE Show in Billings. Right: Dawson/Wibaux County president Gene Evans at the GATE Show in Glendive.
Above: Phillips County held a successful Young Farmer and Rancher Social in Malta.
“We did this event as part of the American Farm Bureau ‘Our Food Link’ progam that teaches people where their food comes from,” said Cindy Denning, Cascade County. “We made 22 casseroles along with four chicken pot pies and three cheese cakes for the families who stay at the house when their critically ill kids are in the hospital.”