MONTANA Farm Bureau
News Brief
TOP STORIES
Scholarships available for students
The Montana Farm Bureau Federation and Montana Farm Bureau Foundation offer several scholarships in 2026 for secondary education. This year, funding has increased for the Future of Agriculture Honor Scholarship to $2,000 and the Collegiate YF&R Scholarship for $1,500.
The Women’s Leadership Committee Scholarship has added trade schools and other forms of secondary education to their scholarship.
Another available scholarship is the $1,500 Bernard Greufe Honor Scholarship which is available for students seeking higher education.
If you’re interested in furthering your education, don’t miss these scholarship opportunities! All scholarships are due by April 1, 2026.
For more information and to apply visit https://mfbf.org/Foundation/ Foundation-Scholarships
International Year of the Woman Farmer
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 as International Year of the Woman Farmer. The observance will highlight the contributions of rural women iin ensuring the economic survival of their families, communities and the nation. Stay tuned.
March 2026
National committee meetings address ag issues
Montana Farm Bureau members traveled to Washington, D.C., February 10–12, 2026, to participate in the American Farm Bureau Issues Advisory Committee meetings. These selected members are appointed to specific committees to discuss pressing agricultural concerns and surface ideas for policy development in emerging issues areas. Led by MFBF Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Nicole Rolf, the trio participated in advisory sessions, conducted congressional visits with Montana’s delega tion, and met with agency officials.
Jess Bandel, a wheat farmer from Flow eree who serves on the Market Structures Committee, said his group covered one of the few current bright spots in agricultural markets—cattle—alongside the future of the Farm Bill and potential remedies for the H-2A agriculture worker program. However, concerns were expressed about
tariffs, falling commodity prices and the need for fertilizer price modifications.
Greg Gabel, a sugar beet farmer from Huntley, serves on the Technology Committee, which focuses on the inter section of emerging innovations. The discussion explored how the agricultural industry will utilize artificial intelligence and robotics to address future labor shortages.
Rich Franko, a Prairie County ranch er, stated that a major discussion point during his Federal Lands Committee meeting focused on the vacant allot ment issue affecting Western states and the positive effect filling those permits will have on cattle ranching.
Discussions at Congressional offices covered simliar topics.
For the full story visit https://mfbf. org/Media/News
MFBF members in town for the American Farm Bureau Issues Advistory Committee meetings also visited Congressional staff. Pictured are (left to right): Jess Bandel, Greg Gabel, Spencer Talley with Rep. Downing’s office, Nicole Rolf and Ellen and Rich Franko.
STATE NEWS
Student teachers receive grants
The Montana Farm Bureau recognized six student teachers studying agricultural education at Montana State University who plan to teach in Montana. MFBF Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck presented each of the student teachers with a $1,000 scholarship. The scholarships are to offset the costs of student teaching while the student teachers live in another town.
National Ag Week
National Agriculture Week runs March 15-21, 2026. This is a great time to celebrate what you do and educate consumers and your local community about how you care for animals and the land.
Campaign School
The MFBF Campaign Training Seminar February 26 27, 2026, at the Montana Farm Bureau Center in Bozeman, taught candidates all of the finer points in winning a campaign, from fundraising to working with the media.
Ten candidates and/or those interested in running for office in the future joined American Farm Bureau’s Mike Sistak to develop suc cessful strategies. Since AFBF started the event more than four decades ago, they have had an 82 percent suc cess rate with the campaign school. The group studied finding a man ager and selecting volunteers for your team, designing effective direct mail, using social media and much more.
DUAL Conference brings together committees
The Montana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee and the Promotion & Engagement Commit tee participated in the organization’s Developing Unity Through Agricultural Leadership (DUAL) Conference February 15-16 in Billings. The purpose was to provide hands-on learning opportunities. The event kicked off with pottery making on Sunday, workshops on Monday and a tour of the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Montana.
The agenda included training on leadership, estate planning, digital communications, and active listening. Each committee then met separately to discuss their program of work.
WLC Chair Heidi Brewer said, “The first DUAL training conference was a great suc cess, enabling both the Women’s Leadership Committee and Promotion & Engage ment Committee to collaborate and strengthen the impact both committees have in advocating for agriculture.”
P&E Committee Chair Kris Descheemaeker added, “As usual, the MFBF staff did a fantastic job in putting the DUAL Conference together. The Promotion and Engage ment Committee brainstormed some great ideas for the coming year. I look forward to helping carry them out during our sum mer conference in June and our at our annu al convention in November.”
The WLC Committee meet with Sarah Brockel, executive director of the Billings Ronald McDonald House. The commit tee toured the Billings house and learned additional ways Farm Bureau members can support Ronald McDonald houses. The WLC provided the Billings Ronald McDonald house with a $500 cash donation.
Calendar
MFBF Board Meeting
March 9-10, 2026
Bozeman, MT
AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference
March 13-16, 2026
Portland, OR
MFBF Summer Conference
June 15-17, 2026
Kalispell, MT
MFBF Annual Convention & Trade Show
November 14-17, 2026
Billings, MT
People in the News
MFBF Vice President Casey Mott was interviewed by Taylor Brown on KGHL during the MATE in Billings.
The MFBF podcast recently featured Bronya Willmore: Her journey with agriculture and Farm Bureau, stepping into new YF&R State Chair role and Ryan Peterson (Market Development Specialist for WinField United) with an introduction to biological products in agriculture and how to get them implemented on your operation.
Don’t miss a single MFBF Field Notes Podcast. The weekly program, hosted by MFBF’s Digital Communications Lead Haley Droogsma, brings you all of the pertinent Montana agriculture news, innovations and personalities. Listen in your car, your tractor or your home on Spotify, Amazon and YouTube.
The DUAL Conference kicked off with a group event making pottery at the Ohana Ceramic Studio in Billings.
The MFBF Women’s Leadership Committee donates $500 to the Ronald McDonald House.
On January 31 Wheatland/Golden Valley County presented a $10 gift certificate to each Ag in Color winner, who all hailed from Lavina. Each winner’s classroom will receive $50 toward an ag education activity, art sup plies or other learning materials.
Ravalli County and Northwest Counties both hosted a “Calving Countdown” seminar Janu ary 31 in Stevensville and February 1 in Kalis pell, respectively. Both presentations featured Dr. Katie Rein of Crazy Mountain Veterinary Service and her fiberglass cow, Stella. In addi tion, Ravalli County featured presentations on calving nutrition and livestock risk protection insurance from Isabell Gilleard of Montana Feed Company/Missoula and Ben Meyer of Diamond D Ranch Insurance. Northwest Counties calving seminar included Dr. Sadie Hutter with Double S Veterinary Service who spoke on vaccine and antibiotic use and held a necropsy demonstration.
Cascade County met February 2 to set their annual budget and program of work.
Southwest Counties and the University of Montana Western Young Farmers & Ranchers hosted a 2026 kickoff prime rib dinner February 4 in Dillon. More than $4,000 was raised for their Collegiate Young Farmers & Ranchers.
Yellowstone County had a booth at the MATE Show in Billings February 12-14.
Rosebud/Treasure County held a spring meeting February 17 in Hysham where they
COUNTY NEWS
discussed future programs. They were joined by Montana Agricultural Safety Director Dana Jansen who provided a condensed ag safety training.
Richland and Sweet Grass Counties each had a Program of Work Meeting on February 19.
Broadwater County participated in the annual Conservation/FFA Banquet Feb ruary 21. The county donated a wagon filled with various gardening tools including a flowerpot, garden gloves, flower seed packets, trowel, spade and kneeling mat.
Powder River/Carter County had a board meeting February 23. They did program of working planning and discussed an upcoming membership recruitment event.
Dawson-Wibaux had a board meeting February 25.
Park County hosted Dr. Rein February 26 at the Park County Fairgrounds in Livingston.
The Montana State University Collegiate Farmers & Ranchers held a Valentine’s Dance February 13 where they raised $6,020 at a silent auction and everyone had a fabulous time dancing.
Montana Agricultural Safety Director Dana Jansen visits with members of Rosebud/ Treasure County Farm Bureau during their spring meeting.
Northwest
Counties members watch a necropsy demonstration during the calving seminar.
Yellowstone County President Jodie Drange (back) and MFBF’s Rikki Swant talk membership with Mason Bender at the MATE.
Jeremiah Jansen, Wheatland/Golden Valley County Farm Bureau, awards Ag in Color winners in Lavina.
Southwest Counties and UM Western Young Farmers & Ranchers at their 2026 Kickoff Party.
A Ravalli County member learns how to pull a calf during their calving seminar.
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NATIONAL NEWS
MFBF hosts Interior Secretary, Congressman
The Montana Farm Bureau hosted the Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke in a roundtable discussion February 27, 2026, at the Farm Bureau Center in Bozeman. MFBF President Cyndi Johnson and Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Nicole Rolf were joined by other interested stakeholder group representatives.
Burgum reiterated his willingness to listen to the groups about what their concerns are and acknowledged that Montana is well represented in Washington, D.C.
Johnson thanked the secretary for his work regarding grazing leases and how Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands by law were designated to raise livestock.
Farm Bureau expressed enthusiasm for the Department of the Interior and Depart ment of Agriculture’s joint venture to identify and fill vacant grazing allotments to help grow the food supply while also providing conservation benefits such as forage manage ment, soil health improvement, and wildfire prevention.
Zinke, who served as Secretary of the Interior from 2017-2019, said that he’s, “Glad to have someone in Interior who cares as much about the outdoors as we do. It’s nice to have someone who understands the issues of manage ment and what we face.”
Other issues that were surfaced included pro tecting rivers, managing wilderness study areas, and forest management.
“It was amazing to host the Secretary of the Interior and express our appreciation for his work in Montana on behalf of agriculture and public lands,” said Johnson. “Secretary Burgum’s roots are in agriculture, so he has a better grasp of the issues coming from that perspective.”
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Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum with MFBF President Cyndi Johnson, left, and MFBF Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Nicole Rolf.