Montana StockgrowerS Update

May 2016

MidYear All the highlights and details | 8

Water Rights Do you need to file on your rights? | 7

Grizzly Delisting Update on the proposed delisting | 2

Submitted by Karoline Rose

STOCKGROWERSUpdate

Submitted by Karoline Rose

Errol Rice Executive Vice President

MSGA has been taking on some big challenges and looking to seize op-portunities in 2016. The MSGA

Board of Directors has been working hard to chart a path forward for 2016 and beyond. They underwent an extensive planning session in January that included evaluation of key industry trends, assumptions and an organi-zational strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis. The outcome produced a series of measurable short, medium and long-term goals for the organization.

Driving the strategic plan’s objectives are to improve stakeholder value, enhance the business climate for ranching and increasing organizational effectiveness. The importance of strategic planning for any organization or business is to stay focused on decided upon outcomes and making incremental improvements. I am very proud of the work

that the board has been undertaking and staff are working collaboratively with the board on many of the key initiatives and goals set forth.

Leadership development is a key priority and MSGA has been busy with its inaugural young stockgrowers leadership series. The twelve month program is designed to identify young leaders within Montana’s ranching sector and engage them to build a long-term professional relationship with MSGA.

This series was made possible through the direct philanthropic investment of MSGA’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation along with other important MSGA sponsors. Leadership programs such as this and the Affiliate Mentorship Program are key to establishing long-term sustainability of MSGA’s mission, vision and values.

We are nearing Montana’s primary election and our political action committee (MAPA

Marias River LivestockPresident Curry and Jay Bodner attended a meeting with the Marias River Livestock Board to discuss issues related to recent bison importations on the Blackfeet Reservation, grizzly

bear conflicts and delisting opportunities and updates on the Department of Livestock.

MSU Ranch Mgmt. MSGA Executive Vice Pres-

dient Errol Rice attended the Ranch Management Commit-

tee meeting at Montana State University on May 9th. This committee is working to devel-op a ranch management degree program at MSU.

One Montana Discussion regarding the tran-

sition of traditional landowners to new landowners and ways to improve communications be-tween the groups and develop improved working relationships.

Continued on next page

MidYear All the highlights and details | 8

Water Rights Do you need to file on your rights? | 7

Grizzly Delisting Update on the proposed delisting | 2

From the Office of the EVP

MSGA at WorkContinued on next page

2 STOCKGROWERSUpdateMay 2016

EVP continued from page 1

At Work continued from page 1

Meetings Attended• DEQ Water Quality• Home Ground Radio - Radio interview

with Brian Kahn regarding the passage of the Sage Grouse Stewardship Act

• EQC - Testified in opposition to YNP Bison Quarantine preferred alternative

• Met with members of the Custer/Gallatin Forest Service Working Group

• Board of Livestock • Met with the Attorney General• Met with the staff of Senator Daines

and Senator Tester

PAC) had a very successful fundraising cycle. The PAC will be investing nearly $10,000 to support candidates who are aligned with our point of view on land use, tax, natural resource and agriculture policy. Also, look for our 2015 legislative report card on the members only section of www.mtbeef.org. This gives our members the chance to make a better informed decision about candidates who support our industry’s priorities.

Finally, as the first half of 2016 has brought on economic and political complexity and volatility in our market MSGA stands ready to continuously assess threats and opportunity in our environment. Including regulatory, legislative and economic. Thank you for your investment in MSGA and on behalf of the board of directors and staff we look forward to a great 2016!

MSGA and the Montana Public Lands Council submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in support of removing grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from the federal list of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife.

The comment period closed on May 10th and the Service anticipates making a final decision on whether to publish a final delisting rule for the Yellowstone grizzly bear population later in 2016.

MSGA and PLC’s comments focused on retaining the original 500 population criteria, allowing the state to make the necessary bear removal decisions and acknowledgement that federal dollars are needed to help defer the costs of grizzly bear management for the states. Our comments also centered on the fact that only “14 percent of all human-caused grizzly bear mortalities in the GYE between 2002 and 2014 were due to management removal actions associated with livestock.” These facts were utilized in our opposition to any closure of livestock grazing allotments within the delisting area. MSGA and PLC’s comments will be available on the MSGA website for review.

Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Delisting

In December 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed to update its brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis (TB) program regulations. The changes outlined in the proposed rule were developed over several

years to address the many changes the industries have undergone since the existing programs were developed years ago.

Under the proposed rule, states would no longer be categorized by the disease prevalence in their state, and APHIS would no longer rely solely on whole-herd depopulation. Other proposed changes include, states and tribes would be categorized by whether they have an an-imal health plan, whether APHIS has approved this plan, and whether they are following the activities outlined in their plan. MSGA collaborated with both the Department of Livestock and NCBA to draft comments on the proposed rule.

MSGA is supportive of reviewing the current rules, but opposes USDA-APHIS finalizing the proposed rule until the identified problems, concerns, and program shortfalls can be adequately addressed. Our comments recommended the following items: prioritizing the long-term eradication goal for these two diseases, regulation changes are necessary for both the TB and brucellosis programs, but combining these revisions under one rule is unnecessarily complex and the need to increase the direct involvement of the state animal health officials to lead epidemiological investigations in our state.

The comment period for the proposed rule closed on May 16th. MSGA comments will be posted on the website to review.

MSGA submits comments to APHIS

MSGA testifies at Legislative meeting

On May 4-5 the Environmental Quality Council (EQC) met in Helena for their reg-ularly scheduled meeting. The EQC has agency oversite responsibility for DNRC, DEQ and FWP. The EQC discussed a variety of wildlife topics, including sage grouse

management, wolf population report, grizzly bear delisting and bison management. It was the final two topics that MSGA testified to Council and provided comments.

On the grizzly bear delisting, MSGA testified in support of delisting and recommend the EQC submit formal comments also in support. The EQC voted 11 to 5 to support the re-moval of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife as well as the delisting of the grizzly bear for the entire state of Montana. MSGA also testified on the Yellowstone National Park Quarantine Bison EA to the Council. MSGA highlighted the inadequate testing protocol that was included in the EA and that brucellosis positive bison could be shipped across the state. MSGA also shared our entire comments on the EA with the EQC.

Auctioneer, broadcaster, county commis-sioner, football referee, livestock fieldman, Marine and Senator, Conrad Burns was a man of many talents and a great advocate for Mon-tana Agriculture.

May 2016 STOCKGROWERSUpdate 3

President Amanda Williams at the Farm Fair.

Fred Wacker MSGA 2nd Vice President

Hello to all. The moisture across Montana finally got started, and is very welcome. As I write this

the weather report is looking good.The Live Cattle Market has had a long stretch of low prices on the Future Board. Some of the problems the mar-

ket faces are that imports are up, exports are down, carcass weights are up and the U.S. Dollar is strong against other currencies. This could mean feeder cattle prices could move some lower going forward. I guess we will know when video sales with calves and yearlings start in June.

Montana Stockgrowers is proud to be Montana’s largest agricultural group made up of ranch members. The more ranching and agriculture members that Montana Stockgrowers Association has, gives us more

clout on important issues and with politicians. So therefor, talk to your friends and neighbors about the benefits of becoming a new member of Montana Stockgrowers. We have a dues structure for the small member up to the large member, including dues for people that are affiliates and work with agriculture.

The elections coming up have lots of choices for us to make and I ask you to get involved and support folks that will support ranching. Montana Stockgrowers will be very involved watching the Legislative process for things that affect ranching. I urge you to contribute to Montana Stockgrowers Association Legislative Advocacy Fund. All of the money raised for the fund are used to promote ranch friendly legislation and defend against harmful legislation.

Here is wishing you well from our outfit to yours. I look forward to seeing all of you in Great Falls, in June, for our Mid-year Meeting as it is sure to be a great event.

Looking forward

Darcy Anderson, MSU CSG Historian

As we ended the spring semester, stu-dents were happy to go home and head out to their summer jobs and

internships. Before we ended the semester we cleaned up our section of highway on the Norris Highway. We had a good turnout of members to help. We also did a fun night of bowling and pizza for members before getting into the craziness of finals week.

May 10th -12th a few members, Amanda Williams, Taylre Sitz, Darcy Anderson, and

Ashton Hubbard, helped with Gallatin Valley Farm Fair. All of the 4th graders in Gallatin Valley come to the Farm Fair and ro-tate around to different stations that teaches them about a different aspect of agriculture. It’s a great learning tool for students, teachers, and parents. A great way to teach children about ag-ricultural and how it affects them in their everyday lives. Our four members taught the beef cattle rotation.

We have several students that will be headed to the mid-year meeting to represent the MSU Collegiate Stock-

growers, we are excited to do some networking get more involved on the State level.

MSU Collegiate Stockgrowers wrap up semester

The Montana Association of State Grazing Districts will hold their annual meeting on June 15th at Lucky Bullet in Malta,

MT. The meeting will start with a joint board of director meeting with the MASGD and the PLC, followed by a grazing district secre-tary appreciation lunch. The general business meeting will run from 1:00 – 5:00 pm in the afternoon. The agenda will include a variety of topics from FWP Commission updates to BLM updates. The meeting will also include the election of a new Vice President for the Association. For further information, contact Jay at the MSGA office.

MASGD Meeting Dates to RememberJune1 - Environmental Stewardship Application Due1 - Cattle Directory Listings Due9-11 - Mid Year Meeting; Great Falls15 - MASGD Annual Meeting; Malta15 - Cattle Directory Advertising Deadline18 - Sip ‘n Sizzle; Billings 20-22 - Montana Range Days

July11-12 ESAP Ranch Tour13-16 NCBA Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting

4 STOCKGROWERSUpdateMay 2016

Tyrel Obrecht Young Stockgrowers Vice-Chair

Greetings from Central MT, I hope May finds each of you and your families well. In my

travels earlier in 2016, I found most of the state to be in dire need of some precipitation. Recent moisture has sure

turned things around, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The last month I have surely seen the country turn green, and there’s not much better than cows on green grass!

As some of you may know, my first year involved with Young Stockgrowers is also the inaugural year of the Leadership Series, and it has been a great experience so far. Since the series’ inception, I have been able to meet and interact with 14 young producers from all over Montana. Members have been working with Leadership Coach, Sarah Bohnenkamp, to develop leadership strategies specific to their own personalities and goals. They have also been encouraged to share stories from their Ag operations on social media, enabling them to promote agriculture in a positive way to American consumers. Recently, the members completed the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) Program.

In May they’re continuing to work with our Leadership Coach, Sarah Bohnenkamp, on time management and setting priorities.

I am very impressed with what this class has accomplished and would encourage everyone to go to the blog (mtbeef.org/news) or check their emails each Monday as our Leadership Series class shares their perspectives on leadership in ranching. I can assure you with this class, the future of Montana Stockgrowers is in great hands, and would like to invite everyone to the REEF Welcome Reception at Mid Year Convention in Great Falls on June 8th where the class will be introduced.

I would like to close by thanking the MSGA Staff, REEF, and Ryan Goodman for putting on the Leadership Series with Young Stockgrow-ers. Without all of your hard work, none of this would be possible. Furthermore, a special thank you goes to Montana Agricultural Business Association and Montana Grain Elevator Association for making a contribution this past month to financially support the future of the Montana Stockgrowers Leadership Series. If you would like to donate to this leadership program for young Montana ranchers, visit the Montana Stockgrowers Association website and note “Stockgrowers Leadership Series” in the comments of the donation form.”

Thanks for your continued support of this great program and I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at Mid-Year in Great Falls!

Young Stockgrowers

Jess Drange Southeast District

Here we are again the middle of May wondering where the year has gone. I guess time does fly

when you are having fun and doing what you enjoy.

Brandings have begun, calving is wrapping up, yearlings are turned loose,

and another season begins. After a warm open winter and a warm dry spring (which was great for calving), it was looking like southeastern Montana was in for a long, dry summer. However, the rain has been falling lately and things are looking great now. Stock dams and reser-voirs could use a good charge but the grass is really coming. We can all hope that it continues but we all know Mother Nature can not be controlled or persuaded and will do whatever she wants when she wants to do it!

As I visit with people this spring, optimism seems to be slowly dis-appearing. The markets keep dropping and feeders are loosing money. We have come off the record highs from the last few years and seem to be looking for a new low. There is a lot of blame and finger pointing out there but I believe it is just part of the cycle. We all knew that the highs could not last and this was coming, it’s just part of the cycle. We adjust, we overcome, continue on and things will work themselves out. There are other industries out there in worse shape. Oil is in the

dumps, coal is in trouble, as well as all the supporting businesses that go with them. Communities that have relied on these industries are very worried about what the future holds. I think now more than ever is when the ag industry needs to support them and show why we are the number 1 industry in the state. Support your local communities in any way you can. I am not a politician, but I will ask you to vote accordingly!

One topic that has come up the past few director meetings is the need to tell our story outside the industry circle. We need to create alliances with non ag groups and affiliations that share our same be-liefs in conservation and our down to earth way of life. A big share of the hurdles that we face in agriculture are put there because someone does not know the difference. We are now getting to a point where the general public (our customers) are 3-5 generations removed from production agriculture. They don’t know who we are, what we do or why we do it. We need to change this and start bridging that gap. We need to reach out with education, stories, newspaper articles, televi-sion and radio spots. We need to make ourselves visible to the public and re-establish the lost connection. If anyone has any creative ideas let any of the directors or the office know. We cannot wait another generation, the time is now.

As we move into summer don’t forget mid-year is in Great Falls June 9-11. We have another great event lined up and you won’t want to miss it. I hope to see everyone there. If not, I will see you in De-cember at annual convention. Feel free to contact me anytime and have a great summer!

MSGA Board of Directors

May 2016 STOCKGROWERSUpdate 5

Lynda Grande Myers MT Cattlewomen President

Montana CattleWomen are off and running. The Region V CattleWomen

conference in Richland, WA was held April 28 - 30. Suze Bohleen and I were in attendance and I was privileged to report on the great programs that we are currently working on.

Our Montana CattleWomen website (montanacattlewomen.org) has been completely redone by Communications Chair Lindsey Habets of Conrad. Check it out to find information on most projects including our updated Crock of Beef program. This program helps us reach out to young mothers, latch key students and others to demonstrate ways to keep beef an affordable and healthy part of their diet. Funding applications and reporting forms are also available online as well as links to recipes, beef education information and upcoming events including our Mid-Year convention in June and the Ranch Run. Our newsletter has also been updated thanks to editor Kelsi Gambill. It includes a variety of articles on our activities as well as a guest editorial by Carolyn Fraser.

Our Mid-Year Convention will be in Bozeman on June 17-18 at the C’Mon

Inn. Information and registration can found on our website for the first time. In addition to our general membership meeting, we have a great slate of speakers lined up including Nina Baucus from the state Board of Livestock, speakers from

Fish, Wildlife and Parks who will discuss predator issues and Hertha Lund from Lund Law on water issues of current interest. Please join us on Saturday if you would like to be part of the discussion. Everyone is welcome.

The Taste of Home show provided an opportunity for Cooking Promotions chair Sarah Swenson and the Yellowstone CattleWomen to showcase beef. They provided more than 750 Beef and Cream Cheese Bagelwiches to attendees and as one of only three booths handing out food samples, they were very popular. This show has proven to be a great way to reach out directly to our consumers.

We are in the planning phase of our Ranch Run which will again be in Lennep,

Montana on September 17. This is a 5 person relay trail run and a great educational and promotional tool. The running community consumes a lot of protein and we are able to promote both the benefits of beef as a complete protein source and the environmental sustainability of the ranching lifestyle. Put together a team and join in the fun. All ages and genders are welcome. Registration is found at www.406running.com and there is a discount for early registration, If you would like to help to sponsor the run with either a donation or by sending “swag” to help fill the bags that we will send home with each runner promoting beef, please contact Kari Marks at ckmarks@mtintouch.net .

As the weather warms up, look for your local CattleWomen throughout the summer. You will find us at fairs, ranch rodeos, music festivals and other events promoting BEEF. See you there!

Montana CattleWomen on the move

6 STOCKGROWERSUpdateMay 2016

Neil Barnosky, President

Here in southwestern Montana we have had a fairly mild last half of the winter and a very pleasant spring. We still end-

ed up with decent snow pack in the mountains in most areas and are, as usual, hoping for those good rains to take us into summer.

In November we had our annual meeting and dinner at the Elks hall in Dillon. Dr. Liska from the Montana Department of Livestock came and gave us an update about the Desig-nated Surveillance Area and brucellosis testing. In 2015 there were 400 producers in the DSA. The DSA has increased in area to reflect the positive testing elk and their movement. There were approximately 80,000 cattle tests per-formed in 2015. Dr. Liska is recommending adult vaccination but it must be performed when the cows are not pregnant. Along these same lines is the concern about the plan to allow bison to roam outside Yellowstone Na-tional Park year round. This can only increase the risk of brucellosis exposure. Hopefully our governor will back off from this plan.

A continuing issue of great importance in this area is a lawsuit filed by a Bozeman-based

sportsman’s group to stop the grazing of sheep on seven U.S. Forest Service allotments on the Gravelly Range Mountains. An injunction to stop grazing for the 2015 season was reject-ed by U.S. District Judge Brian Morris. The lawsuit originated with the idea that grazing of sheep on these allotments is a threat to grizzly bears, bighorn sheep and the quiet enjoyment of recreating in the area. It seems the main focus of the lawsuit has settled to the feeling that the bighorn sheep that were reintroduced into the area starting in 2003 are at risk because the sheep that have grazed the area for over 100 years are too close and pose a disease risk. The suit continues its course through the courts with the next hearing set for May 26. SWMSA has joined with Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Public Lands Council, Montana Association of State Grazing Districts and Public Lands Council in filing an amicus brief in support of sheep grazing on these allotments. We see this not so much as just a threat to sheep grazing but a threat to all grazing on public land.

This lawsuit has been extremely expensive for the permittees that are involved. A legal defense fund to support the ranchers involved in this lawsuit was started with a local bank

putting up a $10,000 matching amount. So far $38,000 has been raised, with approximately $26,000 being paid out. Anyone wishing to help out can send contributions to: South-western Montana Stockmans Association Legal Fund, The Bank of Commerce, PO Box 1257, Dillon, Montana 59725.

It is easy to get focused on the dollar amount that a threat like this takes on a family business. An even greater toll is the stress and uncer-tainty that the ranchers and their family are placed under when their business and way of life is challenged by an uncaring group. We are trying to be supportive in this part of the threat also.

Though there continues to be ongoing threats to our businesses and the way of life we are so fortunate to be able to live, I feel the livestock industry is the greatest industry in our country. We produce a healthful, nu-tritious food using renewable resources that can only be harvested with the animals we care for and enjoy. That we get to do this in the most beautiful state in the nation is hard to comprehend. I hope this finds you well.

Southwestern Montana Stockman’s Association

Tim Todd South Central District

As I sit down to write what will probably be my

last director update, it is the second week of May and we woke up to a snow covered landscape. Gotta love Montana weather. Our country here in the south-central part of the state hasn’t gotten the moisture that some of you have but it is nice to see the parts of the state that have been dry the last couple of years finally getting some good moisture.

Agriculture lost a strong advocate with the passing of Conrad Burns last month. I first met Conrad when he worked the ring at one of our first bull sales. At that time he was just starting what we all know of as The Northern Ag Network. During Conrad’s first term as Montana’s Representative in the US Senate, I was on the Wheatland County Stockgrowers

board and Conrad was the speaker at our annual banquet; it was one of the best turnouts. What a great voice he was for agriculture, he will be missed.

Most of you have finished up calv-ing and have branded or are making plans to. It will be nice to see the cows go out to grass and put the feed trucks up for the year. We are

about half way through AI-ing and looking forward to finishing up that project. Being in the registered business there are 2 things that I’ve learned not to talk about – football & politics. As all of you know we are in the middle of a Presidential race. The re-publicans, who started out with around 15 candidates (a couple that I thought would make a good presi-dent) are down to one and the democrats still have 2 in the race. I am not sure what the remaining candi-

dates have for views toward agriculture how-ever I believe Trump and Sanders are against the TPP trade agreement and I haven’t heard where Clinton stands. Let’s hope for the good of the country that whoever gets in the White House can right the ship by putting God and our country first.

I’d like to remind everyone about the mid-year meeting that will be held in Great Falls this year on June 9th thru 11th. It is going to be a great time in the electric city and I look forward to visiting with all of you.

Go Broncos!

MSGA Board of Directors

Artwork can be submitted to Jerry Gliko, jlgliko@3rivers.net or Elizabeth Stokes, info@moonshinedesignstudio.com. File types accepted: PDF, JPG, PSD, TIFF, or AI. Please add a 0.125” bleed area for all page edge to edge images. For professional results use high-resolution (300 dpi) photos and graphics and avoid using images copied directly from a web page. If you are not comfortable designing your own ad, our publication team would be pleased to work with you to produce a professional advertisement.

Montana Stockgrowers Association assumes no liability for images and graphics suppliedby you that may be in violation of copyright law.

THANK YOU for choosing to advertise in the Montana Stockgrowers Association Seedstock & Commercial Cattle Directory.

Advertising Deadline: June 1 | Publication Date: mid-August

Annual Directory | Print Circulation: 5,000 | Publication Size: 5.5”W x 8.5”H

This premier directory is mailed to MSGA members, livestock markets, feeders, and cattle buyers across the U.S. It is also distributed at the numerous national and statewide trade shows, seedstock sales, and other national and state agricultural events. Listings and Advertisers must be a current MSGA member.

The Directory is also published in an interactive digital edition for wider distribution!View the Cattle Directory online at www.bit.ly/MTCattleDirectory.

For more information about advertising in the directory contact:Jerry Gliko, Ad Sales | jlgliko@3rivers.net | (406) 860-3181

420 N. California, Helena, MT 59601Phone (406) 442-3420 | Fax (406) 449-5105

www.mtbeef.org

MONTANA STOCKGROWERS ASSOCIATION2016-2017 SEEDSTOCK & COMMERCIAL CATTLE DIRECTORY

RATE CARD & PUBLISHING SCHEDULE

ADVERTISEMENT SIZE FULL COLOR ONE COLOR + BLACK BLACK ONLY

Priority Page (Full Color)Size: 5.5” Width x 8.5” Height | Live Area: 4.5” Width x 8” Height

Auction

Priority Page advertisements are auctioned off annually at the MSGA Annual Convention. They are the ONLY advertisements with full color. Priority page advertisers also receive additional benefits. To learn more about becoming a priority page buyer, contact MSGA at (406) 442-3420.Full Page AdvertisementSize: 5.5” Width x 8.5” Height | Live Area: 4.5” Width x 8” Height

$575 $450

If you select a one color advertisement, your advertisement will be black and white plus one othercolor of your choice.

Half Page Advertisement: 4.5” Width x 3.75” HeightSize: 5.5” Width x 3.75” Height | Live Area: 4.5” Width x 3.25” Height

$425 $300

If you select a one color advertisement, your advertisement will be black and white plus one other color of your choice.

Commercial Cattle Advertisements: 2.25” Width x 1.75” Height Size: 2.25” Width x 1.75” Height $75

Commercial Cattle advertisements are only black and white. Live Advertisement (Copy area): 2.25” wide x 1.75” tall

May 2016 STOCKGROWERSUpdate 7

Dana Elias Pepper

In the 1980s and 90s farmers across Montana filed Statements of Claim with the Depart-ment of Natural Resources and Conserva-

tion on their pre-1973 water rights. Water Users who failed to file Statements of Claim by the filing deadlines lost their water rights. An exception to this filing requirement was that water users could voluntarily, but were not required to file on their individual do-mestic or stock water rights from instream or

groundwater sources.

Senate bill 355 was passed in the 2013 leg-islative session. This bill opened up another filing period for individual domestic or stock water rights from instream or groundwater sources. In other words, if you have indi-vidual domestic or stock water rights from instream or groundwater sources that were put to beneficial use prior to July 1, 1973 now is the time to file on them.

Here are two important advantages to filing on these rights. First, by filing your claims, you are able to enforce your rights. Secondly, you will be entitled to receive notice of various water right proceedings in your basin.

Right now, I bet some of you are saying to yourselves something like: “Did I file a Statement of Claim on my stockwater rights?” There may be some faint memory in the back of your mind of having filed a form with the DNRC on your rights. You may very well have filed a Statement of Claim. You should also be aware that you may have been one of the people who filed a 627 form. 627 forms were used by the DNRC for a period of time as a way of getting these claims (individual domestic or stock water rights from instream or groundwater sources) entered into the DNRC database so the water users could receive notice of water right proceedings in their basin. These 627 forms have not been recognized as a proper mechanism for filing on these claims. Thus, if you filed a 627 form, you need to refile these claims.

Like all pre-1973 water rights, these claims will be examined by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and may go through judicial proceedings at the Water Court before they are included in a Final Decree. Thus, it is important that your filings and their supporting documentation be accurate and consistent.

The Montana legislature has given water users the opportunity to file on individual domestic or stock water rights from instream or groundwater sources, now is your time to take advantage of this opportunity and file on your rights with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Dana Elias Pepper served as a Water Master at the Montana Water Court for 6 years prior to starting a private practice. Dana lives in Boze-man with her husband and two sons where she enjoys hunting, rafting, and skiing. She can be reached at 599-7424 or dana@pepperlawfirm.com. For more information about Dana and her practice you can visit www.pepperlawfirm.com

Do you need to file on your water rights?

8 STOCKGROWERSUpdateMay 2016

Thursday1:00 p.m. - Cattlemen’s College 4:00 p.m. - Registration begins7:00 p.m. - Reef Welcome Reception • Auction items include Ehlke Hereford Bull, Lou Taubert wall hangings, guided

fly fishing trip, hand tooled chaps and much more! Music by Insufficient Funds Band.

Friday8:30 a.m. - Opening General Session9:30 a.m. - Beef Production & Marketing Committee11:00 a.m. - Land Use & Environment Committee12:30 p.m. - Tax, Finance & Ag Policy Committee 2:00 p.m. - Business Session3:00 p.m. - Tour & Dinner Event• Ryan Dam Tour• Social at Western Ranch Supply• Historic weapons demonstration, tour and dinner at

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

For more inFormation on midYear please visit mtbeeF.org

MidYear is June 8-9 in Great Falls | Hilton Garden Inn

Don’t forget the deadline to advertise in the Cattle Directory is June 1st!This premier directory is mailed to MSGA members, livestock markets, feeders and cattle buyers across the U.S. It is also distributed at the numerous national and statewide trade shows, seedstock sales, and other national and state agricultural events. Listings

and Advertisers must be a current MSGA member.

Interested in advertising in the Directory? Contact Jerry Gliko: 406.860.3181 jlgliko@3rivers.net

Questions about the Directory can be sent to kori@mtbeef.org or 406.442.3420.

Want the chance for your #ranchlife pictures to be featured on MSGA’s social media or in the

newsletter?

Email images tokori@mtbeef.org!Submitted by Karoline Rose

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE MONTANA STOCKGROWERS ASSOCIATION AND THE RANCHING INDUSTRY OF MONTANA!

Share your experience online #MSGA16 www.mtbeef.org

The MidYear Meeting is one of two meetings that is held to set association policy that guides the Association through the year. While the main focus of the meeting is for the setting of interim policy we also

use the meeting as a networking opportunity for the MSGA membership. Ranchers and allied industry professionals gather together from across the state of Montana for two days filled with meetings,

entertainment, education and fun! This is the year you don’t want to miss.

WHAT IS MIDYEAR?

SUSTAINABLE BEEFAs one of the world’s largest purchasers of beef, McDonald’s has identified beef sustainability as a key business priority and is committed to being more progressive in partnering with industry to advance sustainable practices to better the lives of cattle, ranchers and consumers. The company has committed to begin purchasing a portion of its beef from verified sustainable sources in 2016 as part of its broader aspirational goal to source all of its food and packaging sustainably. Progress towards this commitment is being realized through a pilot project in Canada aimed at establishing an independent verification process in partnership with multiple stakeholders, using the global principles and criteria ratified by the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB). Attend Opening General Session to hear from a panel of supply chain stakeholders who have formalized Canada’s beef sustainability program and learn about the progress being made in the U.S.

Featuring keynote speaker CARRIE MESSEveryone has a story! Today people want to know the story behind the food they eat. In this workshop you’ll learn how to effectively communicate your story and connect, both online and in person with the people who ultimately keep us all in business, our customers. MONTANA

YOUNG STOCKGROWERS

THURSDAY, JUNE 9TH1:00 pm

CATTLEMEN’S COLLEGE

FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH8:30 am

OPENING GENERAL SESSION

TOURSBuses depart from the Hilton Garden Inn parking lot starting at 3:00 p.m.

Great Falls, MT sits along the Beautiful Missouri River - the longest river on the Continent. This famous fly fishing river winds its way to Great Falls from the Rocky Mountains by Bozeman Montana. As the river passes Great Falls it flows over 5 different waterfalls over a 10 mile span as it heads downstream. The river drops a total of 612 feet from the top of the first falls to the bottom of the last. Lewis and Clark traveled this path on their journey across America.

RYAN DAMRyan Dam is a six-unit hydroelectric plant on the Missouri River, about 10 miles downstream from Great Falls, MT The units have a total generating capacity of 60 megawatts. (One megawatt can satisfy the average energy needs of 750 households.)

Built at the crest of the Great Falls of the Missouri, Ryan Dam began operation in 1915. It is 1,366 feet long and 61 feet high, and its reservoir is 7 miles long and has a storage capacity of 5,000 acre-feet. The dam is classified as a“run-of-river”project because it can generate electricity using the water that flows down the river, without the need to store additional water supplies.

LEWIS & CLARK INTERPRETIVE CENTERThe Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center imparts to the public a personal sense of President Thomas Jefferson’s vision of expanding America to the west; it inspires awe and awakens curiosity toward the challenges faced by the expedition as they portaged the great falls of the Missouri River and explored the ‘unknown’; brings to life the daily experiences of the expedition and the environment and native peoples of the ‘uncharted West’; and celebrates the indomitable spirit of human discovery we all share.

Friday continued

2:00 pm Business Session

3:00 pm Tour (off site)

6:00 pm Dinner Event

SATURDAY, JUNE 11

8:00 am MSGA Board of Directors Meeting

All meetings will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn unless otherwise noted.

Share your experience online #MSGA16 www.mtbeef.org

THURSDAY, JUNE 9

8:00 am MSGA Board of Directors Meeting

1:00 pm Registration

1:00 pm Cattlemen’s College - Hosted by YSG

1:00 pm REEF Trustee Meeting

7:00 pm Welcome Reception-Hosted by REEF

8:30 pm Insufficient Funds Band

FRIDAY, JUNE 10

7:30 am Registration

8:30 am Opening General Session

9:30 am Beef Production & Marketing Committee Meeting

11:00 am Land Use & Environment Committee

12:30 pm Tax, Finance & Ag Policy Committee Meeting

AGENDA

FRIDAY, JUNE 10

Ryan Dam Tour

Social at Western Ranch Supply

Historic Weapons Demonstration at Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Tour

Dinner Event

TOUR AGENDA

Please contact Katie at the MSGA office at (406) 442-3420 or katie@mtbeef.org

HILTON GARDEN INN

Host Hotel2520 14th St SW

Great Falls, MT 59404(406) 452-1000

Rooms start at $149Reserve by May 5, 2016

Room Block Code: STK

GREAT FALLS HOTELS Additional lodging options

can be found via the link below.http://westernartweek.com/

accommodations QUESTIONS?

Share your experience online #MSGA16 www.mtbeef.org

Join the REEF Trustees,MSGA Board,

and Fellow Attendees

TO KICK OFF THEMIDYEAR MEETING!

Thursday | June 9th | 7pm

J Networking Social JJ Appetizers & Drinks J

J Live Auction J Live Music J

“To provide resources for education and research that supports the Montana Stockgrowers Association in enhancing the Montana ranching community, as excellent environmental stewards, in their production of healthy beef for the world”

REEFWelcomeRECEPTION