Montana Stockgrowers Advocates for Producer Profitability in Washington D.C.

This spring, the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) took two trips to Washington D.C. to continue carrying the message of Producer Profitability to Congress. MSGA leadership and staff met with Montana’s congressional delegation and other congressional staff sharing the work the Association has been focusing on around Producer Profitability.

“MSGA’s time in D.C. has been successful. We continue to discuss challenges around labor, taxes, and keeping young producers on the land,” said MSGA President Lesley Robinson, “These trips have allowed us to continue to cultivate valuable relationships with our delegation and federal agencies as we work toward increasing profitability and creating solutions for the challenges producers are facing.”

On the first trip, in early March, President Lesley Robinson was joined by First Vice President Turk Stovall of Billings, Second Vice President Monty Lesh of Miles City, and Executive Vice President Raylee Honeycutt for the trip. The leadership team from MSGA met with Senator Daines, Senator Sheehy, Congressman Zinke, and had lunch with Congressman Downing. In addition to congressional meetings, MSGA attended meetings with USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, Bureau of Land Management Acting Director John Raby, and House Natural Resource Committee staff.

Conversations focused on the elimination of the estate tax, staffing challenges in federal agencies, and the challenges ranchers are still facing regarding securing labor, and minimizing barriers to entry for young or beginning livestock producers. The group had the opportunity to meet with the Department of Labor Director of Program Services, Brian Pasternak, about H-2A programs. MSGA highlighted key areas and revisions to the H-2A program that would streamline the process, making it quicker and easier for ranchers to hire additional labor. 

On the second trip, during the first full week of April, President Lesley Robinson was joined by Montana Public Lands Council (MPLC) Chair, Vicki Olson, current MPLC board member and past MSGA director, Dusty Hahn, and Government Affairs Specialist, Ellie Brighton. 

On the hill, the delegation met with Senator Daines, Senator Sheehy, and Congressman Zinke. In these meetings the priorities included thanking them for their support and co-sponsorship of the Death Tax Repeal Act, discussing USDA Wildlife Services hiring freeze, and emphasizing repeals to harmful regulatory actions taken by the Biden administration. 

In addition, the group attended meetings with USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management and heard updates from the House Natural Resource Committee, Senate Energy and Natural Resource, and the Western Caucus. 

While in D.C., the group had the opportunity to sit in two meetings of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee, of which Senator Daines is a member. One committee meeting included a mark-up of Senator Daines’ bill for the Bull Mountain Mine, which passed out of committee. The second day, the group attended what was scheduled to be BLM Director Nominee Kathleen Sgamma’s confirmation hearing. Unfortunately, it was announced at that hearing that her name had been withdrawn from consideration.

MSGA is committed to carrying Montana ranching families’ stories and messages to Washington D.C. These two very busy but successful weeks in Washington D.C. allowed MSGA to bring forward solutions to various issues, helping our delegation flag important priorities for the new administration and gain a better understanding of Producer Profitability. 

###

MSGA