The Prairie Star: Montana Ag Newspaper

BILLINGS, Mont. - Cattle producer members of the Montana Cattlemen's Association (MCA) have completed their balloting process and have passed a strong set of resolutions for the association.

During "Cattlemen's Day," Nov. 11-12, MCA members approved several resolutions, which were mailed to the entire membership for a ballot vote. "Montana Cattlemen's Association prides itself on soliciting the input and direction of our members," said Brett DeBruycker, MCA president. "We take our lead from our membership, not allowing the hierarchy of an organization to dictate the policy and direction for the membership. MCA members have ownership in their organization and know we are working for their industry's future."

MCA members also elected officers for the association: president Brett DeBruycker of Dutton, Mont., vice president Kim Baker of Hot Springs, Mont., secretary Shana Baisch of Glendive, Mont., and treasurer Jan McDonald of Vaughn, Mont.

The extensive list of resolutions passed by MCA members sets an aggressive path for the association and challenges the status quo of many issues facing live cattle producers, said DeBruycker. Highlights of resolutions passed include:

Eminent Domain: MCA opposes the use of "eminent domain" to condemn private property for the sole purpose of economic gain or development for individuals and/or corporations.

Split Estate Rights - Coal Bed Methane: MCA urges the State of Montana to adopt public policies that: 1) protect the rights of farm and ranch families who do not own mineral rights and are facing the prospect of oil, gas and/or coal bed methane development on their land by ensuring they are given adequate notice of proposed oil and gas leasing and development and are given ample opportunity to negotiate surface damage agreements; 2) require adequate bonding and reclamation of oil, gas and coal bed methane operations that will leave disturbed land in as good or better ecological conditions than prior to entry of infrastructure; 3) ensure there is beneficial use of ground and surface water resources beyond oil, gas and coal bed methane development.

Gray Wolf: MCA requests the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service immediately initiate a process to notify all counties and livestock producers of the location and movement of gray wolves and provide a 24-hour contact number. It was further resolved to request the agency aggressively follow the direction of SB461, an act requiring the attachment of radio-tracking collars to at least one gray wolf in each pack. MCA acknowledges that gray wolves are a predator species in need of management in Montana and requests that Congress and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expedite the process to de-list the gray wolf, relegate management authority and provide full funding thereof to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Montana Department of Livestock. MCA requests the Montana governor appoint a Board of Livestock Loss Reduction and Gray Wolf Damage Mitigation Committee to implement the program and be funded with federal monies.

Sage Grouse: MCA urges the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to shorten the Sage Grouse season to two weeks and a daily bag limit of one bird with a possession limit of two birds. MCA requests the agency to address the incompatibility of hunting a species that is under petition for listing as an endangered species.

Bison: MCA supports the establishment of a fair chase bison hunt in Montana, supports hunting bison on lands adjacent to Yellowstone National Park to reduce the bison population and advises the associated agencies to work diligently to keep infected bison out of Montana and to eradicate brucellosis from the Yellowstone National Park herd.

Elk: MCA encourages the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to issue a sufficient amount of hunting permits to reduce elk numbers.

Winter Feeding of Elk: Due to the spread of brucellosis among concentrated elk herds; MCA encouraged the phasing out of winter feeding of elk to check the spread of the disease.

Wildlife: MCA requests Montana governor to recommend legislation to enable the state to compensate landowners who make their living by harvesting the forage their land produces.

State/Federal Permit Buyout: MCA opposes any federal or state grazing allotment buyout program for non-livestock purposes.

State Participation in Grazing Permit Reviews: MCA requests the Montana Department of Agriculture participates in reviews of grazing permits to provide equal representation for permit recipients.

Mandatory Animal Identification MCA opposes a mandatory national animal identification system for cattle.

Animal Health Trace-back System: MCA supports working on standardizing a state/tribal controlled animal health trace-back system protocol, but clearly opposes any system that fails to incorporate existing programs such as western brand laws and movement certificates.

Beef Check-off: MCA encourages legislation that prohibits any anti-U.S. cattle groups from being a contracting agent for the federally mandated beef check-off. Said groups include organizations that oppose trade investigations into trade practices that negatively affect U.S. cattle producers or oppose mandatory country of origin labeling, or that support liberalization of import standards below internationally practiced standards.

Beef Check-off: In a separate resolution, MCA members voted to lead a nationwide effort to reform the mandatory beef check-off to make the National Beef Act more responsive to grassroots family cattle producers. Members asserted this is not a movement to end the federal check-off, but is an effort to improve it.

"MCA will work to implement all our policies, and provide a stable and profitable future for Montana cattle producers," said DeBruycker. "MCA will also take any appropriate resolutions to our national affiliate R-CALF USA for their consideration on a national level."

A policy book for the Montana Cattlemen's Association is available by calling the MCA office at 406-259-5433 or by going to www.montanacattlmen.org.

Comments »

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