MONTANA CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION TO HOLD APPRECIATION MEETING IN EASTERN MONTANA 

The Montana Cattlemen's Association (MCA) is hosting a cattlemen's Appreciation Extravaganza on Saturday, June 14, at the Hugh Broadus ranch south of Colstrip.  The program, which is slated to start at 10:00 a.m., will feature a "gate-to-plate" discussion of the emerging natural beef market.  Montana Department of Agriculture officials will be on hand to provide an update on the status of Montana's new Certified Natural Beef program.  Patrick Brewer of Quality Foods and Processing will discuss natural beef packing and marketing.

At 1:00 p.m. there will be a hamburger lunch sponsored by Rocky Mountain Ranch Realty, which will be followed by a bus tour of the Western Energy reclamation efforts in Colstrip. 

"Regardless of your views on mining, oil, and gas development, the extraction industries have had an impact on the landscape of Eastern Montana.  I think that this tour will be an excellent opportunity to observe the work that the folks at Western Energy have done to reclaim the land," said Broadus. 

The tour will return to the Broadus Ranch at 5:00 p.m. where Fred Wacker will discuss all natural feeding of cattle.  At 6:00 p.m. an all-natural steak dinner will be served.  The beef is from the Broadus Ranch and will be prepared by the South Dakota Beef Man. The meal is sponsored by Merrill Lynch.

The evening will conclude with cowboy poetry by Jack Schwend and live entertainment by a local fiddler group.

Additional sponsors for the event include Montana Land Reliance, Westfeeds Inc., Big R, Waddell & Reed, Manning Equipment, American Equity Exchange, Inc., Rosebud Power Plant, and Western Energy Co.

Please reserve your complimentary meals by calling 259-5433 or email mca@montanacattlemen.org.