MONTANA CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION

APPRECIATION MEETING WELL ATTENDED

Billings, Mont., ~ The Montana Cattlemen's Association (MCA) hosted a successful Cattlemen's Appreciation Extravaganza on Saturday, June 14, at the Hugh Broadus ranch south of Colstrip.  Every year MCA holds their mid-year meeting at a local ranch, and this year the gorgeous setting of the Broadus ranch attracted a great group of ranchers to share the day.

Following a short business meeting, Perri Walburn of the Montana Department of Agriculture updated the crowd on the Montana Certified Natural Beef program.  The paperwork is nearly complete and producers who are interested in entering the natural beef niche market may register their ranches.  The annual certification fee is $100 plus $2 per head inspection fee.  You may contact MCA for more information.

A wonderful roast beef lunch was served and sponsored by the staff at Rocky Mountain Ranch Realty of Billings.  Following lunch the group took an informative bus tour of the Western Energy coal mining and reclamation efforts in Colstrip.

Upon returning to the ranch, Fred Wacker discussed the feeding and handling of cattle entering the natural beef program and the opportunity for ranchers to add value to their herds.

In the evening an all-natural steak dinner from beef raised on the Broadus Ranch was prepared by Tom Connelley, the South Dakota Beefman.  The delicious meal was sponsored by the Wagner Vogele Team of Billings, a Merrill Lynch Global Private Client Group.  The evening concluded with live entertainment by a local fiddler group.

We would like to thank these additional sponsors for their support: Montana Land Reliance, Westfeeds Inc., Big R, Waddell & Reed, Manning Equipment, American Equity Exchange, Inc., Colstrip Energy, and Western Energy Co.