SPRING 2019 MONTANA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION WE CARE FOR THE COUNTRY THE PAIN OF FARMER SUICIDE PAGE 16 MFB FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 12 REAL MONTANA IN INDIA PAGE 22 A publication for the more than 21,000 member families of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation TABLE OF CONTENTS MONTANA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION WE CARE FOR THE COUNTRY From The President Suicide Feature 4 UNBRIDLED ENTHUSIASM: 16 DESPAIR IN MONTANA: A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR AG THE SAD STORY OF FARMER SUICIDES The EVP Message CSKT WATER COMPACT Producer Profile 5 SPRING 2019 REMAINS CRUCIAL 22 REAL MONTANA CLASS EXPERIENCES PEOPLE, Guest Columnist CULTURE AND FARMS DRIVING INNOVATION TO 6 OF INDIA IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY Member Benefit Having A Voice 25 TELEMEDICINE AND MDLIVE 8 I WORK OUT! (KIND OF) Annual Meeting 26 AG CHAT 9 61ST ANNUAL AGENTS’ BOOK REVIEW MEETING HELD IN 30 SHERIDAN, WYOMING Legislative Review 10 MONTANA 66TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION ROUNDUP ON THE COVER: 12 MFBF FOUNDATION Depression and suicide in farming and ANNUAL REPORT 22 ranching is multi-layered. Published by: © Copyright 2019. Montana Farm Bureau Federation Spokesman. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication Montana Farm Bureau Federation man not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, 502 S. 19th Ave, #104 without prior written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of Bozeman, MT 59718 the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher in no way guarantees nor warrants the information 406-587-3153 | www.mfbf.org and is not responsible for errors, omissions or forward looking statements made by advertisers. Publisher | John Youngberg Articles and advertisements in this publication are not solicitations to buy, hold or sell specific securities; they are for Editor | Rebecca Colnar information purposes only. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors For publishing and advertising information contact: Managing Editor | Sue Ann Streufert or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its Rebecca Colnar Advertising Sales | Rebecca Colnar directors, officers or employees. Investors should be aware that risk is associated with any security, strategy or investment and Montana Farm Bureau Federation 406-223-4106 are advised to seek the counsel of a competent investment advisor before making any investment, or utilizing any 406-223-4106 information contained in this publication. Production Services Provided by: Subscription, advertising and circulation information can be [email protected] Bobbi Burow, CreativityTank LLC obtained from the publisher. Printed 3/2019 Spring 2019 | Montana Farm Bureau Spokesman 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT Unbridled Enthusiasm: A Bright Future for Ag few months ago, I was at the local unbridled enthusiasm.” Cenex. It had been a wet, sloppy When I attend our Montana Farm Bureau A winter day and the floor had taken Foundation board meeting and see our quite a beating from people tracking in their senior members and former leaders dirty boots and shoes. I watched as a young witnessing the fruits of their lifetime of man who obviously had never mopped the labor coming to fruition by realizing that floor and felt that he was allergic to the Montana Farm Bureau is exactly where handle of the mop, attempted to clean the they wanted it to be; respected in the floor. I watched for a few moments as he political community, respected in the toiled and I thought (sarcastically) to agricultural community and respected myself, I wonder if that is a picture of by other agriculture organizations and Hans McPherson unbridled enthusiasm. business leaders around the state, I see the President, Montana Farm As spring was getting closer and we satisfaction in their faces and I think, Bureau Federation entered what is commonly referred to as “That’s unbridled enthusiasm.” “I’ll buy you lunch today which means let’s As I see the current leaders of the go over to the neighbors and attend their Montana Farm Bureau and our Board of bull sale” I watched a young couple at a bull Directors, see our great staff, and great sale, going through the bull catalog, walking opportunities to move this organization through the pens and making lots of notes forward as we enter our second century selecting what they hoped would be the of serving Montana farmers and ranchers, new foundation for their beef herd. I feel unbridled enthusiasm. As I look at our During the bull sale you couldn’t help but great leaders from the past, great leaders Now is the watch as they turned every catalog page today and the great leaders to come that greatest time ever as each bull came in. You could tell by the we have developed through the Young to belong; your enthusiasm on their faces which bull they Farmer & Rancher and Collegiate Farm had marked in the catalog that ended up Bureau programs, I see the future is membership does being out of their price range; but they bright for Montana Farm Bureau. Now more for you today eagerly turned to the next page and said, is the greatest time ever to belong; your “Okay, well this next bull we marked will membership does more for you today than ever before. I be even better.” Soon they were realizing than ever before. I truly appreciate your truly appreciate your they had good taste in bulls but so did membership in this organization and ask everyone else. Finally, one bull they had you to share the benefits of being a member membership in this marked was in their budget and they were with your neighbors. Ask them to join at organization and finally able to buy a bull. The excitement this time when we have just expanded our they displayed during the whole process membership benefits program with Ford ask you to share the made me think, “Wow, that is what Motor Company so members receive $500 benefits of being a unbridled enthusiasm looks like.” Farm Bureau member discount on select Recently, Montana Farm Bureau staff and Ford vehicles. member with your volunteer leaders traveled to Milwaukee, While I am not sure the young man at neighbors. Wisconsin for the American Farm Bureau Cenex has a bright future in the janitorial FUSION Conference. They joined 1,370 business, I’m certain that the young other Collegiate and Young Farmers & couple with the new bull will go on to Ranchers, Women’s Leadership Committee build a great herd and have a great future and Promotion & Education Committee in agriculture, just as the young people members in participating in the Discussion who attended the FUSION conference will Meet, attending seminars to further their return to rule Montana and become great education and going on tours to see how leaders the future for Montana agriculture agriculture is done differently in other parts and Montana Farm Bureau could not of agriculture in the United States. When I be brighter. see the future so bright before them and their energy and willingness to learn, I think, “Wow, that’s really a picture of 4 Montana Farm Bureau Spokesman | Spring 2019 THE EVP MESSAGE CSKT Water Compact Remains Crucial he success of Montana’s agriculture people that were parties to the original industry is dependent upon water and compact. Their proposal ignores the fact that T water right certainty. It is easily the a negotiated settlement requires acceptance single most important resource for people and approval by all parties. across Montana, which is why ratification of The CSKT Water Compact, which was the negotiated Montana Confederated Salish passed with bi-partisan support in the Kootenai Tribal (CSKT) Water Compact is critical. Montana State Legislature, after many Contrary to what compact opponents are years of negotiation, is currently awaiting saying, the negotiated CSKT Compact provides Congressional ratification. The compact water right certainty, protects Montana’s provides protection for all existing water water users, and ensures a reliable source rights, prevents decades of expensive of water. When the Flathead Reservation litigation, and provides certainty to water John Youngberg was established water rights were reserved users across our state. Comparatively, the Executive Vice President, MFBF through a federal treaty. These rights have proposal recently developed by those who been ratified and further defined through oppose the CSKT Compact was constructed several court cases. Federally reserved water without Tribal, State, and Federal parties rights of the Tribe must, by law, be defined at the table and without general public and quantified either through a negotiated comment. If this proposal were to upend the agreement or through litigation in the existing negotiated agreement it would most Montana Water Court. The negotiated CSKT certainly open the flood gates to possibly The compact Water Compact defines the water rights and decades of expensive litigation—putting the settles the legal claims of the CSKT, preventing water rights of farmers, ranchers, and water provides protection long term costly litigation and uncertainty. users across our state, at risk. for all existing Recently, compact opponents have It’s important to let our Montana proposed to replace CSKT Water Compact Congressional delegation know that you wish water rights, that was developed through extensive public them to support the CSKT Water Compact. prevents decades participation over a 30-year period with a Contact: Senator Jon Tester – tester.senate. quickly crafted proposal that was developed gov/contact; Senator Steve Daines – daines. of expensive without general public participation. They senate.gov/contact and Representative Greg litigation, and are calling it the “Peoples’ Compact” which Gianforte, Gianforte.house.gov/contact. is odd because they have not included the provides certainty to water users across our state. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Montana Farm Bureau Spokesman (ISSN 08863075) Published quarterly Montana Farm Bureau Federation Officers Lee Boyer – District 4 by the Montana Farm Bureau Federation at 502 S.