County Farm Bureaus host 30 annual meetings across the state to kickstart grassroots process

County Farm Bureaus host 30 annual meetings across the state to kickstart Farm Bureau’s grassroots process. Montana Farm Bureau’s robust policy development process begins at the local level; county annual meetings serve as both listening sessions and decision-making meetings. Members bring forward challenges they see on their farms, ranches, businesses and in their communities, discuss potential solutions and propose policy recommendations. Those recommendations are debated and voted on by members at the county level. A concern raised by one farmer at a county meeting in Montana can and has become state law or national policy.

One of those conversations at Cascade County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting traveled all the way into Montana Law. Ahead of the 2025 Montana Legislative Session, Cascade County sheep rancher and Farm Bureau member Merrill McKamey brought an issue affecting his operation to his county annual meeting. “At that time, Montana’s Livestock Loss Board wasn’t recognizing black bear predation for reimbursement. Although black bears aren’t very aggressive toward cattle, we were experiencing challenges with our sheep since they are a smaller, more manageable target for the black bear,” said McKamey. 

McKamey proposed expanding Montana’s Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Program to include losses caused by black bears. Cascade County Farm Bureau members supported the proposal, and it advanced through the grassroots process before being approved at the Montana Farm Bureau Annual Convention. 

With members having established clear policy direction, Montana Farm Bureau’s legislative team took that message to Helena during the 2025 Legislative Session and partnered with then-rookie legislator Rep. Eric Tilleman to introduce House Bill 356. “Farm Bureau is a true bottom-up organization where everyone’s voice is heard. I was proud to carry this bill for producers close to home,” Tilleman reflected. 

McKamey also traveled to Helena to testify before lawmakers, sharing his family’s firsthand experience of losing more than 10 sheep to black bear predation. On May 15, 2025, HB 356 was signed into law, officially expanding Montana’s Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Program to include black bears. Since then, producers across the state have been reimbursed for over 20 black bear losses, totalling $12,860 back in ranchers’ pockets. These are real impacts and returns for real Montana farmers and ranchers. 

The next policy success story has not been written yet. It may be sitting in the pickup of a rancher who has been frustrated by the same problem for years, in the office of an agronomist who sees a regulation affecting customers, in the classroom of an agricultural educator, or around the kitchen table of a farm family wondering why something cannot be changed.

The first step is showing up.

Montana State Representative Russ Miner sees this firsthand, “Montana Farm Bureau has some of the best lobbyists up on the hill, especially when it comes to agriculture issues. It’s important for stakeholders to show up to their county meetings to not only share their difficulties, but to work together for solutions.” Chouteau County member Lochiel Edwards also has a personal connection to this process. Last year, his proposal at the county level to oppose the $85 billion merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern railroads helped ignite a nationwide coalition working to prevent the merger. “Good public policy is best forged with local ideas and the informal debate common to our county meetings. There are so many issues in our industry that it takes a village to identify and purify those which have merit,” recalls Edwards.

Montana Farm Bureau encourages members and agricultural community members to connect with their county Farm Bureau, attend their local annual meeting this September, and bring the issues affecting their farms, ranches, businesses, and communities to the table. We are excited to see you at your annual meeting! Click here for more county meeting information.

Judith Basin: 8/25/2026

Carbon-Stillwater: 8/27/2026

Lewis & Clark: 8/29/2026

Rosebud-Treasure: 8/29/2026

Big Horn: 9/8/2026

Cascade: 9/8/2026

Ravalli: 9/9/2026

Fergus: 9/10/2026

Teton: 9/10/2026

Yellowstone: 9/13/2026

Richland: 9/14/2026

Dawson-Wibaux: 9/15/2026

Wheatland-Golden Valley: 9/15/2026

Prairie: 9/16/2026

Roosevelt: 9/17/2026

Valley: 9/17/2026

Broadwater: 9/20/2026

Hill Liberty & Blaine: 9/22/2026

Phillips: 9/22/2026

Powder River Carter: 9/22/2026

Gallatin: 9/23/2026

McCone: 9/23/2026

Custer Fallon: 9/24/2026

Park: 9/24/2026

Sweet Grass: 9/24/2026

Southwest: 9/25/2026

Northwest: 9/26/2026

Chouteau: 9/27/2026

Meagher: 9/30/2026

Front Range: 9/27/2026