MFBF members head to nation's capital for fly-in

September 2026 has been a busy month in the nation’s capital, and last week seven Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) members experienced that energy firsthand during the organization's annual Washington D.C. Fly-In.

Participating members Makae Reed, Justin Miller, Lee Jensen, Darcia Patten, and Bill McLean were accompanied by MFBF Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Nicole Rolf and Senior Director of Organization Sue Ann Streufert.

The intensive three-day event featured face-to-face visits with each member of Montana’s

congressional delegation, as well as high-level meetings with leadership at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including Research, Education, and Economics (REE) and National Ag Statistics Service (NASS).

The fly-in kicked off with comprehensive briefings from American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) governmental relations and economics staff. Issue experts updated the group on pressing topics ranging from federal land management and the federal farm bill to Canadian trade dynamics and beef imports.

Justin Miller, a wheat and pulse crop farmer from Gilford, praised the depth of the preparation and the agency dialogue, highlighting efforts to reduce administrative burdens on agricultural producers.

“We are always filling out forms for different agencies, and at some point, the paperwork becomes overwhelming,” Miller said. “Being able to sit down with these agencies to discuss interlinking their systems will help everything run much more efficiently.”

Miller added that the briefings from American Farm Bureau staff built strong momentum for Capitol Hill visits. “The American Farm Bureau staff is exceptionally knowledgeable on current issues. The insights they shared gave us complete confidence heading into our meetings with lawmakers. Sitting down with our elected officials actually restored my faith in government—they were truly willing to listen to our concerns.”

Miller also emphasized the urgency surrounding federal farm legislation. “It was exciting to hear the buzz about the farm bill moving out of the Senate Agriculture Committee. We need to get a farm bill passed; it’s been eight years, and farmers desperately need certainty moving forward. Even if it requires compromise, we must get it done.”

Darcia Patten, a rancher from Broadus and MFBF District 5 Director, echoed the value of direct dialogue with elected leaders.

“They want to hear from boots on the ground,” Patten said. “Our congressional delegation was incredibly receptive and thanked us for coming. They reiterated how critical it is for us to share how these issues directly affect agriculture and rural communities, reminding us, ‘We work for you.’”

Patten raised key regional concerns during her meetings, including cattle market impacts from beef imports and the need to address ongoing coal seam fires in eastern Montana.

“We told our delegation that dropping tariffs on those 300,000 metric tons of beef won't lower prices for consumers at the grocery store—it will only depress the prices ranchers receive for their cattle,” Patten explained.

Patten noted that the agency meetings also yielded immediate opportunities for coordination, including discussions with Department of the Interior officials who pledged to connect directly with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation regarding local fire mitigation.

Trade and regulatory reform were equally paramount for Lee Jensen, who grew up on a ranch and now works for an agronomy company in Circle.

“Canada accounts for 85 percent of our state's trade—it truly makes or breaks our agricultural economy,” Jensen stated. “Trucks bring fertilizer south down to us and load back up heading north with our peas, lentils, and chickpeas. It’s tough to secure fertilizer shipments when those drivers don't have a reliable backhaul load.”

Jensen stressed that direct contact with agency staff is vital for long-term policy success. “Don’t assume federal officials automatically know your day-to-day operational realities or where Farm Bureau stands on an issue. It’s critical to meet directly, explain the challenges, and offer practical solutions.”

Between Capitol Hill appointments and agency roundtables, delegation members took opportunities to tour the U.S. Capitol, walk the National Mall, and visit national landmarks.

Reflecting on the experience, Jensen encouraged other agricultural producers to take part in future advocacy efforts.

“I highly recommend participating in the MFBF Fly-In,” Jensen said. “Meeting our senators and representatives in person and putting face-to-face connections behind federal agency acronyms is essential. Letting decision-makers know about your farm or ranch—and showing them why specific legislation helps or harms your livelihood—makes all the difference.”

“The DC Fly-In is a special part of what we do at MFBF. The importance of getting real-life farmers and ranchers out to meet with our elected officials, professional staff, and regulators is paramount because no one can tell their story more effectively than the farmers themselves,” said Rolf. “This year, we happened to be in DC at a very critical time. We are pleased to see the Senate Farm Bill advancing, we were able to discuss it’s importance, as well as other priority issues such as labor reform, and we were able to engage agency professionals on practical matters such as federal lands grazing, wildfire, ag data modernization, and much more so I would say we had a very productive week.”