Stockmen talk business, socialize at winter meeting
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POLSON — Piles of snow and icy roads didn’t deter members of the Western Montana Stockmen’s Association from holding their winter meeting on Jan. 21 at the KwaTaqNuk Resort and Casino.
The WMSA honored LaRue Melton of Big Bend with a lifetime achievement award at the banquet, and he received a Montana Silversmith bronze of a man on a saddlehorse leading a packhorse.
Melton was born Dec. 29, 1933, in Big Bend, Mont. He and wife Marlene raised two children, Rene and Randy, at the ranch they bought from LaRue’s father and mother in 1962.
Jeff Malinak read a biography of Melton and said Melton has had three saddles during his lifetime: one he received in the eighth grade in 1947, and two custom saddles, one purchased in 1965 and one in 2007. He trailed cattle more than 8,000 miles in those saddles.
When asked by his daughter what he would do with a million dollars, Melton answered, “ I’d ranch with it until it was gone.”
Speaking at the banquet was Blake Nuffer from Montana Livestock Auction in Ramsey. He advised ranchers to keep marketing their product, beef, every waking moment.
He told a story about a Ford dealership in Worland, Wyo., with a sign that said, “Drive a car, get a turkey.” Nuffer said he parked and went in to speak to the owner, a man he knew well. He asked the dealer how many turkey farmers were in the area, which is cattle country with some sheep and sugar beet producers. The dealer said, “None,” and started passing out beef bucks instead of turkeys.
“It’s as easy as that, ladies and gentlemen,” Nuffer commented.
Livestock producers need to promote young people going to college and coming back to the ranch, Nuffer said, and get them involved in local, state and national cattlemen’s and cattlewomen’s organizations. He added to be patient when young adults return because they might have new ideas.
“You are selling the best protein there is out there,” Nuffer concluded.
In a concise report, Ted North from Wildlife Services told banquet-goers he removed 11 wolves during 2011, down from 50 wolves in 2010, and also explained that any flying to eliminate coyotes will be $420 per hour with the livestock producer paying half. Most of his department’s budget will go towards wolf control.
Outgoing president Terry Murphy received a belt buckle for his service to the organization.
During their business meeting in the afternoon, members discussed advertisements on the radio, a collaboration between Northwest Farm Credit Services and the WMSA. The current ad will run 60 times and talks about ranchers feeding, calving and caring for their stock.
The goal is to educate the public about ranching and agriculture, according to Joey Hennes, NWFC representative.
The WMSA also elected officers. Ken McAlpine will serve as president, with Kurt McPherson as first vice- president and Reece Middlemist as second vice- president. Danny Krantz and John Marrinan were elected directors at large, with one extra director-at-large position tabled.
In other business, the Western Montana Cattlewomen disbanded and gave the contents of their treasury to the WMSA. McAlpine assured the cattlewomen the WMSA would be good stewards of their money since “the cattlewomen worked for a long time diligently for that money.”
The group voted to donate $500 from the cattlewomen and $500 from the WMSA to the Hot Springs Medical Clinic fundraising effort. A large number of cattlemen are from the Hot Springs area, and the clinic is pretty critical for that area, according to Dusty Smith, WMSA director-at-large.
A check was presented to Laurence Walchuck, vice-president of the fundraising committee at the banquet.
WMSA Secretary Jack Stivers noted that dues slips included a $30 fee for wolf control, and members discussed wolf management. Member Glen Magera said Wildlife Services funds were cut significantly.
The $5,000 donation by the WMSA last year was significant money for Wildlife Services, and member Malinak commented that Wildlife Services staffers had indicated to him that helicopter time was going to be even more limited in 2012 and producers would be asked to share the cost.
In other business Kurt McPherson said the Western Montana Angus Association would be touring ranches in the fall of 2012. McAlpine suggested the WMSA sponsor a breakfast or lunch or volunteer some help.
After dancing the night away, ranchers went back home to gear up for feeding and calving during the long winter.
