Farmers and ranchers from around Montana are meeting in Billings this week for the 105th Montana Farm Bureau Convention. More than just workshops and networking, the convention is a time for members to set policy and establish priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
With more than 21,000 member families…the Montana Farm Bureau Federation is the largest farm and ranch organization in Montana. One arm of the organization lobbies local, state, and federal lawmakers on policy issues, supported by members.
Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck says it’s at the annual convention that members finalize these policy priorities.
"When it passes it goes into our policy book and then that policy book is very sacred to us," Kulbeck said. "No one can speak to an issue contrary to our policy that's speaking for Farm Bureau. So when our legislative team goes to Helena, they've got that policy book and that's our stance on those issues and it doesn't change. It won't change again until this time next year.”
Kulbeck expects a wide range of agriculture issues to come in front of lawmakers, but there are two big ones that stick out: Taxes and water.
"I know that this is cliche, but it's so true is that, 'whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting' and water is going to be foremost and up front in the legislative session and there's some legislation that came through through the interim process that we're taking a very close look on it," Kulbeck said.
On water, Kulbeck points to pressure points between ag producers and rapid growth in residential development, seen in the form of wells, and who can drill into the aquifer and how much water they get to use.
"We are not an obstructionist organization. We are for progress and we understand that there needs to be development in Montana, but we can't let that development hinder senior water right holders," Kulbeck said.
The friction between residential and agricultural land use extends into taxes too. Kulbeck says he expects the legislature to offer some kind of relief for high residential property taxes.
"Any relief for one area of Montana as far as property taxes has to be made up in another area and it's our job to make sure that that there's no tax shift to agricultural producers," Kulbeck said.
The 69th Legislative Session is scheduled to start on Jan. 6.
