This fall, farmers and ranchers that are members of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) are partaking in their annual county farm bureau meetings. Following COVID-19 guidelines, they are working to find solutions to the issues impacting Montana’s number one industry.
Nicole Rolf, the MFBF’s Director of National Affairs & Eastern Montana Regional Manager, explained how Farm Bureau policy is created.
“We are very excited to get these meetings going,” said Rolf. “We are getting the work of policy development done. It’s really important to our members and they are taking this business seriously. Even though it's a different kind of year, they're still getting together to develop that grassroots policy.”
Farm Bureau's policy comes from farmers and ranchers who want to work to address issues impacting agriculture and rural America.
“Everything starts at the local level,” Rolf explained. “Every voting member of Farm Bureau has an opportunity to come to their local meeting to bring their issues up. Whether it's a local issue that's affecting them, something they see that's affecting the whole state or even a national level issue. They can bring that issue up, express their feelings on what position they we should take and then it comes down to a vote. After everyone gets to have their discussion it's voted on at the county annual meeting. If it passes there it goes on to our state meeting.”
The policy created at the county level will be discussed and voted on by delegates during the upcoming, scaled back, Montana Farm Bureau Annual Convention set for the second week of November in Billings.
