Montana Farm Bureau Board approves 2023 priority issues

Press release

The Montana Farm Bureau Board of Directors discussed and voted to approve the organization’s priority issues for 2023 immediately following the Delegate Session at the MFBF 103rd Annual Convention Nov. 14-17 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula.

“Our priority issues certainly reflect Montana Farm Bureau’s vision of leading Montana agriculture toward a future with a prosperous ag economy and thriving rural communities,” said MFBF President Cyndi Johnson, a Conrad wheat farmer. “Thank you to our members for surfacing these critical issues. We look forward to keeping these issues in the forefront as we enter a legislative year in Montana and continue to work with our elected officials in Washington, D.C.”

Issues fall under two headings: Preserving and Protecting Property Rights and Traditional Land Uses and Promoting Sustainable and Profitable Family Farm and Ranch Businesses.

Preserving and Protecting Property Rights included policies that prevented federal overreach, protected senior water rights and supporting incentivizing programs to keep agricultural land in production.

Promoting Sustainable and Profitable Family Farm and Ranch Businesses covered supporting tax reform to award productivity, providing a strong safety net for farmers and ranchers in the 2023 Farm Bill, reforming regulations that impede agricultural production, increasing marketing opportunities and improving infrastructure.

Labor issues centered around increasing the number of year-round workers and supporting initiatives for skilled worker training for rural communities. Stabilizing input costs, improved access to export markets and supporting affordable and reliable energy source will help farmers and ranchers remain sustainable.