Communicating face-to-face provides an essential way for farmers and ranchers to address their concerns with government officials. During the Montana Farm Bureau Fly-In, June 10-13, in Washington, D.C. Montana Farm Bureau members had excellent opportunities to meet with lawmakers and agency personnel. The Fly-In participants—Susan Lake from Ronan, Don Steinbeisser, Jr. from Sidney and Kris Descheemaeker from Lewistown, were selected to attend based on their prior advocacy efforts in Montana.
The action-packed schedule included meetings with Senators Steve Daines, Senator Jon Tester and Representative Greg Gianforte as well as with the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. In addition, the group met with American Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Dale Moore and with AFBF public policy directors.