98th MFBF Annual Convention and Trade Show - Listen.  Learn.  Lead.
November 12-15, 2017
Northern & DoubleTree by Hilton® Hotels - Billings, MT.

  • Listen - To top-notch keynote speakers such as Dr. Garry Lacefield, Professor Emeritus, University of Kentucky, Montana State University's Dr. Gary Brester and renowned professional speaker, author and family business consultant Jolene Brown.
  • Learn - Educational opportunities abound with workshops on topics like land purchasing preparedness for beginning farmers, health on the farm, water adjudication and exempt from filing rights and telling your Ag story.  
  • Lead - Tuesday and Wednesday's resolution sessions see the culmination of our grassroots policy development process that allows Montana Farm Bureau to be the leader for agriculture in Montana.
Schedule of Events

Sunday, November 12

11-12:30pm Promotion & Education Committee Mtg
1-3pm Women’s Leadership Committee Mtg
1:30-3pm Commodity Advisory Committee Mtgs
3pm MFBF Board of Directors Meeting
3:30-5pm Commodity Advisory Committee Mtgs
4-7pm Registration Open - Northern Hotel
4:30-5:30pm Ag Safety Training
7:00pm Vespers Service - Message by Tim Moullet & Entertainment by Orvin Solberg

Monday, November 13

6:45am Century Club Members Only Breakfast - Keynote: U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke (invited)
7:30-6pm Registration & Trade Show Open - DoubleTree Hotel
8:00am Opening General Session - Presentation of Colors, National Anthem, President’s Address, Keynote: Dr. Garry Lacefield, Professor Emeritus, University of Kentucky
9:10-10:30am Workshops:

  • Land Purchasing Preparedness for Beginning Farmers - Colter DeVries, Bo Kombol & Kelsey Rhinehart, NWFCS and Bruce Johnson, FSA
  • Women’s Health on the Farm - Carolyn Sheridan, Agrisafe
  • Review of Plan to Complete Water Adjudication and Exempt from Filing Rights - Julie Brown and Maddie Weisz, Montana Water Court
  • Making the Pitch: Recruiting with Passion - Melanie Swartz, Big Sky EDA & Tyler Wiltgen, Billings Clinic Foundation

9:10-11am YF&R Committee Meeting
10:30-11am Coffee Break
11:00am Audit Report
11:15am Open Resolutions Session
12-1:15pm Lunch hosted by YF&R Committee - Keynote: Gary Brester, MSU 
1:15-2:30pm YF&R Discussion Meet - Round 1
1:15-2:30pm Workshops:

  • Telling Your Ag Story Panel - Jennifer Bergin, Rhonda Boyd and Scott Blain
  •  Agriculture and Mental Health - Brenda Roche, Billings Clinic
  • Leadership in Ag - Lindsay Calvert, American Farm Bureau

2:30pm Ice Cream Social
3-5pm District Caucuses
5:30pm YF&R Discussion Meet - Final Round
6pm MFBF Social
7pm YF&R Social & Dinner
6:45am Presidents & Secretaries Breakfast

Tuesday, November 14

8am General Session - Insurance Report, Executive Vice President’s Address, Roll Call of Delegates, Credentials Committee Report, Nominating Committee Report and Introductions
10:30am Resolutions Session
11:45am-1pm Lunch hosted by Women’s Committee - Keynote: TBA
1-5pm Resolutions Session continues
5:30pm MSU Alumni/College of Ag Social
6:00pm MFBF Social
7:00pm Awards Banquet
9:00pm Entertainment: Jolene Brown

Wednesday, November 15

8:00am Resolutions Session
The Board of Directors will meet immediately following the resolutions session.

LODGING INFORMATION - Attendees are responsible for making their own room reservations. Call the Northern Hotel at (406) 867-6767 or for overflow, contact the DoubleTree Hotel at (406) 252-7400 and request the MFBF room block for special conference rates. Be sure to book your room by October 23!

Registration is now closed.