Washington—Montana Farm Bureau members traveled to Washington, D.C., February 10–12, 2026, to participate in the American Farm Bureau Issues Advisory Committee meetings. These selected members are appointed to specific committees to discuss pressing agricultural concerns and surface ideas for policy development in emerging issues areas.  Led by MFBF Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Nicole Rolf, the trio participated in advisory sessions, conducted congressional visits with Montana’s delegation, and met with agency officials.

Jess Bandel, a wheat farmer from Floweree who serves on the Market Structures Committee, said his group covered one of the few current bright spots in agricultural markets—cattle—alongside the future of the Farm Bill and potential remedies for the H-2A agriculture worker program.

“The outlook for cattle remains strong with no immediate downside because consumer demand for beef stays high despite elevated prices, and the cattle supply continues to contract,” Bandel said. “However, lingering concerns regarding tariffs, falling commodity prices, and the necessity for fertilizer price modifications will continue to make things tough in the grain market.”

A unique highlight for Bandel involved a representative from the Senate Agriculture Committee who provided information to the committee on cryptocurrency. Bandel explained that while it may seem like a stretch for the Ag Committee to discuss Bitcoin, the committee and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are responsible for mapping out how digital assets are traded because they are often classified as commodities. His primary takeaway was that the Ag Committee aims to ensure that as technology evolves, the same principles of transparency and market fairness used in agriculture are applied to cryptocurrency as well.

Greg Gabel, a sugar beet farmer from Huntley, serves on the Technology Committee, which focuses on the intersection of emerging innovations. The discussion explored how the agricultural industry will utilize artificial intelligence and robotics to address future labor shortages. The group also discussed specific applications such as grain bin management and "see and spray" technology, which uses AI to identify and treat weeds in real-time.

“While many in our group are technology-forward and own drones, the American drone industry currently lags behind its international competitors,” Gabel said.

 Additionally, representatives from Google and Meta were given the opportunity to speak to his committee, addressing concerns regarding the presence of data centers in rural communities.

Gabel noted that these tech giants emphasized their desire to be good stewards of the land by using renewable resources rather than depleting local natural resources like water in arid climates.

“Contrary to the assumption that these centers only require remote monitoring, representatives claimed they will provide local infrastructure maintenance jobs for electricians and technicians,” Gabel shared.

Rich Franko, a Prairie County rancher, stated that a major discussion point during his Federal Lands Committee meeting focused on the vacant allotment issue affecting Western states and the positive effect filling those permits will have on cattle ranching.

During Hill visits, the Montanans shared their concerns and thoughts with staff from the offices of Senator Steve Daines, Senator Tim Sheehy, and Representative Troy Downing. Their discussions covered the critical need for a comprehensive Farm Bill, the role of agriculture on federal lands, the need for a reliable agriculture work force, and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Gabel emphasized the importance of sound sugar policy and discussed how the U.S. Department of Agriculture can better serve the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

Franko added that the group thanked Representative Downing, Senator Daines and Senator Sheehy for introducing H.R. 6568, the Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act, which addresses critical irrigation issues at the Intake diversion near Sidney.

The members also voiced Montana Farm Bureau’s opposition to the proposed $85 billion railroad merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, noting how such consolidation could negatively impact shipping rates and competition for Montana producers.

Furthermore, the group discussed the importance of international trade as a way to maintain and expand market access for our high-quality commodities.  Bandel, who has hosted Japanese delegations on his farm several times, shared insights gained from interacting with Japanese grain traders and flour mill representatives.

For Franko, his inaugural trip to the nation’s capital proved inspiring. He noted his impression of the massive scale and specific layout of the city’s historic buildings.

“The Capitol tour was a highlight that offered a view of the inner workings of government that I had previously only seen in news reports,” Franko said. “This trip provided a unique perspective and a valued opportunity to represent Montana’s interests in person.”