FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2012
Contact:  Sandy Courtnage

MFU & MCA to Partner on Mid-Year Meeting

GREAT FALLS, MT (May 20, 2012) – Montana Farmers Union (MFU) and Montana Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) are partnering in a Mid-Year Meeting June 14-15, 2012, in Kalispell, MT.  All members and the public are invited to meet in the Flathead Valley for two days of fun and education.

The first day will offer bus tours of Flathead Valley innovative businesses including the Kalispell Kreamery, the Stoltz Lumber Sustainable Forestry Experiment Project, and the Aqua Algae research project.  The evening will conclude with a catered barbecue and a visit to the Columbia Falls farmers’ market.

The Friday, June 15, agenda will take place at the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell and includes a full slate of excellent speakers and topics including:

• Mark Schiltz, western manager of Montana Land Reliance discussing Farm & Ranch Land Management Planning and Easements;
• Lindsay Warshaw, Land Link, discussing beginning farmer/rancher matches:  challenges and opportunities;
• Chandler Goule, National Farmers Union VP for Government Affairs, brings the latest from Washington, D.C. with a Farm Bill Update;
• Bill Patrie, executive director, Common Enterprise Development Corp. out of North Dakota, will present two workshops:  the first on innovative cooperative businesses, and the second on Cooperative Opportunities:  Next Steps & Discovering the Possibilities. 
• Tess Brown-Lavoie, Rhode Island Farmers Union, will share her experiences as an urban farmer at the noon luncheon; and
• Noxious Weeds and Invasive Species of the Region will be discussed in a workshop.

Registration is available on line Here or call MFU @ 1-800-234-4071 for more information.