MSGA Halfway Through Auctions

The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) has been busy with a series of Rollover Auctions to raise funds for it's appeal of Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) decision regarding American Prairie's grazing allotments.

The auctions are scheduled across ten different auction yards.

The latest event was held in Glasgow last Thursday, April 20, at the Glasgow Stockyards. The event raised just over $20,000.

MSGA First Vice President Lesley Robinson, of Malta, explained what a rollover auction is.

"Somebody will donate (an animal), for us it's been a heifer, they auction it off, and then the person will give back the animal, and auction it off again, and keep rolling it over," Robinson said. "So it is purchased, re-donated, and purchased again until there are no more bids left to be taken, and then they sell the animal."

The reason that MSGA and North Phillips County and South Phillips County Grazing Districts have teamed up to appeal the BLM's decision, is because their decision sets a national precedent on the changes that they have allowed, according to Robinson.

"The Governor (Greg Gianforte) and Attorney General (Austin Knudsen) of Montana have also filed an appeal," Robinson said.

Robinson and the MGSA and those appealing the decision believe that the decision made was not in line with the BLM's authority.

"The Taylor Grazing Act limits the issuance of grazing permits to those engaged in the livestock production business," Robinson said. "We don't feel that the APR's use of the grazing allotment meets this because the APR describes their bison as non-production livestock, and they refer to them as indigenous animals.

"If that is the case, then they are not production livestock to be able to have the grazing permits under the Taylor Grazing Act," Robinson said.

As far as to how much MSGA will need to raise to cover legal fees, that remains unclear, but the group does have a goal of $125,000 to begin with.

To support the MSGA in their appeal. Donations to the non-profit company can be made at https://secure.mtbeef.org/np/clients/mtbeef/donation.jsp

The next auction was held on Tuesday, April 25, in Miles City, the series will continue on Monday, May 1, at Bearpaw Livestock in Chinook. The next will be on Wednesday, May 3, at Western Livestock in Great Falls. There will also be an auction at the Montana Livestock Action Company in Butte and at Dillon Livestock Auction on Friday, May 5, and Thursday, May 18, respectively.