January 11, 2023
Senator Jon Tester visited Plentywood, MT, my hometown, to talk about the Farm Bill. This was a small stop on the Eastern Montana Farm Bill Listening Tour. I was lucky enough to attend and represent my family's ranch, meat company, parents, and myself. Through this seminar, I would call it, I was lucky enough to hear from representatives of different organizations expressing concerns that they would like to see be brought up in the farm bill. Now, during my time listening I had a burning desire to stand up and talk about the mandatory country of origin labeling for beef, especially the amendment to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1964, which would reinstate mCOOL for beef.
After the representatives spoke on their organization's behalf, it was opened to public opinion. Before I was able to stand, an older gentleman stood to voice his concerns about the borders and crops. Not only did he voice his opinion so clearly and promptly but made me realize that I could speak confidently if I tried. So, I stand up after the farmer and voice my opinion on the mCOOL problem American ranchers face.
I started off with an introduction of myself, who my parents were, and that I was a college student. After explaining my thoughts on mCOOL, there will be a post on that shortly, I sat down and listened to the rest of the seminar. Later, during the conversational part and the ending I was greeted by many expressing how they were amazed at my knowledge, courage, and passion for the subject. When telling these people, I was only a freshman in college studying agricultural communications and wanting to have a possible career supporting agriculturalists through politics, I was greeted with a warm welcome into the start of things. Specifically speaking with the President of the Montana Farmers Union, Walter Schweitzer, I felt very confident with what is coming next for my future and for the future of this page.
To say this was an eye-opening experience would be an understatement. In the future, if everything goes as it should, Western Winds will hopefully be reflected what happened and was spoken about at the Eastern Montana Farm Bill Listening Tour with Senator Jon Tester.
Layne Johnson
After the representatives spoke on their organization's behalf, it was opened to public opinion. Before I was able to stand, an older gentleman stood to voice his concerns about the borders and crops. Not only did he voice his opinion so clearly and promptly but made me realize that I could speak confidently if I tried. So, I stand up after the farmer and voice my opinion on the mCOOL problem American ranchers face.
I started off with an introduction of myself, who my parents were, and that I was a college student. After explaining my thoughts on mCOOL, there will be a post on that shortly, I sat down and listened to the rest of the seminar. Later, during the conversational part and the ending I was greeted by many expressing how they were amazed at my knowledge, courage, and passion for the subject. When telling these people, I was only a freshman in college studying agricultural communications and wanting to have a possible career supporting agriculturalists through politics, I was greeted with a warm welcome into the start of things. Specifically speaking with the President of the Montana Farmers Union, Walter Schweitzer, I felt very confident with what is coming next for my future and for the future of this page.
To say this was an eye-opening experience would be an understatement. In the future, if everything goes as it should, Western Winds will hopefully be reflected what happened and was spoken about at the Eastern Montana Farm Bill Listening Tour with Senator Jon Tester.
Layne Johnson
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