Vicki Olson, member of the Phillips County Livestock Association, will be speaking on the roaming bison and the effect it would have on our area.
She will touch on Land Uses and their value, Current Ag Impacts, Future Foods Needs for the US, and Economic Outlook related to Ag. She feels Ag is so vital to the economy and plays an important role in our future.
Olson has been a spokeswoman for land use and ag in general for many years as her family has been ranching on the same land for almost 100 years. Her family is vital to their local economy and should be important to anyone in the USA that eats.
She feels that being part of the discussion is so important to our area. She stated, “We are being invaded by non profits and the federal government is trying to take over the area.”
Olson stated, “I am opposed to free roaming bison because of all the problems we would have with private property rights and also disease problems. Management or lack of is the real problem.” She believes the current land owners are the original environmentalists and take care of the land and wildlife while producing a wonderful protein to feed the world. Locking up their land and taking it out of production for ag is not the answer, especially when it comes to feeding the increase in future populations. Ag producers both improve wildlife and feed people. Land does not have to be reserved for just wildlife.
Olson feels that ranchers and producers in Phillips County aren’t getting a choice in the roaming bison. In the area, a non-profit has purchased several ranches close or connected to the C.M. Russell Wildlife Refuge. Their goal is to get the government to make a monument of the whole area. Olson stated, “The American Prairie Reserve is working very closely with the federal government to get the area protected and bison to roam and it is not fair for the local ranchers because we cannot compete with the non-profits and the government to keep it in ag production.” The Phillips County Livestock Association feels that keeping ag production, as well as conserving wildlife, is a better use of the land instead of locking it up. It is one thing to raise bison as a managed livestock, but for the government to tell people they have to put up with them is not reasonable.
Montana also passed a bill in the last legislature that states that free roaming bison cannot be run on private or federal land unless there is permission given.
Olson concluded, “As you can see we have a multitude of issues all centering around the bison and whether they should be free roaming. We feel we have been there for many, many years and have taken very good care of the land and paid taxes and contributed to the community and should not be forced to put up with a wild bison.”
Olson is active in a number of groups including: Public Land Council, local, state and national Stockgrowers, local, state and national Cattlewomen, Rancher Stewardship Alliance, Montana Community Preservation Alliance, as well as being an active member of a long time working family ranch. Olson also gives back to her community by being a 4-H leader and an EMT.
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