RSA adds French, Jacobs to Board of Directors

Ranchers Stewardship Alliance is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors, Conni French and Perri Jacobs. Perri will serve as the new Vice President and Conni will serve as co-Treasurer along with Aaron Oxarart. Anna Merriman will be the new Secretary. Leo Barthelmess will continue as President of the organization.

Other members of the Board of Directors are Clyde Robinson, Dale Veseth, Jesse Blunt, Sheila Walsh, and Vicki Olsen. RSA would like to thank out-going Board member Kevin Koss for his service on the Board. A big thank you also goes to Dale Veseth for his many years of service as Treasurer, Clyde Robinson for service as Vice President and Sheila Walsh for her service as Secretary.

As a result of tensions over endangered species, in 2003, about 30 ranching families in northern Montana came together as the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance to resolve problems we faced. Since then, RSA leaders have worked alongside professional consensus builders, technical experts, business people, and staff of agencies and conservation groups to develop strategies to meet the needs of wildlife while also protecting ranching traditions. We have had the satisfaction of our input being requested and respected on wildlife issues. We continue to hold educational workshops on a variety of topics including low-stress livestock handling, range management and generational transfer.

While the natural community is robust, the human community has been in decline for decades. In the past, children graduated high school and quickly migrated to cities with good jobs and easier lives than ranching. Recently that decline has stopped. People, young and old, are staying and moving to our community. School enrollment numbers are increasing. Young families are moving back to the area. They are re-opening and/or establishing businesses that they remember from their youth. Our vibrant community is not only growing but thriving! One only had to look as far as the 2016 Phillips County Proud Celebration hosted by RSA to see all the young families in attendance. For more information on Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, please visit our website at http://www.ranchstewards.org.