Senator Mike Lang gives his report for Montana SD 17

February 8th was the 26th day of the 67th Montana legislature. Montana law says that we can meet for 90 days and must approve a balanced budget.

Thanks to all of you who have reached out with phone calls or emails. I appreciate your input and will vote with my conscience, experience and most of all with God as an advisor.

Committees have confirmed the director positions and governmental boards. In Senate Ag we confirmed, and await the final vote of the Senate floor, Mr. Mike Foster. Mr. Foster is from Townsend, served in the legislature and most recently he served as the State Director for the U.S Farm Service Agency. Mr. Foster was indorsed by the state agricultural organizations. Personally, if have found Mr. Foster to be an organizational leader. He knows Montana farmers and ranchers produce superior products and his mission is to produce an equitable reality.

I await the confirmation hearing to the Montana Board of Livestock, of my friend and a past legislator, Mr. Al Redfield. He is from Ophiem and now lives south of Livingston. Mr. Redfield is very knowledgeable on ag issues, especially managing livestock in the DSA (Designated Service Area) outside Yellowstone Park.

The Milk River Joint Irrigation board had a hearing in long range planning. Jennifer Patrick and Marko Manoukian informed the committee on the St. Mary and Milk Rivers. If you have contact ability with US Senator Tester, please ask him to lead the charge for the bill in Congress, to change the cost allocation percentage for the Milk River Irrigators.

Past Representative Jeff Pattison was in town addressing the county Conservation Districts involvement in the Milk River Watershed. Representative Casey Knudsen and I will move a resolution of facts and support from the districts for the Milk River through the legislature.

I am blessed to have Senator Russ Tempel from Liberty County and Senate District 14 as my office mate. Senator Tempel is a farmer and served as a County Commissioner for 18 years. We sort through the cobwebs and analyze issues with many years of experience. (We believe that anything that is done for the good of the citizens does not an extra tax.) Especially gravel for the roads and especially in Sage Grouse country.

My wife, Lorna, spent the week in Helena, and I was chairman of the day for the Senate.

Gratefully, Mike Lang, SD-17