RECOGNIZING THE MONTANA CATTLE RANCHER

RECOGNIZING THE MONTANA CATTLE RANCHER

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S1667] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING THE MONTANA CATTLE RANCHER Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, without question, one of America's greatest superpowers is our ability to grow and raise the food to feed our Nation and the world. This hasn't happened by chance, but is the direct result of the hard-working men and women in our agricultural industry. Today, we honor one facet of America's agricultural juggernaut, the Montana cattle rancher. For generations, Montana cattle ranchers have risen before dawn, worked through bitter cold and blazing heat, and committed themselves to a life that demands strength, patience, and humility. They have learned to live with the land, not against it, preserving the open spaces that define this State, while raising the cattle that reaches tables around the world. Many challenges have tried the cattle rancher, from the devastating winter of 1886, to collapsing cattle prices during the Great Depression, to the farm crisis of the 1980s, and periods of drought, harsh winters, disease, market shock, and wildfire. Still, multigenerational cattle ranching families remain in Montana as a testament to industry's strength and the grit of those within it. For today's ranching families, lowering input costs and fighting consolidation in the industry are key priorities. For too long, foreign-owned meat packers have controlled our food supply. We must break that monopoly, offer American alternatives to increase our national food security, and advocate for a path forward that ensures American ranchers and cattle are placed at the center of our livestock policy framework. Empowering hardworking ranchers who feed America and ensuring affordable beef prices for American families at the grocery store are not mutually exclusive. Both can be accomplished by lowering input costs and providing a reliable, pro-growth environment for producers so ranchers can grow their operation, capture more of the value they create, and feed the Nation with affordable, healthy, high-quality beef. Food security is national security. We all talk about AI, data centers, and processing chips; let's talk about feeding our Nation. I am grateful to Montana's cattle ranching families for doing just that. ____________________