Montana Stockgrowers Association

What Montana Stockgrowers Association does

Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership organization founded in 1884 and headquartered at 420 N. California St., Helena, Montana. The organization represents Montana cattle ranchers through grassroots advocacy at the local, state, and national levels, alongside member services including educational programming, leadership development, disaster relief coordination, and industry networking. MSGA reports engaging over 1,000 ranchers through its Producer Profitability Initiative, raising more than $1,000,000 in wildfire relief in 2024, and achieving a 94% success rate for political endorsements in the 2024 General Election. Its affiliated Montana Stockgrowers Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) and administers the Heritage Scholarship Program, the Cattle Drive program, and the TBone Classic Golf Tournament.

MSGA's product and service surface is anchored in three membership tiers (Individual Rancher Membership with head-based dues, Ranch Package Membership for corporations/LLCs/partnerships, and Allied Industry Membership) and a calendar of in-person events including the 141st Annual Convention & Trade Show, the MidYear Meeting, the Ag Labor Summit, and the Sunset Banquet. Member benefits include Ranch Weather Radar (a third-party weather modeling and forecasting service), The Ranchers' Voice podcast, the Leadership, Legacy and the Land video series, the Seedstock & Commercial Cattle Directory, and education programs such as the M Bar Leadership Academy and Young Cattlemen's Conference. Revenue is generated across five streams: recurring membership dues, one-time event registrations, advertising and sponsorships (including trade show booth sales and the Blue & Gold Massey Ferguson Tractor Raffle), donations and foundation programs (MSGA Advocacy Fund, M Bar Academy, Montana Agriculture PAC, Montana Public Lands Council Advocacy Fund, and the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation Cattle Drive program), and merchandise sales through the Cow Camp Mercantile Etsy storefront. Distribution is regional, statewide Montana, with national reach through the cattle directory and broadcast media partnerships with Western Ag Network and Northern Ag Network.

Name

Montana Stockgrowers Association

Legal name

Montana Stockgrowers Association

Website

https://mtbeef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Montana Stockgrowers Association is a 140-year-old non-profit membership organization that advocates for Montana cattle ranchers through policy work, annual conventions, education, and disaster relief programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Trade Association

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• Cattle ranch advocacy
• Agricultural membership organization
• Livestock industry policy
• Rancher education programs
• Beef industry association

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues based on number of cattle owned. Three membership tiers: Individual Rancher Membership (head-based pricing), Ranch Package Membership (for corporations/LLCs/partnerships), and Allied Industry Membership (for supporting businesses).
2. Event Registrations: Revenue from Annual Convention & Trade Show and MidYear Meeting registrations, including various pass types (All-Inclusive, Meeting Only, Sunset Banquet tickets, etc.).
3. Sponsorships & Advertising: Trade show booth sales, event sponsorships, publication advertising, and website advertising opportunities for allied industry members.
4. Donations & Foundation Programs: Donations to MSGA Advocacy Fund, M Bar Academy, Montana Agriculture PAC, Montana Public Lands Council Advocacy Fund, and Montana Stockgrowers Foundation including Cattle Drive program.
5. Merchandise Sales: Cow Camp Mercantile branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, hats) sold through Etsy platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is a grassroots non-profit membership organization that advocates on behalf of Montana cattle ranchers at local, state, and national levels. It sells annual membership tiers, hosts the Annual Convention & Trade Show and MidYear Meeting, publishes the Seedstock & Commercial Cattle Directory, runs leadership/education programs (M Bar Leadership Academy, Young Cattlemen's Conference), and offers member benefits such as the Ranch Weather Radar service and Cow Camp Mercantile branded merchandise.

Product overview

Montana Stockgrowers Association is a grassroots non-profit membership organization (not a technology company) that offers member benefits and programs supporting Montana cattle ranchers. The core offering includes advocacy services, membership programs, and educational initiatives. Key member benefits include Ranch Weather Radar for weather forecasting and The Ranchers' Voice Podcast for policy updates. The association operates Cow Camp Mercantile merchandise store and publishes the annual Seedstock & Commercial Cattle Directory. Additional programs include the M Bar Leadership Academy, Young Cattlemen's Conference, Environmental Stewardship Award Program, Top Hand recognition program, and the Producer Profitability Initiative. Events include the Annual Convention & Trade Show and MidYear Meeting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Ranchers' Voice: A podcast presented by MSGA featuring conversations on policy, the Montana Legislature, and issues impacting Montana ranching families.
• Leadership, Legacy and the Land
• Cow Camp Mercantile
• Producer Profitability Initiative

Products and services

• Individual Rancher Membership Annual membership tier for individual cattle ranchers priced based on number of head owned, providing advocacy, member benefits, event access, and policy representation.
• Ranch Package Membership Membership tier for ranch operations structured as corporations, LLCs, partnerships, trusts, or entities, allowing multiple individual memberships under a single entity umbrella.
• Allied Industry Membership Membership tier for businesses that directly or indirectly support Montana's livestock industry, including feed, equipment, insurance, financial, pharmaceutical, and agricultural technology companies.
• Annual Convention & Trade Show Annual multi-day convention and trade show for MSGA members and allied industry featuring Stockgrower Colleges, general sessions, committee meetings, banquets, and trade show exhibitor booths.
• MidYear Meeting Annual MidYear Meeting for MSGA members featuring policy-setting sessions, committee meetings, Coffee Talk, and the Sunset Banquet fundraiser.
• Ag Labor Summit Specialized event addressing agricultural labor issues affecting the ranching industry.
• Seedstock & Commercial Cattle Directory Annual directory published each August and mailed nationwide to MSGA members, livestock markets, feeders, and cattle buyers to showcase Montana cattle operations with paid priority placement options.
• M Bar Leadership Academy Leadership development program for Montana ranchers that provides training to build industry leadership skills and understanding of cattle industry policy and issues.
• Young Cattlemen's Conference Educational conference program for young cattlemen focused on industry knowledge and professional development in the beef industry.
• Blue & Gold Massey Ferguson Tractor Raffle Annual fundraising raffle in partnership with Massey Ferguson offering a four-month tractor lease as a prize, with proceeds benefiting MSGA and Montana FFA chapters.
• Cow Camp Mercantile Branded merchandise storefront on Etsy offering classic western apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and stickers.
• Ranch Weather Radar Exclusive member benefit delivering seasonal weather modeling and forecasting tailored to ranch operations to support operational risk management.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1,000,000+ raised in wildfire relief for ranchers in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Montana Association of State Grazing DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization representing state grazing districts in Montana, working collaboratively on public lands and grazing policy issues.
• Montana Public Lands CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization for western ranchers holding federal grazing permits, focusing on public lands grazing rights and policy.
• Montana CattleWomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization supporting women's involvement in the cattle industry and promoting beef consumption.
• Western Ag NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for Leadership, Legacy and the Land video series and Best of Beef Lunch at Annual Convention.
• Stockman BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services partner featured in video series content.
• Silveus InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of MidYear Meeting events.
• Massey FergusonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for annual tractor raffle program benefiting MSGA and Montana FFA chapters.
• Northern Ag NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner hosting Best of Beef Lunch speaker Ray Starling at Annual Convention.
• AgriBest FeedsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing feed product drawing for convention attendees.
• Producer PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization donating 27 tons of hay for auction at Annual Convention to benefit MSGA.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nebraska Cattlemen: Midwestern cattle producer association with comparable member dues, policy, and event model — relevant peer for benchmarking MSGA's membership economics and advocacy scale.
• Idaho Cattle Association: Idaho's state cattlemen's association, serving a similar western U.S. rancher base with advocacy, events, and membership benefits that closely parallel MSGA's structure.
• Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association: Long-established state/regional cattle industry association offering the same combination of advocacy, membership programs, and member services as MSGA, but at a larger scale across Texas and Oklahoma.
• National Cattlemen's Beef Association: National trade association for U.S. cattle producers and the most direct analog to MSGA at the federal level, advocating on similar policy, marketing, and producer-profitability issues.
• Colorado Cattlemen's Association: State-level cattle producer trade association with analogous advocacy, education, and convention programming for Colorado ranchers, making it a tightly comparable peer in mission and operating model.
• Wyoming Stock Growers Association: Direct neighboring-state peer; Wyoming's cattle rancher trade association with comparable membership, advocacy, and event-driven model serving a similar Rocky Mountain ranching constituency.

Broad incumbents

• American Farm Bureau Federation: The largest U.S. general agriculture advocacy organization with broad policy, insurance, and member-service offerings that overlap with MSGA's cattle-rancher constituency at a national scale.
• National Farmers Union: National agricultural advocacy and policy organization with a parallel grassroots model and overlapping rancher/farmer constituency, positioning it as a broader incumbent peer in policy advocacy.

Emerging players

• Montana Public Lands Council: Affiliate advocacy organization for federal grazing permit holders in Montana; shares MSGA's rancher base and policy focus but specializes in public-lands grazing issues rather than the broader cattle-industry agenda.

Regional players

• Montana Farm Bureau Federation: Montana's general-agriculture farmer/rancher advocacy organization with overlapping rancher membership and policy interests; serves as the broader agricultural incumbent competing for the same Montana producers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MTStockgrowers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCADuVdCaJzji8oFmZw7FtSw
• Facebookfacebook.com/MontanaStockgrowersAssociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/mtstockgrowers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montana-stockgrowers-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Montana Stockgrowers Association