Buyers a crucial part of fair livestock sale

Editor’s note: This is the second of three feature stories about the community impact of the market livestock sale to be held Aug. 20 at the Northwest Montana Fair. The first article appeared in a special fair insert in Sunday’s Daily Inter Lake.

Each year more than 200 4-H and FFA students from Flathead County gather at the Northwest Montana Fair to sell the lambs, hogs, steers and heifers they have been raising for months.

There are kids and animals everywhere under the roof of the Trade Center Building. Soapy buckets to keep animals clean, pitchforks to keep stalls dry and signs adorned with pictures of students and their animals seem to occupy every square foot of leftover space. While the energy and excitement in the building is undeniable, the real action starts Saturday morning in the auction ring.

The students look up in the stands to see their friends, family and some spectators, but most importantly they’re searching the crowd for buyers.

A buyer of an animal in the stock sale can expect to take home more than enough premium quality meat to feed a family and friends. In fact, on weigh-in day steers at the sale have been averaging 1,324 pounds, lambs 135 pounds and hogs 263 pounds.

With such large animals, many potential buyers wonder what they’ll do with all the meat.

For Flathead Electric Cooperative, the purchase has turned into something truly special.

The co-op participates as a way to support the Flathead Valley’s agricultural roots and has been participating as a buyer since most longtime employees can remember. Each year the co-op purchases a few lambs, hogs and at least one steer. As soon as the meat has been processed it is delivered to food banks across the valley.

This year they’re taking their support one step further. Look for the Flathead Electric Cooperative booth at the fair to enter the new Rib-eye Raffle. One lucky winner will take home 60 premium steaks and the food banks will not only receive the remaining meat, but also all of the money raised from the raffle tickets. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.

Glacier Precast Concrete also has been creative in its thinking for making sure the purchased meat is enjoyed by many.

For the owners of the manufacturing company, Tom Anderson and his wife Tammy, this will be the 15th year they have participated in the sale. Tom helps with the weigh-in for beef, Tammy is a clerk at the sale and they purchase several animals each year as a way to support local students and say thank you to their employees.

“The idea that they’re getting prime 4-H or FFA meat is huge to [the employees] and the guys know our company is actively supporting the community and their kids,” Tom said. “They look forward to our contribution every year and feel like we’re buying them dinner for a few nights.”

Tom also believes supporting the sale is one of the best ways for a business to connect with its potential workforce — students.

“Young people just don’t have much interaction with local businesses anymore. Being prominent at the sale helps us build a relationship with some of the kids. When they’re looking for work after graduation they may just look to us for a job,” he said.

Glacier Precast has a number of current employees who came out of local 4-H and FFA programs.

Whether buyers keep the meat for themselves, their family and friends or donate it to someone else, they’re making a difference in the lives of local agricultural students.

Last year, beef sales averaged $4,950, lambs sold for an average of $895, and pork for $1,550. For most students, the money earned from the sale of their animal goes toward purchasing another for next year’s sale and many of them have even started a savings account for college.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a buyer at the sale, or want to know other ways to share your purchased meat, contact the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, an organizing partner of the sale at (406)758-2806.

The market livestock sale begins with a buyers breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Trade Center. The sale starts at 8:30 a.m. The Kalispell Chamber will host an Unwind social gathering from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at Depot Park in Kalispell, where participants will be able to meet local 4-H and FFA students along with several of their animals; a free pig roast is part of the event.

Kate Lufkin is a marketing and communications specialist for the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.