Growing fair market sale draws widespread support

The 4-H/FFA Market Stock Sale at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo marks the culmination of months of blood, sweat and maybe even some tears for local youth who have raised an animal with the intention of selling it for top dollar.

Many of the youth use the proceeds from the sale of their steer, hog or lamb to help pay for college or purchase their first vehicle. But more important than the money they earn, these kids learn the value of hard work.

That, according to Mark Lalum, is what the program is all about. Lalum is the chair of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce’s Agriculture Committee and is widely known around the Flathead Valley as the general manager of the CHS Mountain Coop and former agriculture teacher in Kalispell School District’s FFA program. He has been heavily involved with the market stock sale for decades and has an affinity for working with youth.

“There is so much to learn with raising an animal,” Lalum said. “The absolute responsibility to feed it every day and care for it. You have to do it. It’s not a matter of if you want to or ‘I don’t feel good.’ It has to be done.”

Lalum was born and raised in the Flathead Valley. Although he didn’t grow up on a farm, he participated in 4-H and raised his first market sale animal, a hog, in the summer of 1969.

“I was the only town kid in the program,” he said. “Now you’re lucky to have one or two farm kids in the program.”

“I think the program is more important today than it was when I was in school,” he said. “Learning where our food comes from and the process. These aren’t pets. These animals are for meat production, and that’s another important part of the learning process.”

Fortunately for youth who don’t live on a farm, the Kalispell Agricultural Education Center offers space for them to raise their animals. Lalum estimates the center has room for 150 hogs and eight to 10 steers.

The existence of the Agricultural Center along with strong FFA and 4-H programs in the Flathead Valley help explain why the stock sale numbers continue to climb, even amidst the conversion of agricultural land to other uses.

“We have the strongest FFA and 4-H programs in the state of Montana,” Lalum said. “We have tremendous backing from schools, parents and county commissioners.”

But the buyers are the main driver behind the growth of the sale, according to Lalum. Local businesses and organizations like Les Schwab Tire Center, Flathead Electric Co-op, Western Outdoor, Super 1 Foods, Schellinger Construction Co. and many others show up year after year to purchase an animal. Last year’s sale saw a record 255 unique buyers and a 24% increase in sales over the previous year. The grand total of $797,236.50 raised in the 2021 sale has some people speculating whether this year’s sale could near the $1 million mark.

Another unique aspect of the Northwest Montana Fair’s stock sale is the impressive number of buyers who donate their purchases to area food banks. It’s a win-win for the seller and the buyer when the end result helps put local meat on the tables of people in need.

“You don’t see this in other communities,” Lalum remarked.

The 2022 Northwest Montana Fair market livestock sale is scheduled for Saturday in the Trade Center Building. Buyers are invited to a breakfast from 7 to 8 a.m., immediately followed by the sale. For more information, or to arrange for a proxy buyer, contact the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce at info@kalispellchamber.com or (406) 758-2800.