The sunshine and cold weather, coupled with fresh snow on the ground, makes it feel like Christmas. At the farm, we’ve been plowing snow, skiing by the lake, and feeding pine and larch logs into the wood stove for weeks.
Soon it will be time for many to start cross-country skiing up the Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park. There are few greater experiences that Montanans enjoy than spending time outdoors. It’s just a part of who we are.
I found it hopeful that the president-elect nominated Rep. Ryan Zinke to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior. Zinke, who grew up down the street, has a good understanding of public lands issues facing our state and nation.
Zinke helped when it came time to conserve thousands of acres of private and state public lands surrounding Whitefish. Zinke is an outdoor enthusiast. I’ve seen him towing a river raft through the streets of Whitefish numerous times, returning from floating the Flathead.
Out of all the president-elect’s cabinet level nominations, Zinke offers the most promise to Montana. He always looked underappreciated as the sole state member of the U.S. House. Running an entire federal department of 70,000 civil servants while managing 75 percent of our federal lands will clearly articulate Zinke’s vision.
Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines should earnestly vet Zinke’s nomination and, absent clear objections, summarily confirm him. It’s good for Montana to have one of our own leading a federal bureaucracy. Feels like a win.
Sure, we can find plenty of policy places to disagree with Republicans like Zinke, but for today extend him the courtesy to lead. Over the course of the next probable eight years, Zinke could do a lot of good.
Christmastime offers that rare opportunity to ignore politics. I know many do.
The season presents a good chance to enjoy families, traditions and community. Take time and reflect upon the year.
Next month, the state Legislature may do big stuff on things like agricultural policy.
Jeff Essmann is a state representative from Billings. He’s chairman of the Republican Party and chairman of the House Taxation committee. He’s introduced several bills that make it tougher for small family farmers to do business in a very competitive and worldwide agricultural economy.
House Bills 27, 28 and 29 target small farmers with additional burdens and taxes. They seek to change the one-acre homestead replacement valuation of all farmsteads across Montana to a speculative market valuation.
Another bill mandates that farms need to be greater than one acre to qualify for productive valuation on property taxes. One wants to more than double the amount of revenue generated from the land before it qualifies as a farm in Montana.
Accompanying those proposed agriculture policy changes are bills to remove the non-qualified agriculture property exemption, impose new fees on nurseries, and implement the FDA’s Food Modernization Act.
Who knows what the Republican-controlled Legislature ultimately sends the governor for agricultural policy consideration. From my perspective, many of these kinds of statewide agricultural policies don’t much help the next generation of small farmers.
If the Legislature wants to slow the growth of small farms springing up across Montana, these kinds of policies would be a good way forward. But that seems just silly. Montanans want more small local farms. Policymakers shouldn’t make it harder to encourage the next generation of small producers.
But until next year, it is a time of peace. It’s a season to get out there and recreate in the great outdoors. It’s a time for skiing on the lake and spending time with family. It’s Scrabble-playing time and keeping feet warm by a fire.
Merry Christmas, Flathead. I hope your year was good and have faith the next is better.