Montana Farmers Union president elected

New president says trade wars hurt agriculture in Montana

The president of the Montana Farmers Union says Trump's trade wars have hurt Montana farmers and ranchers, and Walter Schweitzer says he will work for better trade deals.

Other officers re-elected were, from left, Rollie Schlepp, John Wendland, Tom Clark, Ben Peterson, Erik Somerfeld, Jan Tusick and Walter Schweitzer. 

Schweitzer was elected this weekend as president of the Farmer's Union, a statewide grassroots organization.

Schweitzer begins his three-year term immediately and looks forward to building upon the "great work" of his predecessors while working on behalf of family farmers, ranchers and rural communities. "I am humbled that my neighbors and fellow Montana Farmers Union members have entrusted me with this great opportunity and responsibility," Schweitzer said "I ran for this position because I have seen first-hand the negative impact the trade wars have had on folks in production agriculture all across our state.  I will ensure Montana Farmers Union fights for real trade deals that work for our members."
Schweitzer grew up in a Montana Farmers Union family and purchased his own farm at the age of 18.  Schweitzer graduated from Montana State University in 1985 with a B.S. in Agronomy. Like many members, he learned the importance of market access and common sense trade deals through the 1980s agriculture crisis.

This crisis forced him to leave his farm in order to pay down the debt he had taken on before returning to Montana in 1990.  Schweitzer and his wife Cindy Palmer work the Judith Basin family farm he grew up on.