Fort Belknap 4-H to Hold Private Treaty Livestock Sale
July 29, 2020
The three 4-H clubs that serve the Fort Belknap area will be holding their 4-H Private Treaty Livestock Sale from August 3-13. Potential buyers include anyone wishing to support local youth or wanting to buy quality beef and pork with a known origin.
According to MSU-Fort Belknap Reservation Extension Office Agent, Liz Werk, 4-H members from Lucky Charms (Dodson), Little Rockies (Hays), and Wild Horse (Fort Belknap Agency) clubs brought their steers and hogs to the Hays Scale for an official weigh-in on July 25. These weights will be projected and printed, along with information about the animal breed and the 4-H member, in a sale catalog that the Extension Office will be printing and distributing.
Although the catalog will be sent digitally to anyone requesting a copy, it will also be available on the Fort Belknap Reservation Extension Office (FBREO) Facebook Page on July 28. A few physical copies will be printed, as well, Werk reported. So, anyone wishing to receive a copy or wanting additional information is encouraged to contact her by calling 406-390-3080.
The catalog will feature 14 steers and 13 hogs, which will sell beginning August 3 until August 13. Buyers will have access to sellers’ contact information, and bidders can connect with the parents of the sellers by text, Facebook, or phone, depending on the option specified in the catalog. All sales are final at 5:00 p.m. on August 13, at which time 4-H members will need to turn in the name of the buyer and the purchase price to the Extension Office.
Werk encourages potential buyers to look for 4-H advertising on the FBREO Facebook Page. “Other than the assistance we will provide with advertisement and promotions, the youth will be selling these 27 animals on their own. This catalog sale method will be a first for all of us, so it is bound to be an incredible learning experience. Even with the huge learning curve, our youth are adapting and adjusting quickly.”
The Fort Belknap Indian Community is due to revisit its response to the pandemic on July 31, but that schedule would not have allowed sufficient planning and time to organize a sale, so this alternative to a live or virtual auction was chosen. Modelled after the Blackfeet Reservation’s 4-H Livestock Sale, the catalog sale idea was adopted by Werk under the guidance of Verna Billedeaux, an agent with the Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) Montana State University.
“Fairs and programs have been really creative amid the COVID crisis to make sure we bring 4-H to a successful conclusion for the young people,” Werk said.
All animals will be delivered to Hi-Line Meats in Malta on August 14 from 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. for processing.
“Our sale was incredible last year, and we have enjoyed great support from both the Tribe and the parents so far. I am expecting another good year for the livestock sale. Purchasers can be assured that they are getting quality local beef and pork. I suspect that tribal programs and families will want that assurance,” stated Werk.