Stockgrowers Help Young Ranchers Get Start With Steer Scholarship
For a young 4-H member, a first market beef project offers an opportunity to learn about raising livestock and the responsibility that comes with caring for an animal. The MonDak Area Stockgrowers Association is helping make that first step possible by again offering its steer scholarship.
The scholarship is available to 4-H members beginning their first market beef project in Dawson, Richland, Roosevelt or Wibaux counties in Montana, or Golden Valley, McKenzie or Williams counties in North Dakota.
Applications are due Nov. 20. Those interested can request an application by emailing mondakareastockgrowers@ outlook. com.
Past recipients include Jodi Albus, a member of Roosevelt County’s Centennial Clovers 4-H Club. Albus was announced as the 2023 Steer Scholarship recipient during the association’s annual meeting that November, receiving an opportunity to begin her first market beef project.
Through feeding, daily care and preparing an animal for exhibition, a market beef project introduces young people to the commitment involved in raising cattle. The scholarship is one way the association supports learning while encouraging the next generation’s involvement in agriculture.
The MonDak Area Stockgrowers Association is a nonprofit organization that supports cattle ranchers and promotes the cattle industry across eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Its mission includes protecting ranchland and ensuring ranchers have a voice in the industry’s future.
Affiliated with both the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, the local group connects producers with broader efforts to address issues affecting their livelihoods. Its meetings also provide opportunities for members to hear industry updates and learn about current concerns facing ranchers.
The association’s investment in young people continues beyond their first livestock projects. In 2025, it awarded $500 scholarships to Tally Berwick of Bainville and Rhett Rossol of Sidney, along with $1,000 scholarships to Jori Horsburgh of Cartwright, N.D., and Marett Schieber of Sidney.
Their studies included farm and ranch management, agricultural business, animal science and pre-veterinary medicine, illustrating the range of careers connected to the region’s agricultural roots.
The association’s community support also reaches school cafeterias. This year, it provided $48,000 to help local schools purchase locally produced beef for student meals. Culbertson, Savage, Lambert and Richey were among the communities receiving support.
