The Montana Stockgrowers Foundation hosted its annual Raising the Steaks Environmental Stewardship Tour on September 23, at the Goggins Ranch. The ranch is owned and operated by Pat Goggins, Janet Endecott, and Rachel Endecott.

The Raising the Steaks Ranch Tour gathers an intimate group of thoughtful, creative individuals to put their boots on the ground and their heads in the game in facilitated diverse and informative discussions that highlight current issues and solutions to challenges ranchers and conservationists face when managing private and public lands for future generations.

The 2024 tour was hosted at the Goggins Ranch located in Ennis and McAllister, Mont. The Goggins Ranch was awarded the 2023 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award (ESAP). The tour started with an introduction to the Goggins/Endecott family and a review of the ranch’s history.

Then, attendees visited various stops at the ranch’s Ennis and McAllister locations to discuss grazing, wildlife management, stream restoration, cattle health, and urban sprawl. A highlight of the tour was showcasing the Goggins Ranch’s riparian pasture fencing and hardened crossings to protect sensitive habitats.

In 2011, the Goggins Ranch volunteered to participate in partnership with the Madison Conservation District (MCD), Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MTFWP), Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), and Northwestern Energy to consider alternatives to their riparian management strategies. Through a comprehensive pilot project, the ranch incorporated adaptive management techniques on South Meadow Creek to improve the ecological condition of the stream and adjacent rangeland.

To conclude the tour, a networking dinner was hosted to review topics discussed that day.

Attendees on the tour included students of the Dan Scott Ranch Management Program, natural resource experts, wildlife advocates, educators, media, Montana State University dietetic interns, Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) leadership and more.

MSF would like to thank the Goggins/Endecott families for welcoming the tour onto their ranch and hosting a diverse group of individuals to create a deeper connection between land, livestock, and conservationists.