Background

Established in 1991, the Montana Grazing Lands Coalition was the first of its kind - a convening of industry partners with the goal of bettering the grazing lands resource for stakeholders of all shapes and sizes. Over the years, the mission has continued, but the group of stakeholders has evolved.

Today, the GLC is working to reach and serve more producers than ever before by building strong partnerships, forging new paths toward technology and advanced grazing management planning, and facilitating conversations between landowners and agencies to better understand everyday needs and fill gaps in technical assistance and resource delivery.

At the core of our mission is sound grazing management planning, enhancing the soil health profile, sequestering higher levels of carbon and therefore, protecting the Treasure State’s most valuable resource: grazing lands.

Beyond technical assistance, we’re building strategic partnerships, collaborating on new, innovative grazing solutions, and working toward a bigger, more connected network of producers, agencies, NGO’s, and other stakeholder groups interested in managing sustainably in an effort to keep the working lands of Montana in working hands.

Meet the Team

Megan Terry

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Megan holds a degree in Wildlife, Sustainability, and Ecosystem Science from Tarleton State University. Following several years with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Megan went to work for a west-wide non-profit, facilitating the upstart of GLC’s across the west and other place-based collaborative efforts. As Executive Director of Montana GLC, Megan leads the Coalition in carrying out their strategic plan and develops partnerships to further implement conservation on grazing lands in Montana.

CONTACT MEGAN
Rick Caquelin

COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
Rick graduated from Montana State University with a degree in Range Science and built a 30+ year career with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), prior to retiring in 2020. He and his wife run a cow/calf operation just south of Stanford, MT. Rick finds immense value in the principles of sound grazing management and leads Montana graziers by example. As head of the Steering Committee, Rick’s main focus is identifying ways in which the organization can better the lives and the lands of Montana ranchers. In addition to serving as head of the MTGLC Steering Committee, Rick is also on the board of the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) and is an active member of the Range Monitoring Group (RMG).

CONTACT RICK
Ben Lehfeldt

COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRMAN
Ben, with wife Jamie and sons Luke and Cade, live in Lavina, Montana and run a family sheep operation. The Lehfeldt family has been in the sheep business for nearly 140 years and take great pride upholding the family legacy. Ben is currently the Vice-Chairman of Montana GLC and represents the American Sheep Industry on the National GLC board. Ben is the current Vice-President of American Sheep Industry (ASI), Vice-chairman of Sheep Genetics USA, and a board of director on the Montana Woolgrowers Association Board. Locally, Ben is the president of his county Farm Bureau group and Chairman of the Lavina School Board.

CONTACT ME

Steering Committee

Todd Barkley

Baker, MT
Todd is a fourth-generation rancher and farmer, raising the fifth generation alongside his wife, Molly. As an early adopter of “regenerative ag”, Todd leads by example, stewarding the land utilizing non-traditional grazing and wintering systems alongside no-till farming practices. Todd and his wife also have a “Greenhouse in the Snow”, a geothermal greenhouse that produces citrus fruit and table vegetables. With soil health at the center of their management strategy, the Barkley’s are innovative operators, aiming to leave the land better than they found it.
Kevin Derzapf

Technical Advisor - Bozeman, MT
As a graduate of Texas Tech University, Kevin holds a degree in Range, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management. As a tenured employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Kevin specializes in rangeland management, supporting field offices across the state in policy and practice. With previous experience leading a regional GLC, he has facilitated the growth and development of the Montana Grazing Lands Coalition and has been a valuable partner for the organization.
Amy Driggs

Eureka, MT
Amy is a 4th generation rancher at Quirk Cattle Company, just north of Eureka, MT. For nearly 140 years, her family has operated under a cow/calf model, but recently introduced hair sheep to the family operation to more efficiently utilize their resources. As an early adopter of Management Intensive Grazing, Amy and her family are often experimenting with ways in which they can enhance the soil microbiology and increase forage productivity. Amy is a Holistic Management Institute Certified Educator and utilizes her knowledge and first-hand experience to provide valuable insight and perspective on all things grazing lands.
Ben Hauptman

Technical Advisor - Drummond, MT
Ben grew up on a ranch in western Montana, developing a passion for agriculture at an early age. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource and Rangeland Ecology and Master’s degree in Land Resource and Environmental Science, both from Montana State University. Ben has worked in both ag research and Extension over the course of this career. Ben is currently the Extension Agent in Granite County, having worked for Montana State University Extension since 2013. Ben became the Co-Coordinator of Montana GLC in the spring of 2020 as a way to further promote agriculture and conservation and continues to serve the organization in 2024.
John Hollenback

Gold Creek, MT
John is generational rancher, living and working on the family place which he was born. A founding member of the Montana Grazing Lands Coalition, formerly known as the Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, John has been an instrumental part of the group’s success, helping to shape the mission and vision of the organization. In addition to his commitment to the GLC, John also serves on numerous other boards including the State Rangeland Resource Committee, Deer Lodge Valley Conservation District board, Fish Wildlife and Parks Committee, as well as several others.
Lane Nordlund

Bozeman, MT
Lane Nordlund is a respected agricultural broadcaster with deep roots in rural America. Raised in Central Montana, he has been immersed in production agriculture his entire life. He served as Montana FFA State President and later earned a degree in Agricultural Education-Relations from Montana State University. Lane co-anchors the Western Ag Network reports, heard on over 114 radio stations across ten western states, and reports on TV for WakeUp Montana NonStop Local. His podcast, the LaneCast Ag Podcast is enjoyed by listeners across the nation. He also hosts several national agricultural podcasts the "The Cattlemen’s Call" and "Eye on Potatoes." His personal experience in ranching and broadcasting helps him connect with his audience. Lane and his wife Julie run cattle with his in-laws south of Belt, MT.
Lon Reukauf

Terry, MT
Dean Wang

Baker, MT
Dean graduated from Cal Poly (SLO) in 1991 with a degree in Finance. Currently, he oversees his family cow/calf and commercial yearling operation in Baker, MT where his ancestors homesteaded in 1909. In addition to his participation with MTGLC, Dean has previously sat on the board of the Montana Stock Growers Association (MSGA).
Jim Willis

Wilsall, MT
Jim currently manages a 24,000 acre ranch in the Shields Valley of Montana. Since beginning with the 4 Diamond Ranch, Jim has implemented a number of regenerative grazing practices. This has helped the 4 Diamond become one of the largest grass finishing operations in the state, finishing approximately 200-400 head annually. Jim’s career has included managing or working for a number of cattle operations in Montana and other western states that utilized a mix of both deeded and public lands grazing.