The Marias River Livestock Association is hosting a FARM & RANCH SAFETY PROGRAM with special guest speakers, Holly (Iverson) Hovland Commercial Insurance Advisor for the Leavitt Great West Insurance and Taunia Cherry - Montana State Fund Safety Management Consultant.  It will be held on October 10th at 3pm at the Marias Valley Golf & Country Club south of Shelby.

Our guest speakers will provide a great presentation on farm and ranch insurance. Holly said “when most people think of insurance they think of fender benders, hailstorms, and things that are generally out of your control. Insurance is for all those things, but even more so for the catastrophic event or the events that you never thought could happen to you. Along with Agriculture Safety, we will discuss the elephant in the room, the importance of fully insuring your operation and understanding why. Come join us and learn about safety on the land you love the most and protecting your operation to the fullest.”

Holly has been an advisor in the insurance industry for nearly a decade. In 2021 she was the recipient of a Top Ten Agent from the Leavitt Group, as well as the top Commercial Lines Agent for Leavitt Great West. Holly specializes in commercial, farm and ranch life insurance. Holly and her husband Garrett are the proud parents to three kids and reside in Sunburst where Holly is the mayor.

According to Taunia in the Montana Occupational Injuries and Illnesses report of 2021, the state experienced 40 fatalities in that year of which 11 were in the “Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting” category.  That accounts for 27.5%.  3 of these, 11 fatalities were contact with aggressive animals and 5 were transportation related. When your workplace is one of the many farms or fields in Montana, the dangers you face aren’t just numerous, they’re life-threatening. That’s because we can control fewer elements of agricultural work. Weather, livestock, terrain, and nature are powerful. The machines we use on the farm and ranch are enormous and technical. All of this requires a heightened awareness of risks and a willingness to take the few extra minutes to make the task at hand as safe as possible. The agriculture “safety culture” in our state is becoming stronger every year, which means it’s okay to speak up, take a minute and be smart about how the work of tending land and raising animals gets done.

Taunia joined Montana State Fund as a Safety Management Consultant in June of 2021. Her passion for safety was due to an industrial accident while she was in college. Taunia holds a Bachelor of Science in Safety and Health Management from Central Washington University.  Her 20 years of safety experience include manufacturing, agriculture, construction, hospital, and distribution center safety management. Taunia holds a Certified Safety Professional (CSP)certification, a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP) certification, and a Certified Healthcare Operations Professional (CHOP) designation. She is also a Certified Red Cross Instructor.

We hope you all will attend. The Leavitt Group Insurance will provide a complimentary meal for all that will attend. 

Any questions please call Dean Lerum at 406-460-0186.