As you can probably guess, there are some folks back in Washington whose perspectives don’t stretch too far beyond their desks.

That’s not me. I do my best thinking sitting on my tractor on our farm outside Big Sandy.

From that seat, I have a different perspective than most other senators. It means in the Senate I’m able to be a voice at the table for family farmers and ranchers. A voice for rural and frontier America. A voice for you – production agriculture – Montana’s number one industry. We’ve had some success these past few years, getting the folks in Congress to see things the way we do.

The Wolf Kill Bill I wrote with my friend, Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, passed Congress overwhelmingly and was signed into law by the president. The law gives a boost to Montana ranchers whose animals are killed by wolves.

Last summer, the Senate passed my plan to strip funding for Animal ID. I wrote that amendment with another friend of mine, Republican Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, because Animal ID was a multi-million dollar bad idea from the get-go. It was a raw deal for Montana’s farmers and ranchers and did nothing to improve food safety. Last month, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the right call to finally shut down this prime example of government waste.

And as Montana’s number one industry, we need to ensure that when our ag producers fall victim to extreme weather or insect damage, they have the resources they need to stay on their feet. That’s why – in instances like last year’s sugar beet freeze – I work closely with folks on the ground, and with the Department of Agriculture, to expedite assistance when it’s needed.

These accomplishments all have something in common. They all involved working together – across party lines – to get something done.

That’s a Montana value I’ll continue working with as we move forward. Because we still have a lot of challenges to deal with.

As I write this note, I’m preparing to host Secretary Vilsack in Montana. I invited Tom to come and meet our producers face-to-face, and to hear what’s working and what’s not.

He’ll also talk about the number one issue facing all Montanans right now: jobs.

Every industry is suffering from years of failed economic policies. But through efforts like my Forest Jobs and Recreation Act and my Small Business Opportunity Workshops, we’re getting our economy out of the ditch and putting folks back to work.

I’m proud to be your partner in that effort.

Whether I’m working the farm with Sharla, or working in the Senate to address our nation’s challenges, know that you have a partner and a voice.

Be well, and keep in touch.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is a third-generation farmer from Big Sandy.