U.S. Sen. Jon Tester on Saturday gave a final pitch to Montana farmers just 17 days before Election Day, reiterating the importance of the race and what is at stake if he were to lose, something the state’s senior senator doesn’t see happening.  

“I’m running and I think I’m going to win. And I know it’s going to be close,” Tester, a three-term Democrat, said after speaking at the Montana Farmers Union’s annual convention in Whitefish. 

The Saturday morning event boasted around 60 farmers and ranchers from across the state attending the convention to vote on bylaws and policy, participate in educational workshops and network. A farmer himself, Tester usually makes an appearance each year, according to Alice Miller, press relations specialist for the union.  

This appearance was unique in that Tester is currently facing off in one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, as it has the potential to flip control of the Senate in the Republicans’ favor. 

Tester’s Republican opponent, political newcomer and Bozeman businessman Tim Sheehy, is ahead by 3 points in the most recent poll conducted Oct. 13-16 by Guidant Polling and Strategy -- a result that is within the margin of error. 

The results have always been tight for the lone Democrat in Montana’s congressional delegation. In 2006, Tester beat Republican Conrad Burns by less than 1% of the vote. In 2012, he won by 3.7% and in 2018 he beat out Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale by 3.5%. 

After discussing the importance of production agriculture, Tester leaned into the upcoming election, which he said is particularly important for those in production agriculture.  

That includes the Farm Bill, a package of legislation that lays out the programs and policies for the agricultural and food industries. 

“I think the Farm Bill is going to pass regardless of who’s in the Senate because it's really fundamental for food security. I’m more concerned about what’s in that Farm Bill in the end if I’m not there,” Tester said after his speech.  

The Farm Bill is not just about farms, it’s also about food, national security and sustainability, according to National Farmers Union president Rob Larew.

“For anybody from a farm state, this should be a no-brainer, and yet it still remains an impasse,” Larew said. 

Tester is a third-generation union member and farmer from Big Sandy. The farmers union, from a kid to a senator, has remained a big part of his life, he said. The priorities that Tester has for the Farm Bill reflect that of the state union, including investing in disaster funding to help farmers -- like those along the Milk River after the St. Mary Canal siphons burst this spring -- or relief for farmers impacted by hurricanes in the South. 

Tester also pointed toward the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, something that may be at risk as Congress deliberates. A concerned union member asked Tester how to best advocate for the continuation of the program, and Tester encouraged them to reach out to members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.  

“When our food security becomes at risk, our national security is at risk,” he said. 

Tester advocated for the inclusion of a competition title into the Farm Bill, as well as creating a special investigations office to fight consolidation of the market. In 2021, Tester sponsored a bill, alongside Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley from Iowa and Mike Rounds from South Dakota, that looked to create the office. It was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry where it remains.

Tester also blasted some campaign arguments from his Senate opponent.

“If there’s one thing different in this race than in the previous races I’ve been in... I’ve never seen so damn many lies in my life,” Tester said. “If you think that I discriminate against white farmers, look at me for god's sake. If you think that I’m advocating for men to use women’s bathrooms, well hopefully you guys know me better than that. That’s not who I am.”

“I’ve always said, the only way they’ll beat me is to make me into something I’m not.” 

“They spent about $150 million [doing that]. In the end, this is about Montana. This is about making sure that our rural communities can survive,” he continued.

As of mid-October, more than $225 million has been spent in Montana's U.S. Senate race.

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.