Tim Leeds Havre Daily News tleeds@havredailynews.com
U. S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., will be mixing business with pleasure in Havre Saturday when he holds a meeting to discuss agriculture in north-central Montana before hosting one of his annual series of Burger Bonanzas at noon. Baucus, who is running for his sixth term in the U.S. Senate, will start a listening session on agricultura l issues at 10:30 a. m. i n the Antique Room of the Duck Inn. Pe re n n i a l Re p u b l i c a n candidate Bob Kelleher won the primary in June the first win in 16 primaries in which he had run and is Baucus’ opponent in the November general election. Baucus, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee as well as the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said he plans to discuss the recently passed Farm Bill, which he helped write, as well as other upcoming challenges facing the Ag Committee. The Farm Bill was delayed for months by negotiations in both the S e n a t e a n d t h e H o u s e o f Representatives and then in a joint committee where differences between the House and Senate bills were resolved. After the bill was passed by Congress, it was vetoed by President Bush, but Congress overrode the veto. Baucus invited local farmers and ranchers to attend Saturday’s listening session, which is free and open to the public. He said he wants to hear from producers about their concerns and how he can best work with them and serve them in the Senate. After the listening session, Baucus will host a barbecue in Havre, one of a series of free lunches he is hosting around the state. Baucus will be cooking burgers for local residents who attend “There's no better way to spend a summer day than good burgers, good drinks and good people," Baucus said in a press release. "I'm excited to come to Havre and see some old friends and meet some new ones and I am certainly eager to talk about ways we can work together to continue doing what's right for Montana.” The Havre barbecue, scheduled to start at noon in Pepin Park, is the 10th of the 15 he has planned for this year.
