Christian LaBar

Christian is a first-generation rancher and the owner of La Bar Livestock LLC in SW Montana. Operating entirely on leased and partnered land, the operation centers on adaptive grazing management. He runs custom-grazed cattle herds and a growing owned herd in systems designed to improve forage, soil, and land health while prioritizing profitability and flexibility.

Christian works to build partnerships with landowners, investors, and conservation partners around shared, regenerative outcomes, an approach that has shaped how he accesses land, capital, and cattle. In 2026, Christian joined the Milton Ranch in Roundup, MT, balancing business, family, and community as it begins a generational succession of the ranch. He joins the team to help carry that transition forward, aligning grazing, stewardship, and long-term planning with the family’s vision for the next generation.

Plenary Panelist

Preparing to Wear the Hat: A conversation between generations

Ranch succession is a hot topic these days. Webinars and workshops abound, mainly focused on what the older generation needs to do to prepare for successful transition. But what does the younger generation need? What prepares them to take over someone else’s life work and legacy with humility, creativity and confidence? Come hear George Whitten, a 3rd generation family rancher in CO, and Christian LaBar, an entrepreneurial rancher who created his own business and has now joined the management of the Milton Ranch in Roundup MT, as they talk together about the process of letting go, giving over, taking on and being ready as ranches move from one generation to the next.

Panelists: George Whitten, Christian LaBar, and Julie Sullivan