Rotunda Roundup

from Montana Farmers Union

Legislative Update for

Feb 17th - 21st

The following is a weekly update of Montana Farmers Union involvement in the 2025 Montana Legislative Session. MFU is the state's largest and oldest grassroots family farm advocacy organization representing family farms, ranches, and rural communities for more than 100 years.

High Level Action Alert: 

TAKE ACTION TODAY: Tell your Representative vote YES

on HB 440 – Put Montana Food First

HB 440 - Providing tax incentives to put Montana-produced food first, sponsored by Rep. Jane Weber. Following a hearing on Feb. 18, the bill has passed out of the House Taxation Committee 18-3. The goal of this bill is to provide an incentive opportunity for retailers to stock Montana foods on their shelves, providing a subtraction from individual income and corporate income taxes for the income from Montana-Produced food. This is completely voluntary. 

Status & Next Steps: The Bill will move to the House Floor for second Reading next. TAKE ACTION! And send a letter today to your Representative and ask them to vote yes on putting MT Food First with HB 440

TAKE ACTION TODAY: Let’s get the numbers on Montana Food Procurement

SB 246: Provide for Montana First Procurement laws and establish reporting requirements, sponsored by Sen. Cora Neumann. The bill provides a reporting requirement for contracts for the procurement of food products by a governmental body with a total contract value of $100,000 or more. SB 246 is a great starting place to gain an understanding of where we are at with using Montana taxpayer dollars for procurement of our large state institutional contracts (think food for the state hospital, Department of Corrections, University systems, etc). This reporting will help us know how much of that is local Montana food so farmers and ranchers understand better how to market to and serve institutions in Montana. 

Status & Next Steps: The bill was heard in the Senate State Administration Committee on Feb.19, with no opponents to the bill. We are asking you to send a letter of support to the committee today!

TAKE ACTION TODAY: Contact your Senator and tell them to send HB 119 back to the drawing board. 

HB 119 - Establish MT Cattle Committee: second beef check-off in the works. MFU is opposed to the bill as written.The bill provides for a politically appointed committee that would collect an assessment fee of $1 from Montana Cattle producers upon a referendum vote. 

 Status & Next Steps: The House of Representatives passed the bill out of their chamber on third reading, 52-47. The bill will be heard in the Senate Ag Committee soon.

TAKE ACTION! Reach out and make your voice heard today. Click here to use our action alert system to send an email to your Senator today.

Some additional highlights from this week: 

HB 390: MT Ag Right to Repair, sponsored by Rep. Paul Tuss. The bill would provide Montana farmers, ranchers, and independent mechanics access to the tools and software needed to fully repair their own equipment. The bill was unfortunately tabled in the House Business and Labor Committee with an 8-12 vote.  

Legislators who voted to kill the bill: 

Buttrey, Ed (R-21) Fitzpatrick, Steve (R-24) Gist, Steve (R-25) Ler, Brandon (R-33) Maness, Shannon (R-70) Marshall, Ron (R-87) Nicol, Nelly (R-53) Oblander, Greg (R-38) Schomer, Curtis (R-48) Seekins-Crowe, Kerri (R-39) Sprunger, Courtenay (R-7) Thiel, Morgan (R-30) 

Legislators who voted to support the bill: 

Carter, Bob (D-96) DeMarois, Scott (D-71) Fitzpatrick, Chip (D-42) Isaly, Jamie (D-58) Karlen, Jonathan (D-98) Lynch, Jennifer (D-73) Seckinger, Joshua (D-62) Sullivan, Katie (D-93)

SJ 11 –  Interim study on farmer's markets and food systems, sponsored by Sen. Butch Gillespie. This study will look at clarifying the regulatory framework around farmers markets in Montana and provides the opportunity for stakeholders to come to the table and figure out what may or may not be working. There have been a lot of changes around cottage food laws and homemade local foods in the last couple of legislative sessions which has created confusion for both those selling at markets and those working on the food safety and liability. The study will also identify how farmers markets can be better supported as economic opportunities for farmers and ranchers.

 Status & Next Steps: The bill was heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee this week, where they will vote on the bill soon.  

SB 186 - Provide for expedited processing in district courts of water cases arising under final decrees,sponsored by Sen. Barry Usher. SB 186 is in response to the proposed creation of a new Water Court to oversee water cases after the adjudication process is finished. MFU supports water cases going to the District Court level once the adjudication process is finished. This bill would help to expedite water cases in the district court. It keeps the water cases to be decided at the local level first. It allows the district court judge to have experts if needed to assist in the water case. 

Status & Next Steps: The bill was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week where they will vote on the bill soon. 

SB 189 - Lower residential, commercial, and agricultural property tax rates, sponsored by Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell. MFU supports SB 189 to lower property tax rates for main street businesses, farmers, ranchers, and residential property owners. MFU policy supports rebalancing the tax burden between corporate, small business, residential, and agricultural taxpayers. During the 2023 legislative session, the legislature chose not to equalize taxable values in response to rapid increases in residential property prices. This bill takes a good step to bring back fairness for farmers, who often pay multiple types of taxes. The Department of Revenue projects that, in Yellowstone County, people owning grazing land will pay $15 less per acre on a 120-acre parcel, and a commercial property owner in McCone County would pay $408 less on a $100,000 property. 

Status & Next Steps: The bill was heard in the Senate Tax Committee this week where they will vote on the bill soon.  

HB 418: Ban mRNA vaccines in Montana for animals,

sponsored by Rep. Greg Kmetz

MFU does not support HB 418, which would hinder farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to work with their veterinarians to make the choice that is best for their livestock and herd health and security. 

Status & Next Steps: The bill was heard in the House Agriculture Committee this week where they will vote on the bill soon. 

Notable bills coming up for MFU: 

SB 371: “An Act Providing Tax Incentives for the Sale of Montana-produced Goods; Providing a Subtraction from Individual Income and Corporate Income Taxes for the Income from Montana-Produced goods, sponsored by Sen. Cora Neumann. This bill provides an incentive opportunity for retailers to stock Montana-produced goods on their shelves, providing a subtraction from individual income and corporate income taxes for the income from Montana-Produced goods. This is completely voluntary for retailers. More competition in the marketplace is good for consumers and producers. Corporate control and influence hinders competitive opportunity for Montana producers to gain shelf and market access. 

Status & Next Steps: The bill will be heard in the Senate Tax Committee soon.  

We will continue to track bills that impact family farms and ranches and rural communities and keep you informed. 

Questions?

Please contact Rachel Prevost at rprevost@montanafarmersunion.com

or Jasmine Krotkov at jkrotkov@montanafarmersunion.com

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Press Information: montanafarmersunion.com/media-press-kit/

MFU President Walter Schweitzer: 406-799-3782

Montana Farmers Union has worked more than 100 years for family farms, ranches, and rural communities. MFU supports its members through: Strong education programs for both youth and adults, by advocating member-driven policies and legislation at the state and federal level, and cooperation through producer-owned co-ops. For more information, visit www.montanafarmersunion.com.