Senate committee reviews wide package of amendments to House Bill 0119 on Montana cattle assessment and committee structure

The Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Committee spent its meeting reviewing a package of amendments to House Bill 0119, a measure to create a Montana cattle assessment and a statewide cattle committee to administer promotional and industry-support activities. Committee members and stakeholders discussed changes to who may nominate committee members, how an initial referendum would be funded, turnout thresholds for a valid vote, refund timing and procedures, and limits on how committee funds could be used. No final vote on the bill or the amendment package was taken at the hearing.

Committee discussion centered on several recurring topics. Several amendments would broaden the language that governs nominations, replacing a list of specific named organizations with a wider category — “agricultural groups with an interest in the production and marketing of cattle and cattle byproducts” — intended by proponents to keep the statute "evergreen" and to allow, for example, tribal agricultural groups to submit nominations. At the same time other amendments would retain named groups and increase committee membership from seven to 11, creating an explicit conflict between amendments that the committee flagged for resolution.

Stakeholders and staff…