Committee approves adding goats to county predator‑control petitions after stakeholder testimony

The Senate Agriculture committee advanced House Bill 767, which would add goats to county predator‑control petition authority and allow producers to levy a per‑capita fee to fund local predator control.

Representative Julie Darling introduced the bill, and proponents (including Callie Michaels of the Montana Wool Growers Association and Nicole Rolfe of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation) described county petition history and why a mechanism for goat producers is needed. Mike Honeycutt, executive officer for the Department of Livestock, explained operational details: county petitions are enacted by county commissions and funds are used to contract USDA Wildlife Services for flight time (aerial) coyote control; the department also participates in cooperative programs and private aerial hunters. Witnesses emphasized that these petitions are producer‑funded and benefit multiple livestock types.

Committee members pressed witnesses on differences between the Livestock Loss Board (reimbursement for losses by species like wolves and grizzly bears) and county petition funding for non‑game predators such as coyotes. Honeycutt stressed coyotes are the leading depredation issue in Montana and that county petition funding is a way for producers to pool resources for control methods.

Executive action later adopted an amendment to clarify petition age/assessment timing and the committee voted to do‑concur on HB767 as amended. The bill will be carried to the Senate floor by an identified sponsor.