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Committee Hears Broad Support for Study of Farmers Markets, Sponsor Urges Green Vote
Summary
Senate committee heard extensive proponent testimony for Senate Joint Resolution 11, a study of farmers markets and local food systems. Testimony highlighted regulatory confusion from recent cottage-food laws, economic benefits, food security and regional food access; sponsor recommended a green pass to the Senate floor.
Sen. Bruce "Butch" Gillespie, sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 11, told the Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Committee that the study would help bridge a growing gap between Montana producers and urban consumers and asked members to advance the resolution to the full Senate.
The measure would convene subject-matter experts to examine Montana law and operations around farmers markets, cooperative food enterprises and related local-food activities. "We rise today in support of SJ 11," Kaly Wicks of Grow Montana told the committee, saying stakeholders had encountered confusion implementing the Local Food Choice Act and "that section of code is a mess," according to Wicks.
Why it matters: Proponents—ranchers, nonprofit networks, food banks, public-health advocates and market organizers—said the study could clarify liability and enforcement, help markets operate as viable businesses, and expand access to fresh foods in parts of the state described as food deserts.
Supporters stressed economic and public-health impacts. Tammy Howard of the Montana Farmers Market Network said farmers markets "in 2021... generated $7,300,000 in revenue and an additional $10,400,000 in additional new spending" across Montana. Ian Finch of Farm Connect Montana said his organization helped start 47 farms in the past three years, and that market-based benefit programs connected nearly 11,000 Montanans and redeemed just under $1 million in benefits over that time.
Tribal and rural perspectives also featured prominently. Patrick Yawake, representing several tribal communities and the People’s Food Signing Program, urged the committee to consider food sovereignty, localized distribution and tribal-led programs that partner with federal commodity programs. Producer witnesses, including rancher Tom Tscheda and Missoula market organizer Pam Walzer, described markets as incubators for new products and said the Montana Code Annotated’s current definition of an authorized farmers market may be out of step with how most markets are organized and operated today.
Informational testimony from Mercedes Overlie, lead sanitarian at the Department of Public Health and Human Services, flagged public-health and cottage-food regulations as areas the study could clarify. Committee members asked which stakeholders would be included; proponents said the draft calls for collaboration with market representatives, local health experts, economic-development staff, tribal governments and others and that they were open to including additional local organizers and the Montana Department of Agriculture.
Sponsor closing: Gillespie said the study could help bridge rural-urban divides and, citing recent egg-price and avian-flu impacts on supply, urged the committee to advance SJ 11. "I would just recommend a green vote pass this thing onto the Senate floor," he said.
What’s next: The committee closed the hearing after the sponsor’s recommendation; members will decide whether to report SJ 11 to the Senate floor for further action.
