House Agriculture committee concurs in bill barring packaging in pig feed

Senator Shane Morigeau introduced Senate Bill 414 to the House Agriculture Committee, saying the bill "is a bill to really clean up our statutes in Montana to make sure packaging material isn't allowed to be included in pig feed." The committee concurred in the measure by voice vote, 17-0.

The bill targets commercial garbage-feeding practices, not household feeding, and would prohibit packaging materials from being included in garbage that is processed and sold or fed to swine. Morigeau told the committee he found online video examples from other states where packaged leftover loaves and other items were ground and repackaged for hog feed and said Montana should clarify its statutes to keep packaging and potential contaminants out of the food supply.

State Veterinarian Szymansky, of the Montana Department of Livestock, appeared as an informational witness and described how the original ban on garbage feeding is rooted in disease concerns. "African Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, diseases such as that can survive in improperly processed meat products," she told the committee, adding that small producers sometimes collect leftovers from grocery stores or salad bars and are not always careful about removing packaging.

Committee members asked procedural and substantive questions. A committee staff member explained effective dates for bills, saying general bills take effect Oct. 1 and measures that create fiscal impacts take effect July 1. Vice Chair Minor moved the bill do pass; Ms. Shirley seconded. The committee recorded proxy ayes (Representatives Thain, Lynch, Sullivan, Romano, and Theo) and Miss Bauer, the clerk, reported "17 voting in favor and 0 voting against." The chair announced the bill had been concurred in and noted the sponsor suggested Representative Tillman as the House carrier for the measure.

The committee closed the hearing and adjourned after scheduling two newly filed resolutions for future consideration.