UPDATE 1/28/17: Feb. 9, 2017 – Senate Ag Committee Hearing HB 325 to create exemption allowing raw milk sales— See Online Petition
UPDATE 4/18/15: Senate vote tied [25-25] so HB 245 may die— Call Opposing Senators Now
UPDATE 3/6/15: HB 245 passed the House[66-34]
 Photo courtesy of Raw Milk Montana and the tireless efforts of Chris Rosenau
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Montana raw milk bill (HB 245) passed the first several hurdles and the bill has moved from the House Human Services [HHS] Committee to the full House to be voted on. The bill was altered by the committee with some changes that are good and some we are not happy with in order to get enough “yes” votes from committee members for it to pass and get to the next stage. It may be changed more in the Senate committee. This is the “sausage-making” stage and the bill is not in its final form. If it makes it to the end, we still need to convince the governor to sign it into law, so please be patient.
The GREAT news is that the chairman of the HHS committee, Representative Art Wittich of Bozeman, was able to add an amendment allowing herdshare operations without testing requirements and herd size limits! The current version provides for a permit that exempts a dairy from the state prohibition on raw milk sales; to engage in on-farm sales of raw milk direct to consumers, the number of lactating animals in the herd can be no more than seven (7) cows or fifteen (15) goats or fifteen (15) sheep.
MONTANA SENATE – CALL OPPOSITION
The Senate vote on Saturday, April 18, 2015 was tied and HB 245 may die. Urgent to contact the dissenting Senators today to change their votes to ‘YES” if the bill is reconsidered. You may be able to text as well. Use the EMAIL petition to contact all of them except Senators Keene and Creek.
Dick Barrett (D), Missoula, 396-3256 [email protected]
Jill Cohenour (D), Helena, 227-1144 [email protected]
Tom Facey (D), Missoula, 240-4242 [email protected]
Bradley Hamlett (D), Cascade, 799-5885 [email protected]
Christine Kaufmann (D), Missoula, 439-0256 [email protected]
Jim Keane (D), Butte, 406-723-8378
Cliff Larsen (D), Missoula, 544-6263 [email protected]
Sue Malek (D), Missoula, [email protected]
Mary McNally (D), Billings, 671-1376 [email protected]
Mary Sheehy Moe (D), Great Falls, [email protected]
Mike Phillips (D), Bozeman, 599-5857 [email protected]
J.P. Pomnichowski (D), Bozeman, [email protected]
Diane Sands (D), Missoula, [email protected]
Jon Sesso (D), Butte, 490-7405 [email protected]
Sharon Stewart-Peregoy (D), Crow Agency, 639-2198, [email protected]
Gene Vuckovich (D), Ananconda, 560-2313 [email protected]
Lea Whitford (D), Cut Bank, [email protected]
Jonathan Windy Boy (D), Box Elder, [email protected]
Duane Ankney (R), Colstrip, 740-0629, [email protected]
Taylor Brown (R) Huntley, 252-6661 [email protected]
Pat Connell (R) Hamilton, 370-8682, [email protected]
Llew Jones (R) Conrad, 289-0345, [email protected]
Eric Moore (R), Miles City, 234-3562 [email protected]
Rick Ripley (R), Wolf Creek, 562-3502
Bruce Tutvedt (R), Kalispell, 253-9732, [email protected]
MONTANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Use the online petition to email all members of the Montana House of Representatives then follow up with a call or emails as time permits. Some Montana legislators do not have an email address listed; but you can use the online email portal to ask then to vote for HB 245. Copy/paste your message and select the following representatives: BENNETT, JERRY and GARNER, FRANK. [go to http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/64th/legwebmessage.asp]
Follow up with phone calls, especially to your own state representative [Find your legislator]. You may call the Information Desk [406-444-4800] and leave a message for up to five legislators per call.
NANCY BALLANCE (R) – HD 87
[email protected]
(406) 363-8416
BRYCE BENNETT (D) – HD 91
[email protected]
(406) 546-3629
JERRY BENNETT (R) – HD 1
use email portal
(406) 293-7012
SETH BERGLEE (R) – HD 58
[email protected]
(406) 690-9329
TOM BERRY (R) – HD 40
[email protected]
(406) 698-3940
RANDY BRODEHL (R) – HD 9
[email protected]
(406) 751-1612
BOB BROWN (R) – HD 13
[email protected]
(406) 827-9894
ZACH BROWN (D) – HD 63
[email protected]
(406) 579-5697
TOM BURNETT (R) – HD 67
[email protected]
(406) 582-0870
CHRISTY CLARK (R) – HD 17
[email protected]
(406) 466-2483
ROB COOK (R) – HD 18
[email protected]
(406) 868-3426
VIRGINIA COURT (D) – HD 50
[email protected]
(406) 259-5099
MIKE CUFFE (R) – HD 2
[email protected]
(406) 293-1247
WILLIS CURDY (D) – HD 98
[email protected]
(406) 546-0523
GERALDINE CUSTER (R) – HD 39
[email protected]
(406) 351-1235
ALAN DOANE (R) – HD 36
[email protected]
(406) 583-7546
KIMBERLY DUDIK (D) – HD 94
[email protected]
call info line (406)444-4800
MARY ANN DUNWELL (D) – HD 84
[email protected]
(406) 461-5358
JENNY ECK (D) – HD 79
[email protected]
call info line (406)444-4800
RON EHLI (R) – HD 86
[email protected]
(406) 363-3130
JANET ELLIS (D) – HD 81
[email protected]
call info line (406)444-4800
JEFF ESSMANN (R) – HD 54
[email protected]
(406) 534-3345
CLAYTON FISCUS (R) – HD 43
[email protected]
(406) 860-6400
STEVE FITZPATRICK (R) – HD 20
[email protected]
(406) 750-6764
KELLY FLYNN (R) – HD 70
[email protected]
(406) 266-3322
MOFFIE FUNK (D) – HD 82
[email protected]
(406) 461-6788
FRANK GARNER (R) – HD 7
use email portal
(406) 471-7197
CARL GLIMM (R) – HD 6
[email protected]
(406) 751-7334
EDWARD GREEF (R) – HD 88
[email protected]
(406) 370-0581
DAVE R HAGSTROM (R) – HD 52
[email protected]
(406) 248-7380
BILL HARRIS (R) – HD 29
[email protected]
(406) 429-2091
DENISE HAYMAN (D) – HD 66
[email protected]
(406) 579-1986
GREG HERTZ (R) – HD 12
[email protected]
(406) 253-9505
STEPHANIE HESS (R) – HD 28
[email protected]
call info line (406)444-4800
ELLIE BOLDMAN HILL (D) – HD 90
[email protected]
(406) 218-9608
ROY HOLLANDSWORTH (R) – HD 27
[email protected]
(406) 627-2446
KENNETH HOLMLUND (R) – HD 38
[email protected]
(406) 234-2956
CHUCK HUNTER (D) – HD 83
[email protected]
(406) 202-2030
TOM JACOBSON (D) – HD 21
[email protected]
(406) 868-9814
DONALD W JONES (R) – HD 46
[email protected]
(406) 690-1434
JESSICA KARJALA (D) – HD 48
[email protected]
(406) 672-8681
KATHY KELKER (D) – HD 47
[email protected]
(406) 652-6716
GEORGE KIPP III (D) – HD 15
[email protected]
(406) 229-1045
AUSTIN KNUDSEN (R) – HD 34
[email protected]
(406) 539-4268
DEBRA LAMM (R) – HD 60
[email protected]
(406) 223-9368
MIKE LANG (R) – HD 33
[email protected]
(406) 654-7357
SARAH LASZLOFFY (R) – HD 53
[email protected]
(406) 530-7013
STEVE LAVIN (R) – HD 8
[email protected]
(406) 212-3820
ED LIESER (D) – HD 5
[email protected]
(406) 471-2082
RYAN LYNCH (D) – HD 76
[email protected]
(406) 498-6625
MARGARET ( MARGIE ) MACDONALD (D) – HD 51
[email protected]
(406) 652-6625
FORREST MANDEVILLE (R) – HD 57
[email protected]
(406) 690-1933
THERESA MANZELLA (R) – HD 85
[email protected]
(406) 546-9462
KELLY MCCARTHY (D) – HD 49
[email protected]
(406) 839-0071
EDIE MCCLAFFERTY (D) – HD 73
[email protected]
call info line (406)444-4800
NATE MCCONNELL (D) – HD 89
[email protected]
(406) 214-2445
WENDY MCKAMEY (R) – HD 23
[email protected]
(406) 868-5006
JONATHAN MCNIVEN (R) (Resigned November 19, 2014; replaced by Rep. Tom Richmond)HD 56
ROBERT MEHLHOFF (D) – HD 22
[email protected]
(406) 453-3526
G. BRUCE MEYERS (R) – HD 32
[email protected]
(406) 399-7776
MIKE MILLER (R) – HD 80
[email protected]
(406) 793-5860
MATTHEW MONFORTON (R) – HD 69
[email protected]
(406) 570-2949
DAVID ( DOC ) MOORE (R) – HD 92
[email protected]
(406) 239-3499
DALE MORTENSEN (R) – HD 44
[email protected]
(406) 855-1424
MARK NOLAND (R) – HD 10
[email protected]
(406) 837-4810
PAT NOONAN (D) – HD 74
[email protected]
(406) 565-0518
ANDREA OLSEN (D) – HD 100
[email protected]
call info line (406)444-4800
ALBERT OLSZEWSKI (R) – HD 11
[email protected]
406-253-8248
RYAN OSMUNDSON (R) – HD 30
[email protected]
406-374-2449
CAROLYN PEASE-LOPEZ (D) – HD 42
[email protected]
406-245-2265
RAE PEPPERS (D) – HD 41
[email protected]
406-697-0565
ZAC PERRY (D) – HD 3
[email protected]
406-261-9642
ANDREW PERSON (D) – HD 96
[email protected]
406-210-0161
GORDON PIERSON (D) – HD 78
[email protected]
406-846-3335
RANDALL PINOCCI (R) – HD 19
[email protected]
406-264-5391
CHRISTOPHER S POPE (D) – HD 65
[email protected]
406-581-8739
JEAN PRICE (D) – HD 24
[email protected]
406-452-9315
LEE RANDALL (R) – HD 37
Lee Randall
406-436-2807
ALAN REDFIELD (R) – HD 59
[email protected]
406-220-1247
KEITH REGIER (R) – HD 4
[email protected]
406-756-6141
VINCE RICCI (R) – HD 55
[email protected]
406-855-9153
TOM RICHMOND (R) (Replaced Rep. Jonathan McNiven ) – HD 56
[email protected]
406-208-5588
DANIEL SALOMON (R) – HD 93
[email protected]
406-675-0150
CASEY SCHREINER (D) – HD 25
[email protected]
406-565-0372
NICHOLAS SCHWADERER (R) – HD 14
[email protected]
406-493-7835
RAY SHAW (R) – HD 71
[email protected]
406-842-5039
BRIDGET SMITH (D) – HD 31
[email protected]
406-230-2286
SCOTT STAFFANSON (R) – HD 35
[email protected]
406-480-0467
TOM STEENBERG (D) – HD 99
[email protected]
406-721-5869
KATHY SWANSON (D) – HD 77
[email protected]
406-563-5312
MITCH TROPILA (D) – HD 26
[email protected]
406-899-3474
BRAD TSCHIDA (R) – HD 97
[email protected]
406-546-4349
KIRK WAGONER (R) – HD 75
[email protected]
406-465-8291
SUSAN WEBBER (D) – HD 16
[email protected]
406-338-2159
JEFFREY WELBORN (R) – HD 72
[email protected]
406-949-6070
KERRY WHITE (R) – HD 64
[email protected]
406-587-3653
KATHLEEN WILLIAMS (D) – HD 61
[email protected]
406-570-1917
NANCY WILSON (D) – HD 95
[email protected]
406-531-6994
ART WITTICH (R) – HD 68
[email protected]
406-599-9836
TOM WOODS (D) – HD 62
[email protected]
406-850-4461
DANIEL ZOLNIKOV (R) – HD 45
[email protected]
406-861-5210
MESSAGE: I urge you to vote YES on the Raw Milk Bill [HB 245], to support property rights consumer access to raw milk via the small dairy herd exemption and recognizing the legality of herdshare arrangements.
YOUR FUNDS AT WORK
Services provided by the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) go beyond providing legal representation for members in court cases.
Educational and Political Action Services also provide an avenue for FTCLDF to build grassroots activism to create the most favorable regulatory climate possible. In addition to advising on bill language, FTCLDF supports favorable legislation via action alerts, social media outreach, and the online petition service.
You can help FTCLDF by becoming a member or donating today.
Anyone wanting to make a contribution to support the work of the Fund can make a donation online or send a check to:
FTCLDF
8116 Arlington Blvd, # 263
Falls Church, VA 22042
Prefer to make a tax-deductible donation? Contact us by email at [email protected] or call 703-208-FARM (3276).