Welcome to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund page to track food freedom activism in Montana, particularly state legislation affecting family farms, artisan food producers, homesteaders and real food consumers.
You can learn about the lawmaking process in Montana and guidelines for contacting legislators at the website (www.leg.mt.gov). Check here for the latest on HB 325 and HB 352.
Quick Links:
LOCATION — LEGISLATURE FORM — WHO REPRESENTS YOU — PRIVACY
STATE LEGISLATION (Updated 3/2/2017)
>> SEND COMMENTS on HB 352 <<GO TO FORM – Montana Legislative Messaging Form
2017-02-13: >> HB 352 ACTION PLAN << —HB 352: Support Local Food Choice Act
HB352 Alert Links: ACTION PLAN — TALKING POINTS — SPREAD THE WORD — CONTACT INFO
NOTE: Information on Montana HB 352 (introduced 1/31/2017) is subject to change without notice.
>> HB 325 PETITION <<
Sign Up Now – Support HB 325, Change Montana Law to Allow Direct-to-Consumer Raw Milk Sales & Herdshares!
>> HB 325 ACTION LOG << —HB 325: Support Direct-to-Consumer Raw Milk Access
>> What People Are Saying << [PDF: Feb3-Apr4] or www.bit.do/MTRAWMILK
HB325 Alert Links: ACTION PLAN — TALKING POINTS — SPREAD THE WORD — CONTACT INFO
NOTE: Information on Montana HB 325 (introduced 1/26/2017) is subject to change without notice.
Throughout the legislative session, please attend hearings and contact legislators regarding the bills. Some hearings may be scheduled on short notice but your attendance can make a difference. Watch for action alerts as matters can change quickly, from supporting a bill to opposing detrimental provisions.
2017 HB 352 ACTION ALERT (Updated 3/2/2017)Quick Links: LOCATION — LEGISLATURE FORM — WHO REPRESENTS YOU — PRIVACY
NOTE: This Alert will be revised as warranted to track the progress of Montana House Bill 352 (HB 352).
HB 352: Support Montana Local Food Choice Act
>> SEND COMMENTS on HB 352 <<
– Montana Legislative Messaging Form
STATUS: Transferred to Senate; HB352 Passed House Feb. 28 [Vote 69-Y/31-N]
LATEST ALERT –
2017-02-13: Montana HB 352 Alert – Hearing on Local Food Choice Act Feb. 14 at 3pm – ACT NOW!
Alert Links: ACTION PLAN — TALKING POINTS — SPREAD THE WORD — CONTACT INFO
Allow Direct Access to Homemade Foods
Introduced by Rep. Greg Hertz (R – House District 12), Montana House Bill 352(HB 352) is intended to provide Montana citizens unimpeded access to healthy foods from known sources. The bill would allow the sale and consumption of homemade food and food products. HB 352 aims to encourage the expansion of fresh and local agricultural product sales by ranches, farms, and home-based producers to informed end consumers. The bill would include the sale of nearly all foods; uninspected meat cannot be sold.
WHY Is This Bill Important?
HB 352 would allow the face-to-face sale of food products through delivery at any agreed upon venue in Montana directly to consumers as long as the producer informs the consumer that the food product is neither certified, regulated, nor inspected. Foods sold under this bill are to be intended to be consumed only at home and at traditional community social events.
Progress of HB 352
The amended version of HB 325 passed the House Agriculture Committee on February 23 [12-YES/11-NO] and the passed the full House on February 28, 2017 [69-YES/31-NO]. HB 352 was transmitted to the Senate on March 1, 2017.
Read the Bill [PDF] – 2017 Legislature, House Bill No. 352
Track Bill Status at leg.mt.gov
Last Related Posts
2017-02-13: Montana Local Food Choice Act HB 352
2017 HB 352 – ACTION PLAN (Updated 2/13/2017)
TAKE ACTION – see TALKING POINTS below
STEP 1: Contact the House Agriculture Committee
Prepare a statement (1250 characters or less) to send through the Montana Legislature website to the House Agriculture Committee before the hearing on February 14, 2017.
Go to MT Legislature FORM.You are welcome to elaborate on any TALKING POINT (see below). A printed copy of your message will be delivered to each committee member.
STEP 2: Contact Your Representative
Identify your state legislators. IF a committee member is YOUR state Representative, then follow up with a courteous phone call. Montana legislators use their personal phones so please be respectful of that when leaving voicemail.
a) Enter your address and click on “Find My District” to see who represents you:Go to LEGISLATOR LOOKUP
b) Check list of committee members to see if your Representative is on the House Agriculture Committee:Go to House Agriculture COMMITTEE MEMBERS
STEP 3: Attend Committee Hearing
The House Agriculture Committee hearing on HB 352 is scheduled for February 14 at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Room 137, Montana State Capitol building in Helena.
Go to LOCATION for details.
2017 HB 352 – TALKING POINTS (Updated 2/13/2017)
TALKING POINTS
You can use any of these ideas to express your support for HB 352.
- 1. People should have the right to be able to obtain the food of their choice from the source of their choice.
- 2. Community-based commerce stimulates local economies; dollars stay local and support family farms and home-based businesses that provide superior nutrition to those seeking out locally produced food.
- 3. Locally produced food has an excellent track record for food safety; there is a transparency and traceability with local food that is not present with mass-produced food.
2017 HB 352 – SPREAD THE WORD (Updated 2/13/2017)
Please help spread the word and reach out to those interested in protecting food freedom. Invite them to take action in support of HB 352.
- Like, share, repost on Facebook. See graphics below.
- Tweet actions and talking points on Twitter.
- Ask family, friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same.
- Ask your state legislators to support HB 352. Calls and visits are more effective than emails.
2017 HB 352 – CONTACT INFO (Updated 2/21/2017)
Montana legislators use their personal phones so please be respectful of that when leaving voicemail.
View House Agriculture Committee Members
AUDIO: HB 352 Hearing Feb. 14 – Montana House Ag Committee [time 1:44:43]
2017 HB 352 – SOCIAL MEDIA (Updated 2/13/2017)
ARTICLES
2017-02-13: “Proposed Homemade Foods Bill Makes Health Officers Queasy”Montana Public Radio – Cole Grant “We cook food in our own kitchens every day for our family,” says Hertz [bill sponsor]. “We have our neighbors over. It’s being done; no one’s getting sick.” Matt Kelley, a health officer with the Gallatin City-County Health Department, says the lack of regulation could put Montanans at greater risk for food-borne illness. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services also opposes the bill. — SEE Talking Point #3
FACEBOOK – These links open new tabs; you may have to login at Facebook in order to view them.
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund
HB 352 Graphics for Social Media (Updated 2/13/2017)
The following graphics are at least 200×200 pixel but the original file size may differ.
Original Size: 513×512
“Vote YES on HB 352 – Support Montana Local Food Choice Act”
2017 HB 325 ACTION ALERT (Updated 4/7/2017)Quick Links: LOCATION — LEGISLATURE FORM — WHO REPRESENTS YOU — PRIVACY
NOTE: This Alert will be revised as warranted to track the progress of Montana House Bill 325 (HB 325).
HB 325: Support Direct-to-Consumer Raw Milk Access
>> HB 325 PETITION <<
Register Your Support
STATUS: Passed Senate Committee Apr. 6;
HB325 Passed House Feb. 21 [Vote 71-Y/29-N]
LATEST ALERT –
2017-02-21: URGENT Montana HB 325 Raw Milk – House Votes TODAY! as early as 1 pm
>> What People Are Saying << [PDF: Feb3-14] & [PDF: Feb3-Apr4]
Share this link: www.bit.do/MTRAWMILK
Alert Links: ACTION PLAN — TALKING POINTS — SPREAD THE WORD — CONTACT INFO
Change Montana Law to Allow Direct-to-Consumer Raw Milk Sales & Herdshares
Forty-two states currently allow access to raw milk through statute, regulation, or government policy. Montana is one of the eight states that do not; all states bordering Montana have legalized the sale or distribution of raw milk, costing Montana dairy farms business.
WHY Is This Bill Important?
Introduced by Rep. Nancy Ballance (R – House District 87), Montana House Bill 325 (HB 325) would change that by legalizing the on-farm sale of raw milk and raw milk products by producers with up to ten lactating cows or twenty lactating goats or twenty lactating sheep producing raw milk for human consumption. The producer must have a small herd exemption permit issued by the Department of Livestock (DOL). Producers with the permit must meet milk testing and sanitary requirements. The bill also legalizes the distribution of raw milk pursuant to a herd share agreement without regulation by DOL. There must be a written bill of sale showing evidence of an ownership interest in the herd.
Progress of HB 325
As of February 16, HB 325 was amended to limit the “small dairy” herd size to five cows or ten goats/sheep that are lactating and kept for producing milk. The annual registration fee would be $5 and no licensing can be required. The DOL Director has agreed to eliminating the testing and sanitary requirements for any “small dairy” as defined in the bill.
The amended version of HB 325 passed the House Agriculture Committee on February 16 [12-YES/11-NO] and the passed the full House on February 22, 2017 [69-YES/30-NO/1-Absent]. HB 325 has now been assigned to the Senate House Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Committee which scheduled a hearing for March 14, 3:00 p.m. Tuesday. The bill was tabled but not killed.
On April 6, HB 325 was untabled and passed the Senate committee [7-YES/4-NO] and moved to the full Senate for a vote as amended [PDF]. The amended version is close to the original (e.g., “registrant” instead of “permittee” and number of animals back to 10 cows or 20 goats/sheep).
Read the Bill –
As introduced [PDF] – 2017 Legislature, House Bill No. 325
Amendments 2017-02-16 [PDF]
As amended 2017-04-06 [PDF]
Track Bill Status at leg.mt.gov
Last Related Posts
2017-02-21: URGENT Montana HB 325 Raw Milk – House Votes TODAY! as early as 1 pm
2017-02-17: Montana HB 325 Raw Milk – Contact Your House Rep. TODAY!
2017-02-08: Montana HB 325 Alert – Raw Milk Hearing Feb. 9 at 3pm – ACT NOW!
2017-02-03: Montana HB 325 Alert – Raw Milk Access via Herdshares & Small-Herd Sales
2015-06-18: State Raw Milk Legislation Recap – 2015
2017 HB 325 – ACTION PLAN (Updated 2/2/2017)
TAKE ACTION – see TALKING POINTS below
STEP 1: Use the HB 325 Petition
Express your interest in supporting access to farm fresh raw milk in Montana. Please use the HB 325 petition to post your comments and concerns as often as you like.
Go to HB 325 PETITIONThe messages will be compiled and sent to the bill sponsor and possibly other legislators. We’ll email timely action alerts as warranted. Click here for privacy details.
As of April 7, comments are emailed directly to the Senators. View compiled PDF [Feb3-Apr4], which was emailed to Senate committee members, at BIT.DO/MTRAWMILK.
STEP 2: Contact the House Agriculture Committee
Prepare a statement (1250 characters or less) to send through the Montana Legislature website to the House Agriculture Committee before the hearing on February 9, 2017.
Go to MT Legislature FORM.You are welcome to elaborate on any TALKING POINT (see below). A printed copy of your message will be delivered to each committee member.
STEP 3: Contact Your Representative
Identify your state legislators. IF a committee member is YOUR state Representative, then follow up with a courteous phone call. Montana legislators use their personal phones so please be respectful of that when leaving voicemail.
a) Enter your address and click on “Find My District” to see who represents you:Go to LEGISLATOR LOOKUP
b) Check list of committee members to see if your Representative is on the House Agriculture Committee:Go to House Agriculture COMMITTEE MEMBERS
STEP 4: Attend Committee Hearing
The House Agriculture Committee hearing on HB 325 is scheduled for February 9 at 3 p.m. Thursday in Room 137, Montana State Capitol building in Helena.
Go to LOCATION for details.
2017 HB 325 – TALKING POINTS (Updated 2/2/2017)
TALKING POINTS
You can use any of these ideas to express your support for HB 325.
- 1. The consumption of raw milk and raw milk products is already a legal right throughout the United States; consumers should be able to obtain these products legally from Montana sources.
- 2. The current prohibition on the sale of raw milk is costing Montana farmers revenue. Why should producers in neighboring states get the business of Montana consumers?
- 3. Raw milk sales will boost the rural economy of Montana; producers offering raw milk and raw milk products can increase their sales of other farm foods once consumers are buying from their farms.
- 4. Raw milk has a good track record for food safety, with fewer illnesses than a number of “legal foods”. With consumers obtaining raw dairy products direct from the farm, there is a higher degree of transparency and traceability than there is with most foods.
- 5. HB 325 affirms the right to contract and respects property rights of Montana consumers who are seeking to obtain raw milk and raw milk products through private ownership in dairy livestock.
2017 HB 325 – SPREAD THE WORD (Updated 2/2/2017)
Please help spread the word and reach out to those interested in protecting food freedom. Invite them to use the HB 325 petition to express their support.
- Print and distribute bookmarks.
- Like, share, repost on Facebook. See graphics below.
- Tweet actions and talking points on Twitter.
- Ask family, friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same.
- Ask your state legislators to support HB 325. Calls and visits are more effective than emails.
View and download bookmarks (2-sided color, six per sheet)or print single and fold for three per sheet.
Bookmarks PDF
2017 HB 325 – CONTACT INFO (Updated 2/13/2017)
Montana legislators use their personal phones so please be respectful of that when leaving voicemail.
View House Agriculture Committee Members
AUDIO: HB 325 Hearing Feb. 9 – Montana House Ag Committee [time 2:44:45]
2017 HB 325 – SOCIAL MEDIA (Updated 2/13/2017)
ARTICLES
2017-02-02: “Montana Bill Would Legalize Some Raw Milk Sales, An Important Step to Nullify Federal Prohibition Scheme”Tenth Amendment Center
FACEBOOK – These links open new tabs; you may have to login at Facebook in order to view them.
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund
ref post
Graphics for Social Media (Updated 1/29/2017)
The following graphics are at least 200×200 pixel but the original file size may differ. All were sourced from the Raw Milk Montana Facebook album. Original source is indicated where found.
Original Size: 184×184
“Free the Milk – Support HB 325”
Happy Graphic for Social Media (Updated 1/29/2017)
Original Size: 300×296
“Money can’t buy Happiness but it can buy Cows and cows make milk and milk makes ice cream and ice cream makes you Happy.”
Nutrition Graphic for Social Media (Updated 1/29/2017)
Source 4/1/2013 via facebook: from Jamie at NutritionCPRhttp://nutritioncpr.com/sitecontent/2013/04/01/raw-milk/
Original Size: 200×200
“Raw Milk – Why Drink It? – Health Benefits”
Size for legibility: 403×402
Montana Raw Milk Pitcher for Social Media (Updated 2/3/2017)
Original Size: 273×273
“Montana Farm Fresh Raw Milk – Photo courtesy of Raw Milk Montana and the tireless efforts of Chris Rosenau – Facebook – www.farmtoconsumer.org/MT”
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MONTANA STATE INFORMATION (Updated 2/2/2017)Quick Links: LOCATION — LEGISLATURE FORM — WHO REPRESENTS YOU — PRIVACY
NOTE: This information for activism in Montana is subject to change without notice.
MONTANA LOCATION(S) (Updated 2/2/2017)
The Montana House Agriculture Committee typically meets in Room 137 at the Capitol Building in Helena.Go to SCHEDULE
Montana State Capitol225 North Roberts StreetHelena, MT 59601 (PARKING INFO)
Go to View Capitol Complex Map
More details about the Montana State Capitol:Go to www.VistMT.com
MONTANA LEGISLATURE FORM (Updated 2/2/2017)
At the Montana Legislature website, you can send a message to any Montana Legislator or any House or Senate Committee. The online form will accept a statement up to 1250 characters. Throughout the legislative day, the messages are collected and delivered to the legislator or all members of the selected committee.
Go to MT Legislator FORM
When in session, you can reach the Montana Legislature Information Desk at (406) 444-4800 Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to adjournment. For more details about contacting legislators at the website.
MONTANA – WHO REPRESENTS YOU (Updated 2/2/2017)
To identify the Montana state legislators who represent you, go to the Legislator Lookup form to enter your address and click on “Find My District”.
Go to LEGISLATOR LOOKUP
Remember, phone calls and visits to legislators are more effective than email; the more personal the contact the better.
MONTANA PRIVACY (Updated 2/2/2017)
As a courtesy to state legislators who use their private phones and email addresses in serving Montana, we encourage you to use the Montana Legislature’s system to submit comments to committee members and the individual legislators that represent you. You can submit a personalized message up to 1250 characters. Go to the FORM to see additional disclosures and privacy conditions.
Go to MT Legislature FORM.
The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) petitions for Montana serve as a private forum (though visible to the public) to post your comments and concerns. Only your initials, city and state appear with your message. To lessen individual exposure, only the last 25 messages show. Your personal contact information will be used by FTCLDF to keep you updated and informed about food freedom matters; your phone number is not captured in the petition system reports but it may be relayed automatically to the newspaper editor if you select that option.
The People’s Email Network (The PEN) provided the platform for the FTCLDF’s petition service; so, you may receive email from The PEN unless you deselect, “I would like The People’s Email Network’s weekly action newsletter.”
[ RETURN TO STATE INFO TOP ] [ RETURN TO TOP ]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.
Quick Links:
LOCATION — LEGISLATURE FORM — WHO REPRESENTS YOU — PRIVACY