Meat on display at the Safeway grocery store in Bozeman, Feb. 17, 2021.
Farm and ranching groups want people to buy more Montana beef, but they’re split on whether proposed state level legislation would do that.
In the meat section at grocery stores, meat products like spare ribs often bear stickers: “Product of USA.”
Many ranchers say this label is misleading consumers. That’s because imported beef and pork processed and re-packaged in the US can get this label, as can the meat from livestock born in other countries and then sent to US feedlots or slaughterhouses.
Rachel Cramer
A Product of USA label on spare ribs at the Safeway grocery store in Bozeman on Feb. 17, 2021.
In addition to work on a bevy of agriculture-related bills in the week ending Feb. 12, Montana Farm Bureau lobbyists supported new state administrators and several fellow Farm Bureau members on their confirmation hearings for leadership in Helena this week.
We were pleased to support the confirmation of Mike Foster as director of Montanaâs Department of Agriculture and Amanda Kaster as director of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. We also supported the confirmation of Judge Stephen Brown to the Montana Water Court.
Gov. Greg Gianforteâs appointees have sent a clear message on what we can expect from this administration. The governor wants strong leaders who will provide a sense of customer service to the constituents they work for and the programs they oversee. Weâve seen Gianforteâs focus on improving the stateâs economy and building up a strong business climate take shape in positive ways in these leadership choices.
Montana lawmakers brought a pair of bison management bills to the House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday that drew support from livestock interests and opposition from tribal representatives and wildlife advocates.
Bison classification and management in Montana has long been a challenging and, at times, contentious issue. A percentage of wild bison from Yellowstone National Park are known to carry the disease brucellosis, which can cause cattle to abort their calves.
A case of a wild bison transmission to domestic cattle has never been confirmed but has been seen between research animals. Wild Yellowstone bison that are captured and later transported to tribal reservations must first undergo disease testing under quarantine.
The Montana Legislature is considering the first two in a slate of bills that could impact the management of bison in and traveling through the state.
Rep. Marvin Weatherwax, D-Browning, brought House Bills 311 and 312 before the House Agriculture Committee this week. Both bills deal with state regulations and processes for moving bison when they are destined for Indian reservations.
Bison are incredibly important culturally, economically and as food to many tribes with several sustaining their own herds, Weatherwax said. But those herds are generally too small to sustain genetic diversity without introducing new animals, and the tribes source those animals from places such as Yellowstone National Park or herds from other Indian reservations, he said.
Pet owners, wildlife advocates oppose MT bill legalizing strangulating wolf snares
MTN News
and last updated 2021-02-03 13:40:20-05
HELENA â A few weeks ago, Missoula residents Fred and Linda Lerch took their dogs for a hike up Black Cat Canyon near Frenchtown. Suddenly, the pleasant day took a bad turn as they ran into another couple still unnerved by a situation that occurred just minutes before.
The other coupleâs dog had been caught in a trapperâs snare. They had tried frantically to get the dog loose while trying to dial 9-1-1 in an area where reception was spotty. They finally succeeded in freeing the dog, which fortunately survived, so they were taking him back home.