Rotunda Roundup

from Montana Farmers Union

Legislative Update for

Feb 10th - 14th

The following is a weekly update of Montana Farmers Union involvement in the 2025 Montana Legislative Session. MFU is the state's largest and oldest grassroots family farm advocacy organization representing family farms, ranches, and rural communities for more than 100 years.

High Level Action Alert: 

Tell your Representative and the House Business and Labor Committee to vote yes on HB 390: Provide for Montana right to repair agricultural equipment act - Sponsored by Rep. Paul Tuss 

HB 390 would provide Montana farmers, ranchers, and independent mechanics access to the tools and software needed to fully repair their own equipment. Read the full bill here. Farmers, ranchers, and independent repair technicians need fair access to the tools necessary for repair. Montana Farmers Union strongly stood for farmers and ranchers on the matter in the two-hour hearing. Independent equipment dealer Ron Harmon plus other proponents also advocated for the bill.

Equipment manufacturers refuse access or charge exorbitant prices for software and tools needed to make repairs. 

Delay in service from a manufacturer authorized technician when repair is needed could cost a producer their crop. Montana law allows you to choose where you repair your car. Why not agricultural equipment? This bill supports independent repair shops in rural communities who can provide timely services to area farmers and ranchers. The Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of Minnesota and Illinois have filed a lawsuit against John Deere & Co., alleging the company’s repair restrictions violate competition laws. National Farmers Union sent a letter to the EPA asserting that EPA rules and regulations require manufacturers to provide the tools needed to maintain and repair the emissions of our equipment. The head of the EPA, Michael Regan, affirmed NFU’s assertion.

TAKE ACTION! 

The committee will vote on the bill soon. Send a letter to the House Business and Labor committee here and ask them to support a Farmer’s Right to Repair.

 Contact your Senator and tell them to send HB 119 back to the drawing board. 

HB 119 - Establish MT Cattle Committee: second beef check-off in the works. MFU is still currently opposed to the bill. The bill provides for a politically appointed committee that would collect an assessment fee of $1 from Montana Cattle producers upon a referendum vote.  

Status & Next Steps: The House of Representatives passed the bill out of their chamber on third reading, 52-47. The bill transmitted to the Senate for further consideration. 



TAKE ACTION! Reach out and make your voice heard today. Click here to use our action alert system to send an email to your Senator today.

Some additional highlights from this week: 

HB 356 - Allow livestock loss reimbursement for black bear predation, sponsored by Rep. Eric Tilleman. MFU supported the bill. The bill is a good addition to the livestock loss program to support producers facing predation losses from black bears.  

Status & Next Steps: The bill has passed the full House and has been introduced in the Senate.

HB 369 - Create a county road maintenance district, sponsored by Rep. John Fitzpatrick. MFU opposed the bill. The bill would allow private road districts to determine the level of maintenance needed on private roads and the funds for maintenance would come from the county’s funds without control from county commissioners. 

Status & Next Steps: The committee will vote on the bill soon. 

HB 401 – Prohibit the sale of lab-grown meat in the state of Montana, sponsored by Rep. Braxton Mitchell. MFU supported the bill about truth in labeling and transparency for consumers. MFU policy supports banning production, sale, and import of lab-grown meat to protect our food culture, farmers, and public health. 

Status & Next Steps: The committee will vote on the bill soon.

Notable bills coming up for MFU: 

HB 440 - Providing tax incentives to put Montana-produced food first, sponsored by Rep. Jane Weber. The goal of this bill is to provide an incentive opportunity for retailers to stock Montana foods on their shelves, providing a subtraction from individual income and corporate income taxes for the income from Montana-Produced food. This is completely voluntary. 

Status & Next Steps: The bill will be heard at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18 in the House Taxation Committee. Reach out to Rachel at rprevost@montanafarmersunion.com if you would like to testify in support of the bill. 

SB 246: Provide for Montana First Procurement laws and establish reporting requirements, sponsored by Sen. Cora Neumann. The bill provides a reporting requirement for contracts for the procurement of food products by a governmental body with a total contract value of $100,000 or more that are entered into or renewed after June 30, 2025. Such contracts must include a provision that requires the vendor to report the total dollar of Montana-produced foods purchased by the governmental body. 

Status & Next Steps: The bill will be heard in the Senate State Administration Committee on Wednesday, Feb.19 at 3 p.m.. Reach out to Rachel at rprevost@montanafarmersunion.com if you would like to testify in support of the bill. 

We will continue to track bills that impact family farms and ranches and rural communities and keep you informed. 

Questions?

Please contact Rachel Prevost at rprevost@montanafarmersunion.com

or Jasmine Krotkov at jkrotkov@montanafarmersunion.com

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Press Information: montanafarmersunion.com/media-press-kit/

MFU President Walter Schweitzer: 406-799-3782

Montana Farmers Union has worked more than 100 years for family farms, ranches, and rural communities. MFU supports its members through: Strong education programs for both youth and adults, by advocating member-driven policies and legislation at the state and federal level, and cooperation through producer-owned co-ops. For more information, visit www.montanafarmersunion.com.