Archive for year: 2021

Today at 3 pm the Senate Natural Resources Committee will hear SB180. Tune in at this link to watch the hearing and listen to the many reasons why farmers, ranchers, agriculture & conservation organizations, and government agencies across the country support strengthening soil health. It’s not too late to reach out to your representatives and the committee members to let them know why you care about soil health and encourage them to support SB180. You can contact them through this form here.

The soil health bill (SB180) has been scheduled for a hearing with Senate Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, 2/17 at 3 pm in room 303. This bill, sponsored by Senator Pat Flowers, will establish a subcommittee within the Environmental Quality Council Interim Committee to study how MT can promote and support soil health! Show your support and reach out to your legislators using this link or provide public testimony through this link. If you’d like to submit written or virtual testimony, you must submit your information and testimony by Tuesday at noon prior to the scheduled hearing. Check out the legislature’s FAQ on how to provide testimony here.

Don’t forget to check out the bill’s fact sheet and FAQ on our 2021 Policy Priorities page and stay up to date on Grow Montana’s policy priorities by signing up for legislative updates and alerts at https://growmt.org/action-alerts/.

House Bill 235 requests appropriation of $200,000 to support the statewide nutrition incentive program, Double SNAP Dollars, at farmers markets, community supported agriculture sites and grocery stores throughout Montana. Double SNAP Dollars is a nutrition incentive program that helps food-insecure Montanans afford more local fruits and vegetables, while directly supporting Montana farmers Currently offered at 23 farmers markets, 2 Community Supported Agriculture (farm share programs), and 1 retail grocery store across 13 Montana counties SNAP customers have spent $500,000 on local foods through Double SNAP Dollars, since 2015. To learn more about HB 235 check out the fact sheet: https://mfbn.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/DSD-Advocacy-Fact-Sheet-2021.pdf

The Country-of-Origin Labeling Bill, or also known as the COOL Bill, will allow consumers to know where their beef and pork was born, raised and harvested. There is a federal effort underway to address provisions within the federal “Product of USA” bill to address definitions for beef and pork that are born, raised and harvested in the United States. Grow Montana supports the COOL bill because consumers have the right to know where their meat comes from and ranchers deserve a fair market price for their products.

The COOL Bill is sponsored by Rep. Frank Smith of HD31 and you can find the draft of the bill on the session’s website here. To keep up to date with any news on the COOL Bill, please sign up for our legislative updates and action alerts at https://growmt.org/action-alerts/.