Freshman legislator, Brandon Ler, has put together some great bills for the state of Montana and his home district, Richland County. Two bills sponsored by Ler recently passed the Montana House of Representatives, HB336 and HB433. Both will help Ler’s constituents in the ag-heavy economy of Eastern Montana.
Ler’s first bill, HB336, entitled, “An Act Establishing the Interstate Cooperative Meatpacking Compact,” will greatly assist Montana growers, cutting the bureaucratic red tape for ranchers to put meat on the table so long as it pertains to the relationship between Montana and states participating in the compact.
Summarized, HB336 establishes the Western Cooperative Program, which will require similar safety and inspection requirements of federal law, but will streamline the process by which ranchers can get meat to market. This is an important step in supporting Montana’s food security.
The bill passed the Montana House of Representatives 91-8.
Meanwhile, Ler wasn’t done helping Montana’s ag growers. He also pushed through HB433. This bill, entitled, “An Act Clarifying that the Position of a Livestock Brand is Distinguishable for Applications and the Recording of a Brand.” This bill, passed by the House 87-11, clarifies current Montana law to specify that a hip brand does not conflict with a shoulder or rib brand, and that ranchers may use a brand – if registered – for only a specified period of time.
The bill, if it is passed into law, will make the process more effecient for the Montana rancher.
