The Montana State Senate failed to pass a bill last week that would have allowed owners of small dairy herds with permits to sell raw milk. The bill, H.B. 574, failed to gain enough votes to pass after amendments were added to the text.

The state’s House of Representatives passed the original bill by a 96 to 3 margin in late March.  However, the Montana Senate Agriculture Committee amended the bill to require the raw milk to meet Grade “A” standards. This change, and others, made the bill unacceptable to its backers, and they pulled their support before the final vote. 

IDFA previously sent a letter and provided assistance to the chairman of the Montana Senate Agriculture Committee in opposition to the bill. The Senate’s most recent action effectively stops progress on legalizing raw milk sales in the state this year, because the legislative session will end April 27.

For more information, contact Kyle Shreve, IDFA legislative coordinator, at kshreve@idfa.org or (202) 220-3533.