Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB649: Establish a farm to food bank program
Status: Failed, May 20, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act requiring the department of agriculture to establish and administer the program; establishing grant requirements; establishing a grant process; providing preferences for grant awards; establishing reporting requirements; providing an appropriation; providing rulemaking authority; providing definitions; and providing an effective date.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM; ESTABLISHING GRANT REQUIREMENTS; ESTABLISHING A GRANT PROCESS; PROVIDING PREFERENCES FOR GRANT AWARDS; ESTABLISHING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Short title. [Sections 1 through 7] may be cited as the "Farm to Food Bank Act". NEW SECTION. Section 2. Purpose. (1) The purpose of [sections 1 through 7] is to provide a farm to food bank grant program administered by the department for farm to food bank activities. Farm to food bank programs strengthen local food economies by creating a new market for Montana farmers and ranchers, expanding access to fresh, local products for those who may not otherwise have access to those products, and strengthening producer and consumer relationships in the state. Farm to food bank program implementation looks different in each community, but in Montana it includes the following (b) providing support for regional food hubs that can leverage producer relationships to purchase, process, store, and distribute products for and to food banks; and (c) providing access to fresh, healthy, local products for low-income consumers. (2) [Sections 1 through 7] create a pilot program to: - 1 - …
Sponsors
- Fyant, Shelly (D, 91) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (H) Died in Process
- : (H) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal
- : (H) Reconsidered Previous Action
- : (H) 2nd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- : (H) Committee Report
- : (H) Committee Executive Action
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) 1st Reading
- : (H) Referred to Committee
Votes
- ReconsAction - Fyant (March 19, 2025): 45 yea, 54 nay, failed
- Do Pass (March 18, 2025): 47 yea, 51 nay, failed
Subjects: Appropriations, State Finance, Agriculture
Common questions
- What is HB649?
- HB649 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Establish a farm to food bank program.
- What does HB649 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act requiring the department of agriculture to establish and administer the program; establishing grant requirements; establishing a grant process; providing preferences for grant awards; establishing reporting requirements; providing an appropriation; providing rulemaking authority; providing definitions; and providing an effective date.".
- What is the status of HB649?
- Failed as of May 20, 2025. Latest action: (H) Died in Process (May 20, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB649?
- Fyant, Shelly (D, 91).
- Where is the official record for HB649?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC3735
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.