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Serve Montana's Livestock Producers and livestock related businesses by fostering, growing, promoting and protecting the livestock industry.

DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK

ANNUAL PLAN FY2027

The Department of Livestock is responsible for controlling and eradicating animal diseases; preventing the transmission of animal diseases to humans; protecting the livestock industry from theft and predatory animals; meat, milk, and egg inspection; and regulating the milk industry relative to producer pricing. The department, which is provided for in 2-15-3101, MCA, consists of the Board of Livestock (BOL) and its appointed Executive Officer, the Board of Milk Control, and the Livestock Loss Board. The department is organized into three divisions: Animal Health & Food Safety, Centralized Services and Brands Enforcement. The Board of Livestock, which is the statutory head of the Department of Livestock, consists of seven members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate to serve six-year terms.

The Animal Health & Food Safety Division (State Veterinarian Office) works with animal owners and veterinarians to prevent, control, and eradicate animal diseases, including those in bison and alternative livestock animals. The division cooperates with the Departments of Public Health and Human Services and Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the US Department of Agriculture to protect human health from animal diseases transmissible to humans including rabies and brucellosis by monitoring testing and enforcing animal quarantines. The division also regulates the importation of animals into Montana; ensures the production and sale of safe and wholesome products of animal agriculture including meat, poultry, and milk and their products; and enforces the laws of Montana relating to animal health and producing a safe and wholesome food supply. Divisional elements include:

Animal Health Bureau conducts disease control measures such as monitoring of animal imports, and mandating animal testing and quarantines.

o Meat, Milk & Egg Inspection Bureau ensures a safe and wholesome meat supply for Montana consumers by conducting inspections at facilities that engage in animal slaughter, meat processing, distribution and sale of meat product. The Bureau also inspects eggs for quality and marketability and ensures that milk is produced and processed in a sanitary manner.

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory provides diagnostic services for animal disease testing, and milk quality. The laboratory maintains accreditation from the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics (AAVLD).

The Brands Enforcement Division provides the livestock industry with professional law enforcement and investigative work in tracking livestock ownership and in the deterrence and/or resolution of related criminal activities. It conducts, collects, documents, audits, and evaluates compliance on brand inspections and permits for Montana livestock. It also maintains the official record of Montana brands and security interest filings of branded livestock, and licenses livestock markets and dealers.

The Centralized Services Division is responsible for overall department administration, budgeting, accounting, payroll, personnel, legal services, purchasing, information technology, public information, risk management, contract administration, and general services for the department. The Board of Milk Control (BMC) and the Livestock Loss Board (LLB) staff are part of the Centralized Services Division. The LLB provides compensation and prevention funding for predation losses to livestock producers from wolves, grizzlies, and mountain lions. The BMC regulates producer pricing of milk (prices paid to dairy farmers) and helps to maintain a stable market for milk within the state. The Predator Control Program is administered by the BOL and the executive officer.

MANAGAGE REPORTABLE DISEASE PREVALENCE IN MONTANA

Maintain import requirements for animals entering Montana to prevent disease introductionManage the risk of brucellosis transmission to livestock in SW MontanaPerform regulatory testing at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Strategic Outcome#1 Key Measures Review and update import requirements in ARM to minimize regulatory burdens while also addressing risk of disease introductionMaintain at least 95% or above compliance with brucellosis testing requirementsPartner with FWP to conduct landowner outreach and disease surveillance of wildlifeFinalize the veterinary diagnostic laboratory's AAVLD review to regain full accreditation

MAINTAIN INTEGRITY IN LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION, MARKETING, AND MOVEMENT

Strategic Outcome #2

Provide enhanced capabilities on the brand lien portal for renewalsConduct targeted truck stop and enforcement activity across the stateProvide additional electronic inspections/permits to the livestock industryDevelop additional brand identification documents

Key Measures • Improve the Lien Renewal experience for external lenders and strengthen how the state tracks lien renewal and termination activity internally for the 2027 renewal period• Conduct at least 6 truck stop activities across the state to check and monitor compliance• Further develop the pilot program that allows deputy stock inspectors to issue electronic inspections and better educate livestock producers on the online no cost market permits• Develop brand identification wallet cards for brand owners that include all information needed for livestock inspections

Strategic Outcome#3 Develop new Departmental reporting capabilitiesRecognize the importance of economic viability and sustainability of individual livestock operators in Montana

Key Measures Research and implement an eCVI system for Montana veterinarians that can integrate with the agency's CoreOne Animal Health systemExpand reporting and traceability functionality with the Enterprise's Snowflake database reporting toolsImprove public outreach and ease of use to ensure livestock producers in need of financial reimbursement or preventative grants can participate in programs to mitigate or prevent losses due to predators based upon program criteria