Randy Johnson, Montana Grain Growers Association, 

 said that his farm organization opposed a mandatory 

 right to mediation. He said his organization was 

 concerned that mandatory mediation would dry up the 

 availability of farm credit in Montana. 



Agricultural Marketing (LC 526) 



Representative Asay explained that LC 526 was 

 intended as a means of improving current marketing 

 efforts. He said, without such improvement in the 

 state's marketing efforts, Montana's share of 

 agricultural markets would be eroded by other states and 

 foreign nations who are aggressively marketing their 

 products to expand their market share. 



Representative Asay stated that it was not his 

 intent to have the state government control agricultural 

 marketing in Montana. Instead, he said, the role of 

 state government was to assist Montana producers and 

 marketers in developing and carrying out effective 

 marketing for their commodities. In addition, state 

 government would help coordinate marketing efforts among 

 the various agencies and farm groups engaged in «*^ 

 marketing activity. 



^■'■' ■^Miy 



Randy Johnson, Montana Grain Growers Association, 

 opposed the bill, stating that his organization feared 

 meddling and regulation by the state, f ^ *t: : - t * • ' 



Bud Leuthold, speaking for himself, questioned the 

 need for such legislation, expressing the belief that 

 private organizations and others are effectively 

 promoting the sale of Montana agricultural commodities, 

 especially wheat. 



I 



104 



