MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Prior to a major reorganization in 1977 the Department of Agriculture functioned 

 mainly as a regulatory agency. Restructuring enabled the department to perform its 

 regulatory responsibilities more efficiently and to enhance its duties to promote and 

 encourage agriculture in Montana. The reorganization plan called for the department to 

 enter the 80 's with a posture of progressively serving Montana agriculture. 



The department director is responsible for administration of the department's $4.9 

 million annual budget and its 73 full time and 15 seasonal employees. He oversees the 

 department's four divisions and two units. The function of each division and unit is 

 summarized below. 



The Centralized Services Division performs technical, fiscal, and administrati^'e 

 support functions for the department. Responsibilities of the division include 

 activities for internal operations of the department. 



The Environmental Management Division is responsible for the registration of 4,421 

 pesticide products; the certification and licensing of 1,149 commercial and government 

 applicators, 745 operators, 605 pesticide dealers, and 7,831 private applicators. The 

 division is also responsible for enforcement of the pesticide act and rules; providing 

 technical environmental services to agriculture; providing an evaluation of pest 

 management problems and programs; and providing analytical laboratory and consultative 

 services to other agencies and the public. 



The Plant Industry Division is responsible for the administration and enforcement 

 of regulatory laws controlling the production, manufacturing, and marketing of 

 agricultural commodities exported from or distributed within Montana. The division 

 investigates consumer complaints; performs technical inspections and surveys; issues 

 federal-state grade certificates; and provides regulatory technical expertise and 

 licenses for 5,200 bee yards., 550 nurseries, 650 feed dealers, 350 fertilizer dealers, 

 300 seed dealers, and 325 grain merchandisers. The division also registers some 3,300 

 commercial feed products and 1,000 fertilizers. The division's grain laboratory in 

 Great Falls provides the only official grain grading services in the state. 



The Agricultural Development Division is responsible for administering programs 

 directed at promoting and enhancing Montana agriculture. The Rural Development program 

 is responsible for making grants and lower interest-rate loans available to rural youth, 

 rural youth organizations, and other qualified farmers and ranchers. The division's 

 Marketing Program is responsible for identifying major needs and priorities by 

 coordinating agricultural product development through improvement of direct markets from 

 the producer to the consumer. Statewide agricultural statistics and projections are 

 developed through a Federal/State cooperative agreement administered through the 

 division, which are made available through a comprehensive agricultural statistics 

 bulletin and grain movement summary along with other production, price , and income 

 reports. The division's Agricultural Assistance Program is responsible for providing 

 peer counseling, financial consulting, and debt mediation assistance. 



The Montana Wheat and Barley Committee is responsible for promoting and encouraging 

 intensive scientific and practical research in all phases of wheat culture, production, 

 and marketing under the guidelines and policies developed by the Wheat and Barley 

 Committee. The unit contracts with Montana State University for work in areas such as 

 barley improvement, disease control, insect control, and cropping practices. Foreign 

 market promotion includes U.S. Wheat Associates membership as one of 1 3 partners in the 

 Association's foreign market development efforts and also is a member and participant in 

 the U.S. Feed Grain Council foreign market promotions of feed grains. 



The Hail Insurance Unit administers the State Hail Insurance Program under 

 guidelines and policies developed by the State Board of Hail Insurance. In 1987, 

 Montana producers purchased 3,036 policies from the unit worth a record $34 million in 

 coverage against hail damage. The unit's success is evidenced by the fact that both the 

 amount of risk coverage and number of policies purchased have increased steadily over 

 the past three years. The program insures any type of crop grown in Montana from losses 

 caused by hail damage. The maximum rate charged is 10 percent for standard grain crops. 



