Bill > SB246

This bill establishes new reporting requirements for governmental bodies in Montana when procuring food products, with the primary goal of supporting local food producers. Under the new law, any contracts for food products valued at $100,000 or more, entered into or renewed after June 30, 2025, must require vendors to submit an annual report detailing their food purchases. The report must include the total dollar value of all food products purchased, the total dollar value of Montana-produced food products, and a breakdown of those locally produced products by specific categories such as meat, produce, dairy, beverages, pulse crops, and grains. The bill allows governmental bodies to directly purchase Montana-produced food products when those products are of equivalent quality, available in sufficient quantity, and the bid is reasonably close to (either at or slightly above) bids for out-of-state products. Notably, the law includes an exemption for alcoholic beverage purchases by the Department of Revenue. By mandating these detailed reports, the bill aims to increase transparency about food procurement and potentially encourage more purchasing from Montana producers. The law will take effect on July 1, 2025, and the department responsible is tasked with creating rules to implement these new reporting requirements.

Government Affairs

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC3727