Oilseed growers petition MDA to create advisory committee

From Montana Department of Agriculture

HELENA — The Montana Department of Agriculture has received a verified petition from 25 Montana oilseed growers to create an advisory committee.

MDA will hold a listening session to receive additional grower input regarding the proposal in Glendive Friday, Feb. 14 at the Glendive Agricultural Trade Exposition — GATE. Meeting information details are provided below.

Growers will have the opportunity to learn about the process for creating a commodity advisory committee and provide input regarding its composition, crops to be included, and rate of assessment. Based on feedback received during the legislative session, MDA will decide whether to propose an oilseed research and market development program for adoption by administrative rule.

Oilseed Listening Session

• Feb. 14 – Glendive

11 a.m. – Glendive Agri-Trade Exposition, Sobotka Conference Room, 313 S. Merrill Ave. Glendive.

Montana ranks second in canola production nationwide. Canola production in Montana totaled a record-high 200 million pounds in 2019, which is a 54 percent increase from Montana’s 2018 crop. Flaxseed production totaled 1.34 million bushels and more than doubled from 2018 according to the Annual Crop Summary conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, NASS.

MDA administers the Montana Potato Advisory Committee and the Montana Alfalfa Seed Committee along with the statutorily enabled Montana Wheat and Barley Committee and Montana Pulse Crop Committee. In total, these programs annually contribute over $8 million in checkoff funds towards research, marketing and education.

The Montana Department of Agriculture’s mission is to protect producers and consumers, and to enhance and develop agriculture and allied industries. For more information on the Montana Department of Agriculture, visit http://gr.mt.gov .