September 24, 2008
CONTACT: Steve Merritt
Public Information Officer
Montana Department ofLivestock
406-444-9431
Board of Livestock Holds the Line on Per Capita Fees
|
Per Capita Fees by Species |
|
|
All Cattle |
$1.75 |
|
All Sheep & Goats |
.37 |
|
All Horses & Mules |
$4.39 |
|
All Swine |
.58 |
|
All Poultry |
.02 |
|
All Bees |
.30 |
|
All Llamas & Alpacas |
$7.31 |
|
All Bison |
$4.75 |
|
All Domestic Ungulates |
$23.80 |
|
Ratites |
$7.31 |
For the second straight year, the Montana Board of Livestock has decided there will be no increase in per capita fees.
“With increased energy and feed prices and such uncertainly in the markets, it’s a challenging time for the livestock industry,” said Board of Livestock chairman Bill Hedstrom. “We’re pleased we were able to able to hold the line on per capita fees, as every little bit will help Montana’s producers.”
Authorized by Montana Code Annotated 15-24-921, per capita fees are assessed on “all poultry and bees, all swine three months of age or older, and all other livestock nine months of age or older.” The fees, which fund animal health programs, brands enforcement, theft investigation and recovery, and predator control, generated $3,688,744 – approximately one-third of the department’s overall budget – in FY2008.
Despite a decline in the state’s total number of livestock – overall numbers were down by 9,000, but cattle numbers were up by 25,000 – per capita fees will, based on current projections, generate $3,695,312 in revenues for FY2009, slightly more than was generated the previous fiscal year.
After declining by 11 percent during a five-year span from 2001 to 2005, cattle numbers have increased by five percent the past three years.
“Cattle numbers are up, and that’s what we like to see,” said Christian Mackay, executive officer for the Board of Livestock. “It’s a good thing for the department, and more importantly, it’s a good thing for the state’s cattle industry and the state’s economy.”
Mackay said per capita fees are the “single most important funding mechanism” for the department, which is funded primarily be the livestock industry.
Approximately three-quarters (73 percent) of the department's legislatively authorized budget is funded with state special revenues – funds paid by the livestock industry – with the remainder derived from federal funds (approximately 15 percent) and state general funds (approximately 11 percent). In addition to the per capita fee, other state special revenues are derived from inspection and control fees, such as brand enforcement revenues, lab testing fees and milk inspection fees.
Mackay stressed that per capita fees are used only on operations directly relating to the livestock industry. No per capita fees are used for Meat & Milk Inspection, the Milk Control Board, the Livestock Loss Reduction & Mitigation Board or the Board of Horse Racing.
A proposal to evaluate brand fees was postponed until the board November meeting.
In other meeting news, the board and participating public heard presentations from state veterinarian Dr. Martin Zaluski about the department’s draft brucellosis action plan, which was developed to help the state regain its USDA Brucellosis Class Free Status as quickly as possible, and the creation of a new Brucellosis Transmission Risk Reduction Task Force. Additionally, two board members – George Hammond of Busby and Meg Smith of Divide – resigned their positions, leaving two vacant seats on the seven-member board.
The next Board of Livestock meeting is scheduled for November 17-18 at the Scott Hart Auditorium.
Editor’s note: For additional information on per capita fees, see the department’s web site at http://liv.mt.gov/liv/CS/percapita.asp.
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