Montana per capita fees

For Immediate Release
October 5, 2010


Steve Merritt
Public Information Officer
Montana Department ofLivestock
406-444-9431


BOL Holds the Line on Per Capita Fees for 4th Straight Year


At its meeting last week in Helena, the Montana Board of Livestock voted to hold the line on per capita fees for the fourth consecutive year.


Authorized by Montana Code Annotated 15-24-921, per capita fees – a per head fee assessed on “all poultry and bees, all swine three months of age or older, and all other livestock nine months of age or older" – annually generate roughly one-third of the department's overall budget. The fees, which fund animal health programs, brands enforcement, theft investigation and recovery, and predator control, will generate approximately $3.5 million in FY2011.


Roughly three-quarters of the department's legislatively authorized budget is funded with state special revenues – funds paid directly by the livestock industry – with the remainder derived from federal funds (approximately 15 percent) and state general funds (approximately 10 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. 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.


Everyone benefits from programs funded by per capita fees. PCFs are used for animal health programs, brands enforcement, theft investigation and recovery, predator control and other department operations. Additionally, the general public benefits from programs designed to prevent the spread of animal diseases to humans.