A bill to help food banks purchase goods from local producers stalled in the Legislature last week amid final budget talks.
After clearing the House by a four-to-one margin in February, the proposal hit a series of speed bumps in the Senate. The Senate Finance and Claims committee voted largely along party lines to table the bill after brief debate.
Republican Sen. Forrest Mandeville of Columbus echoed other Senate GOP in his comments to the finance committee.
“This costs a lot of money and I’m not a big fan of the concept, so I’d make a substitute motion to table,” Mandeville said.
House Bill 276 sought to kick-start Montana’s first-ever farm-to-food-bank grant program, appropriating $1 million over two years to help food pantries purchase fruits, vegetables and meats from local producers.
The proposal had drawn universal acclaim in its early hearings. Farmers and ranchers said it would open new markets, while pantry operators said it would help stock shelves with local, nutrient-dense foods.
Wren Greaney with the Montana Food Bank Network says the organization is disappointed by the vote.
“We know how important the bill was for farmers, families and food banks across the state, and we feel that the vote in the Senate finance committee does not reflect the best interests of our community,” Greaney said.
Greaney says the organization felt the funding in the bill was an appropriate use of resources and noted the bill’s popularity in the House. She says the food bank network will continue work to make the grant program reality.
