Guest commentary:

This is my statement on the floor of the Montana House of Representatives during consideration of the governor’s amendments to House Bill 145.

This is a bittersweet recommendation.    

The governor used poor judgment in the amendments to HB 145.  He has made big changes to the detriment of sheepmen and cattlemen.

That hurts.  It hurts those hard working taxpayers who asked for the bill in its original form.

I am disappointed.

On the other hand, we need to look forward and be positive.  There will be new policy in statute to create a positive step for the delisting of the grizzly bear from the full protection of the Endangered Species Act. There will be a framework to work with in the next session to help those hard-working ranchers and farmers. In the interim, there will be some positive, preventive measures to protect sheep and cows from grizzly bears.

As I said, this is a bittersweet recommendation.  

I will vote yes on the bill as amended by the governor. I will concur with the amendments.  Please join me on the green button.

Originally, HB 145 set up an account to assist livestock producers deal with injuries and damage from government-protected carnivores, specifically grizzlies and wolves, and it soon specified half the money would be used for non-lethal preventive measures like grants for grizzly-proof electric fences. Starting with $400,000 per year for six years, we found it cut to $200,000 per year for two years in the Senate.  

The governor cut the appropriation completely. To livestock producers’ dismay, he reached into the livestock depradation account, which pays for livestock if death is proven to be from wolves and grizzlies. He capped that account at $300,000 and moved any excess to the prevention account. If we have a bad huckleberry year, and as grizzly and wolf populations grow, livestock kills may become disastrous.

As a third-term representative from the northwest corner, much of my legislative work has focused on jobs and natural resource issues, including impacts of wolf and grizzly management.  My personal goal is to help move forward the delisting of the grizzly bear under the Endangers Species Act. This bill will do that.  

The bill had no opposing testimony through the legislative process, and strong support came from numerous agriculture related groups, sportsman groups, government association groups like Montana Association of Counties, and numerous environmental and conservation groups.  Jim Brown, executive director for the Montana Wool Growers Association, was the strongest supporter from the very beginning. His support was tireless, and his willingness to work with other groups and compromise along the way was great.  I share his disappointment at the end.

- Rep. Mike Cuffe represents House District Two in the Montana State House of Representatives