Agricultural Sciences Division - Goals and Objectives
Division Goal
To provide agricultural producers and consumers, commodity and environmental protection through the administration of the Montana laws and rules in the areas of pesticides, groundwater monitoring, noxious weed control, feeds, fertilizers, seed, anhydrous ammonia, grain commodity dealers, commodity warehousemen, nurseries, produce, mint, honey bees, alfalfa leafcutting bees and other services including organic certification, pest management consulting, laboratory analysis, pest surveys, export certification and quarantines.
Division Objectives
Menu by Program
Agricultural Commodity, Public Warehouseman and Commodity Dealer Program
Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee Registration and Certification Program
Anhydrous Ammonia Program
Apiculture Program
Commercial Feed Program
Commercial Fertilizer Program
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Program
Export Certification Program
Groundwater Management Program
Invasive Species Program
Laboratory Service Program
Licensing and Registration Program
Mint Program
Mosquito Abatement Program
Noxious Weed Management Program
Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage Program
Nursery & Quarantine Program
Organic Program
Pesticide Management Program
Produce Standards, Storage and Merchandising Program
Seed Program
Vertebrate Pest Management Program
Commodity Services Bureau:
Agricultural Commodity Dealer and Commodity Warehouse Program
- Protect agricultural producers from financial loss when marketing grain, peas and lentils.
- Ensure compliance with the Montana Agricultural Warehouse Standards Act.
- Ensure the security of Montana grown grains, peas and lentils held in safekeeping for Montana producers and owners.
- Protect the safety and health of persons using or handling anhydrous ammonia, and the surrounding communities.
- Review and approve new sites for anhydrous ammonia facilities.
- Promote the effective and safe use of anhydrous ammonia.
- Promote the safety and effectiveness of commercial feeds and feed ingredients for livestock and companion animals.
- Ensure that consumers receive only quality feed products made from safe and approved feed ingredients and that nutritional claims are met.
- Ensure that commercial feeds are properly labeled so that consumers are adequately informed.
- Promote the safety and effectiveness of commercial fertilizers.
- Ensure that consumers receive only quality fertilizer products made from safe and approved ingredients and that nutrient claims are met.
- Ensure that commercial fertilizers are properly labeled so that consumers are adequately informed.
- Improve the culture and production of mint grown in Montana.
- Assist the mint industry in preventing the introduction and spread of diseases, nematodes and insects affecting mint.
- Disseminate appropriate information to Montana mint growers.
- Provide professional, efficient and objective certification services to producers and handlers of organic products to facilitate the growth and success of organic agriculture in Montana.
- Protect consumers by assuring that produce is properly labeled and graded.
- Facilitate the export of Montana grown produce.
- Protect purchasers of seed by ensuring that seed is truthfully labeled and meets germination and purity standards.
- Resolve disputes in cases of non-performance of agricultural seed.
- Prevent the spread of restricted and noxious weed seeds in agricultural seeds.
Laboratory Bureau
- Provide reliable, efficient analytical testing services in support of Montana agriculture.
- Serve the analytical testing needs of the department's feed, fertilizer, pesticide enforcement and agriculture chemical ground water programs, the Montana State University Agriculture Experiment Station and the USDA Pesticide Data Program.
Pest Management Bureau:
Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee Registration and Certification Program
- Provide timely and efficient laboratory services to alfalfa seed growers.
- Register alfalfa leafcutting bee beekeepers to protect producers.
- Protect the apiary and pollination industry by minimizing the spread of pests and diseases of honeybees.
- Protect the nectar and pollen supply through registration and inspection of apiaries.
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Program
- Protect Montana agriculture from invasive pests.
- Preserve markets and facilitate the marketing of commodities.
- Prevent economic loss through monitoring and detection of pests.
- Minimize the risk of international movement of pests by providing export certification services.
- Facilitate the export of Montana agricultural commodities.
- Protect Montana’s natural and economic resources from Invasive Species.
- Minimize the interstate and intrastate movement of Invasive Species by the public.
- Educate the public on the threat of invasive species.
- Enhance mosquito control activities through education, site visit consultations and compliance assistance with calibration and droplet size issues.
Noxious Weed Management Program
- Assist county weed districts, local governments, tribes and landowners in halting the spread of listed weeds through management of the Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund and other weed funds.
- Provide technical expertise and general assistance on noxious weed information and noxious weed management techniques.
- Work with university researchers, educators and others to expand weed control options and coordinate biological weed control efforts.
Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage Program
- Prevent the spread of noxious weeds by coordinating efforts to grow and certify forage that is free of regionally designated weeds and seeds.
- Promote forage products that are free of Montana designated noxious weed seeds and regionally designated noxious weeds and seeds.
- Protect consumers by inspecting and assuring the quality of nursery stock.
- Minimize the risk of interstate and intrastate movement of pests on nursery stock.
Technical Services Bureau:
Groundwater Management Program
- Protect groundwater and the environment from impairment or degradation from the use or misuse of agricultural chemicals.
- Provide for education and training of agricultural product applicators and the public regarding groundwater protection, agricultural chemical use, and the use of alternative agricultural methods.
Licensing and Registration Program
- Provide application and licensing assistance to pesticide applicators and registrants.
- Coordinate applicator license and product registration renewals.
- Collect and deposit fees into the State Treasury in accordance with the State accounting policy.
- Protect agriculture, the environment and human health by coordinating the education, training, registration and the safe use of pesticide products.
- Assure that pesticides are available for agricultural production.
- Ensure compliance with the Montana Pesticides Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
- Carry out Pesticide Disposal and Pesticide Container Recycling programs.
Vertebrate Pest Management Program
- Address vertebrate pest management issues faced by producers and land managers on a local, regional and statewide scale.
- Protect the environment and human health by facilitating the proper use of vertebrate pest control products.
