Montana § 2-15-3111 - Livestock Loss Reduction Program

§ 2-15-3111. Livestock Loss Reduction Program

Livestock loss reduction program. The livestock loss board shall establish and administer a program to cost-share with individuals or incorporated entities in implementing measures to prevent wolf, mountain lion, black bear, and grizzly bear predation on livestock, including: (1) eligibility requirements for program participation; (2) application procedures for program participation and procedures for awarding grants for wolf, mountain lion, black bear, and grizzly bear predation prevention measures, subject to grant priorities and the availability of funds; (3) criteria for the selection of projects and program participants, which may include establishment of grant priorities based on factors such as chronic depredation, multiple depredation incidents, single depredation incidents, and potential high-risk geographical or habitat location; (4) grant guidelines for prevention measures on public and private lands, including: (a) grant terms that clearly set out the obligations of the livestock producer and that provide for a term of up to 12 months subject to renewal based on availability of funds, satisfaction of program requirements, and prioritization of the project; (b) cost-share for prevention measures, which may be a combination of grant and livestock producer responsibility, payable in cash or in appropriate services, such as labor to install or implement preventive measures, unless the board adjusts the cost-share because of extenuating circumstances related to chronic or multiple depredation; and (c) proactive preventive measures and other preventive measures as information on new or different successful prevention measures becomes available; and (5) reporting requirements for program participants to assist in determining the effectiveness of loss reduction relative to each grant.