(1) Organization of the Department of Livestock.

(a) History. The Department of Livestock was reorganized under the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971 by executive order of the governor on November 22, 1971.

(b) Divisions. The department consists of five divisions: Animal Health Division; Brands Enforcement Division; Centralized Services Division; Diagnostic Laboratory Division; and the Meat, Milk, and Egg Inspection Division. Each division is further broken down into bureaus and sections. (See functional chart.)

(c) The Director is the Board of Livestock.

(d) The Board of Livestock consists of seven members appointed by the governor for six year terms. The chairman is named by the governor.

(e) Attached boards.

(i) Livestock Crimestoppers Commission.

(ii) Board of Milk Control.

(iii) Board of Horse Racing.

(2) Functions of the Department of Livestock.

(a) The Animal Health Division consists of the following bureau:

(i) The Disease Control Bureau functions are to provide for the diagnosis, prevention, control, and eradication of animal diseases and disorders; maintain a disease surveillance system; provide education and information on animal diseases and disorders to the livestock industry, the veterinary profession, and the public at large; conduct applied research into the causes, transmissibility, and control of animal disease and disorders; enforce sanitary standards, and inspect animals at livestock auction markets; monitor and enforce import export requirements applied to livestock; assist the Department of Public Health and Human Services in the control of animal diseases transmissible to man; to protect livestock and human health from rabies by controlling wildlife, especially skunks, known to be vector species of rabies; and provide information, education, and regulation of game farms. These functions are accomplished by state level programs and by cooperation with counties, private groups, other government agencies, and individuals.

(b) The Meat, Milk, and Egg Inspection Division consists of the following bureaus:

(i) The Milk and Egg Bureau functions are to ensure that eggs, milk, and milk products sold or manufactured in Montana are fit for human consumption. This function is accomplished through licensing, sampling, laboratory testing, product and site inspection and is done in cooperation with other state and federal agencies. The bureau supervises the enforcement of state and federal law.

(ii) The Meat and Poultry Inspection Bureau functions are to ensure that meat and poultry products processed, manufactured, or sold in Montana are handled in a sanitary manner thereby assuring a clean and wholesome product for human consumption. This function is accomplished through licensing, premise inspection, slaughter inspection, process inspection, sampling, and laboratory testing. This is done in cooperation with other state and federal agencies. The bureau enforces state and federal laws.

(c) The Diagnostic Laboratory Division functions are to provide laboratory support for the Disease Control, Milk and Egg, and the Meat and Poultry Inspection bureaus; provide laboratory diagnostic support to veterinarians and livestock producers; protect the public health by testing dairy products and performing diagnostic tests on suspected rabies cases and other zoonotic diseases; and provide test services to enhance the marketability of livestock. Testing on wildlife and small animals is performed upon request.

(d) The Centralized Services Division provides the following services to the Department of Livestock: accounting, budgeting, payroll, personnel, purchasing, general services, duplicating, and communications. The division is responsible for the administering of the Milk Control Bureau, which is responsible for supervising, regulating, and controlling the milk industry of the state.

(e) The Brands Enforcement Division consists of the following bureaus:

(i) The Investigation Bureau functions are to protect and foster the state's livestock industry by enforcing livestock laws, inspecting livestock for brands, and conducting theft investigations; and to regulate livestock markets, and strive for a good uniform inspection at markets. The Predator Control Section functions are to protect the livestock industry from damage caused by predatory animals. This is accomplished by state level programs and by cooperation with counties, private groups, other government agencies, and individuals.

(ii) The Brands and Records Bureau functions are to issue and record brands, receive and file notices on livestock security agreements, regulate livestock dealers and markets, and maintain the Brands Enforcement Division's records.

(3) Functions of the attached boards.

(a) Livestock Crimestoppers Commission is administratively attached to the department in accordance with 2-15-121 and 2-15-3104 , MCA.

(b) Board of Milk Control is administratively attached to the department in accordance with 2-15-121 and 2-15-3105 , MCA.

(c) Board of Horse Racing is administratively attached to the department in accordance with 2-15-121 and 2-15-3106 , MCA.

(d) Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Board is administratively attached to the department in accordance with House Bill 364 of the 2007 Legislative Session.

(4) Information or submissions.

(a) General and specific inquiries regarding a division may be addressed to the supervisor or administrator.

(b) All requests for hearings, declaratory rulings, and for participation in rulemaking may be addressed to either the Executive Officer or to the Board of Livestock.

(c) Parties interested in notices of hearings, declaratory rulings, and proposed rules should refer to notices in the Montana Administrative Register. Interested parties can also log onto the department web site at www.mt.gov/liv and click on public notices

(5) Personnel Roster. The following are those of key personnel in the Department of Livestock. All are located in the Scott Hart building, P.O. Box 202001, Helena, MT 59620, unless otherwise indicated.

(a) Board of Livestock. The telephone number is (406)444-9321.

(i) William Hedstrom, chairman, Kalispell, MT; term expires March 2011.

(ii) Janice French, vice chairman, Hobson, MT; term expires March 2011.

(iii) Stan Boone, Ingomar, MT; term expires March 2013.

(iv) Rebecca Weed, Belgrade, MT; term expires March 2013.

(v) Linda Nielsen, Nashua, MT; term expires March 2011.

(vi) George Hammond, Hardin, MT; term expires March 2009.

(vii) Meg Smith, Glen, MT; term expires March 2009.

(b) Executive Officer to the Board of Livestock. The telephone number is (406)444-9321.

(c) Animal Health Division. The telephone number is (406)444-2043.

(i) administrator and state veterinarian;

(ii) assistant state veterinarian;

(iii) supervisor, import export section.

(d) Meat, Milk, and Egg Inspection Division. The telephone number is (406)444-2043.

(i) administrator.

(e) Diagnostic Laboratory Division. The telephone number is (406)994-4885.

(i) administrator;

(ii) assistant administrator.

(f) Brands Enforcement Division. The telephone number is (406)444-2045.

(i) administrator.

(g) Centralized Services Division. The telephone number is (406)444-4994.

(i) administrator;

(ii) public information officer.

(6) Chart of Department of Livestock Organization. A descriptive chart of the Department of Livestock is attached as the following page of this rule and by this reference is herein incorporated.