Changes to livestock brand inspection procedures adopted

A bill that creates brand inspection service areas was passed by lawmakers March 31.

LB768, introduced by Ogallala Sen. Ken Schilz, codifies practices used by the Nebraska Brand Committee for calculating annual inspection fees for feedlots and dairies participating in a voluntary registration program. The registration fee shall base the calculation on capacity only upon an initial application. The annual average inventory will be used to calculate the fee for subsequent renewals.

The bill incorporates provisions of LB846, a bill originally introduced by Hyannis Sen. Al Davis. It establishes that the brand inspection service area includes any Nebraska county, or portion thereof, immediately adjacent to the mandatory brand inspection area. Brand inspection is a service available upon request within the brand inspection service area at the same costs as imposed for mandatory inspections within the brand area.

The measure also requires that the amount of federal beef checkoff collected under the Federal Beef Promotion and Research Order be enumerated on a bill of sale.

Senators passed the bill on a 49-0 vote.