PRESS RELEASE
FROM: INDEPENDENT CATTLEMEN OF NEBRASKA, Box 241, Hyannis, NE
69350
Media Contact: Terry Rothwell (308) 458-2758 trothwell@bbcwb.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 12 2008
Governor
Heineman Signs Voluntary Animal ID Bill into Law
Lincoln After
final approval of LB632 by the Nebraska legislature on Thursday of last
week the bill was signed into law by the Governor.
Independent Cattlemen
of Nebraska (ICON) was instrumental in drafting and lobbying the bill
and were on hand to witness the event.
Sen. Cap Dierks of Ewing sponsored and introduced the legislation
that will keep the State from mandating a Premise ID or Animal ID program,
within the standards and guidelines of a National Animal Identification
System (NAIS), and also provide clarification of the process for those
who would wish to be withdrawn from the State, Regional and National
Premise ID databases that are currently in use.
Senators voted 45-0-4
to support livestock producers who have voiced their concerns with the
possibility of being forced into a system that could prove too costly
and labor intensive for them to stay in business.
This is a
great day for Nebraskas independent livestock producers
said Chris Abbott, president of the cattlemen's group.
We have demonstrated
that when important issues like this come up, ICON has the network and
the people in place to influence the outcome in a positive fashion.
LB632 was supported
by several agriculture groups, including Farm Bureau, Farmers
Union, Vetrinary Medicine Association, Livestock Marketing Association
and Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE). Opposition to the bill
was presented by Nebraska Cattlemen and NE Pork Producers Association.
The original Statute,
authorizing the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to develop and implement
a registration system, became law in 2006 within the framework of LB856,
which addressed concerns on how to prevent Avian Flu in the Poultry
sector, among other issues. The premise registration program Locate-in-48
was immediately initialized and implemented by the Department in an
effort to get as many livestock producers registered as possible.
The U. S. Department
of Agriculture has repeatedly stated that the national animal identification
program is voluntary at the federal level, but continues
to fund States through Cooperative Agreements. This funding is used
to promote and encourage premise and animal ID registration by livestock
producers. It is contingent on progress towards the goal of complete
registration and implementation by 2009 within the timelines and standards
of the national system. Nebraska has registered about half of all livestock
premises, to date.
Louis Day of Valentine
and ICON Regional Director had praise for the Senators and the process.
Advancing this bill by a unanimous vote indicates the concern
for individual rights and freedoms held by our legislators. We want
to thank the Senators for their support, and we look forward to working
on future legislation that is important to independent producers across
the State.
Independent Cattlemen
of Nebraska recently testified in favor of LB1174, a bill that would
re-instate the safeguards of I-300 and provide stability in Nebraskas
future in family farming & ranching.