A bill updating Nebraska’s livestock brand inspection laws was signed into law on April 17 after much back-and-forth debate.
State Sen. Barry DeKay’s (R-NE-40) Legislative Bill 1187 originally overhauled the state’s Brand Committee and raised cattle inspection fees.
In the final bill, brand inspections remain mandatory, although audit requirements for feedlots were reduced. Certain brand inspection fees were still increased. The bill expanded the Brand Committee from five members to seven, to now include a representative that owns or operates a feedyard inside the brand inspection area and another who owns or operates a sale barn within the area.
Four members will represent their residing district, and must be primarily engaged in raising cattle. A fifth member will reside outside of the brand area to cover the rest of the state.
The governor will appoint the members, which will then be confirmed by the legislature.
“There is significant mistrust between the Brand Committee and the feed yards they audit,” said state Sen. Mike Jacobson (R-NE-42) in a Facebook post, whose amendments helped lead to the bill’s passage. “One of the Committee’s highest priorities going forward is to restore that trust.”
