The E-Inspection Subcommittee begins assignment to gather information pertinent to implementing voluntary Electronic Inspection authorized by legislative changes to the Livestock Brand Act earlier this spring.
At the Sept. 8 public meeting of the Nebraska Brand Committee (NBC) a subcommittee comprised of producers and other stakeholders was approved to solicit experiential knowledge and technical information about non-visual identifiers. The intent of the E-Inspection Subcommittee is to bring ideas and recommendations to the NBC for future consideration. The NBC will receive the subcommittee’s recommendations in public meetings for discussion and input before final action. Then the process of Rules and Regulations will begin where public meetings will ensure consensus prior to implementation.
Nebraska has a long history of producers voluntarily using brands as proof of ownership for livestock. As technology advances there are a multitude of new methods available to identify livestock which were not lawful prior to the changes to the Livestock Brand Act contained in LB 572. The Legislature approved changes to authorize the Brand Committee to offer electronic inspection utilizing non-visual identifiers as an alternative to physical inspection to satisfy brand inspection requirements. E-inspection is not mandated but offered as an option for brand inspection compliance.
The focus of the E-Inspection Subcommittee is to provide insight to the NBC staff as to how an electronic inspection program could work for each of the different producer types while maintaining the integrity of the Brand Laws. This information will serve as the foundation for a system that will create greater efficiencies; minimize field staff travel and time; decrease producer expenses; reduce scheduling impediments for producers; improve access to documentation; be able to add value on existing EID usage at operations; and streamline the inspection process for non-change of ownership movements.
Current subcommittee participants and their segments include:
• Cory Banzhaf, JKS Farms, Pleasanton, feeder/cow-calf
• Art Brownlee, JHL Ranch, Ashby, commercial with retained ownership to harvest
• Jed Connealy, Connealy Cattle, Whitman, seedstock
• Chris Finney, Ainsworth Vet Clinic, Ainsworth, veterinarian & backgrounder
• Kim Ford, Cross Diamond Cattle Co, Bertrand, seedstock
• Jill Krajewski, Oshkosh Heifer Development, Oshkosh, cow-calf/backgrounder
• Gabriel Monasterio, Wolf Cattle Company, Ainsworth, seedstock/feeder
• Jay Nordausen, Ogallala Livestock Auction Market, Ogallala, livestock market
• Sherry Vinton, Vinton Ranch, Whitman, commercial cow-calf
• Steve Wolf, Wolfden Farms, Kearney, NE Holstein Association & dairy producers
• Duane Gangwish, Nebraska Brand Committee Member, Lexington, Darr Feedlot, feeder