Senators approve substitute motion on LB646 after hours of debate over brand inspection and feedlot fees

The Nebraska Legislature adopted a motion to withdraw and substitute on Legislative Bill 646 — a bill that would change the state's brand-inspection rules for feedlots — after several hours of debate, advancing amended language and sending the measure back to floor debate. The motion to substitute was adopted by roll call, 27 ayes to 2 nays.

Why it matters: LB646 and the pending amendments would alter inspection and fee structures tied to the Nebraska Brand Committee's work, affecting registered feedlots, cow-calf producers and the brand agency's budget. Sponsors say the changes create uniformity and reduce fees for many large feedlots; opponents warn of weakened inspections, potential revenue shortfalls and greater risk of theft or commingling.

Sponsor Senator Iba, the bill's introducer, framed the proposal as a modernization step and said the amendment she offered (AM 8 29) "simply lowers the mandated fee to operate a registered feedlot in this state." She told colleagues the amendment would keep existing statutory authorities in place while making three principal changes: exempting dairy cattle shipped to or from a qualified dairy in the brand area from routine inspection; authorizing the Nebraska Brand Committee to set a higher per-head inspection cap (raising the statutory cap from $1.10 to $1.50 per head); and setting a flat annual…