Idaho Brand Board presents RS31802 seeking fee-cap changes, ability to retain interest on dedicated fund

Cody Burlisle, director of the Idaho Brand Board and state brand inspector, told the Idaho Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee that RS31802 would change statutory fee caps for brand-inspection services and clarify the board’s process for regulating service fees under those caps.

"This legislation is a product of years of assessment, negotiation, and teamwork among industry stakeholders to address the Brand Board's current and future financial problem," Burlisle said, summarizing a stakeholder process he said included roughly 20 meetings over an 18-month period. He said the proposal would allow the Brand Board to retain interest accrued on its dedicated fund and that the changes would be enacted through amendments to provisions of Idaho law.

Burlisle told the committee the fiscal effect would include an estimated $40,000 negative impact to the state general fund and an estimated $300,000 positive impact to the Brand Board’s dedicated funding, with additional effects depending on the timing of service-fee adjustments. He said the legislation was developed with support from industry groups including the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho Dairy Association, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation and the Idaho Livestock Auction Association.

After the presentation, the committee moved and seconded a motion to schedule RS31802 for further consideration; the motion carried on voice vote. The chair said staff will schedule the measure for a subsequent committee hearing so senators who were not present could view the recorded presentation.

The proposal will next appear on a committee agenda for a formal hearing and any subsequent amendments and recorded votes.