Senate committee backs bill to raise brand board fee caps after stakeholder plan to shore up funding

The Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee voted to send Senate Bill 1016 to the floor with a do‑pass recommendation after the Idaho Brand Board and livestock industry stakeholders described a multi‑year plan to stabilize the board's finances.

Cody Berlisle, director of the Idaho Brand Board and Idaho state brand inspector, told the committee that Idaho is home to more than 2,500,000 cattle and that brand inspectors verified ownership on 2,200,000 head of livestock last year. "We recovered and returned livestock valued at over $250,000 and prevented more than $600,000 of questionable ownership funds from being wrongfully distributed," Berlisle said, adding the board has a 98% return rate on livestock that are found.

The bill would amend provisions in Title 25, Chapter 11 of the Idaho Code that govern brand recording and brand inspection, increase statutory caps on service fees the board may charge, and…