Department of Agriculture seeks authority to spend increased feed fee on animal health

Sherry Vinton, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, told the Appropriations Committee the department supports the governor’s mid‑biennium budget recommendations for FY26‑27 and seeks flexibility in using cash fund revenue.

Vinton explained that the commercial feed fee has already increased (now 15¢ per ton, up from 6.5¢) and that the department wants statutory authority to use the resulting funds to support the animal health program — including salaries for the state veterinarian and deputy, livestock import‑tracking software and inspections. The department said the proposed change would not increase the fee itself but would permit the agency to spend fee revenue on closely related animal‑health functions.

Committee members asked for clarifications on AgrAbility and other program funding. Vinton said the department would continue work on disease preparedness (avian influenza, plans for foot‑and‑mouth disease and African swine fever) and would partner with USDA and local counties when implementing grants such as those described in LB 12‑31. She also told senators the department can pool federal, state and private partner funds to maximize impact without fiscal impact to NDA operations.

Senators and staff pressed for specifics on fee history, the magnitude of feed tonnage taxed (NDA cited ~14 million tons per year) and how authority — not a fee increase — is being requested. Vinton said the fee has already increased and that the department needs authority to align spending with the fee’s beneficiaries.

The department concluded with a request that the committee approve the cash‑use expansion to protect livestock and support regulatory work. No appropriation vote occurred in the hearing.