Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB493 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 62 0092
2	2	House Bill 493
3	3	By: Representatives Howard of the 71
4	4	st
5	5	, Huddleston of the 72
6	6	nd
7	7	, Ridley of the 6
8	8	th
9	9	, Mathis of
10	10	the 133
11	11	rd
12	12	, Ford of the 170
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16	AN ACT
17	17	To amend Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
18	18	1
19	19	relating to other state symbols, so as to designate pineywoods cattle as the official Georgia2
20	20	heritage cattle breed; to provide for legislative findings and declarations; to provide for3
21	21	related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4
22	22	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5
23	23	SECTION 1.6
24	24	The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:7
25	25	(1) Pineywoods cattle have been in Georgia and the Southeast since the 1500s and were8
26	26	a staple part of everyday work life and a key component to the economic landscape of9
27	27	what would become this state;10
28	28	(2) Pineywoods cattle herds were raised by not only European settlers but also by the11
29	29	Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chocktaw, and Chickasaw;12
30	30	(3) Over time, pineywoods cattle became adapted to the Southeast, resulting in the breed13
31	31	becoming heat tolerant, resilient, resistant to parasites and diseases, and able to be14
32	32	productive on marginal foliage;15
33	33	H. B. 493
34	34	- 1 - 25 LC 62 0092
35	35	(4) Pineywoods cattle were extremely self sufficient, living largely independent of
36	36	16
37	37	cattlemen and being driven to a new area only by necessity;17
38	38	(5) The breed was used for pulling timber from forests, plowing fields, and hauling18
39	39	goods to market in addition to beef and dairy production;19
40	40	(6) Beginning in the 1950s, larger breeds became favored for the purpose of gaining20
41	41	weight on grain, and survival characteristics and disease resistance were bred out of the21
42	42	larger breeds;22
43	43	(7) Only a few families continue to keep purebred pineywoods cattle herds, creating a23
44	44	few distinct strains. The Georgia strains include Holt, Purvis, Albany, and Popple;24
45	45	(8) The Livestock Conservancy currently lists the breed and related strains as threatened,25
46	46	with fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States;26
47	47	(9) Pineywoods cattle are being utilized in holistic grazing initiatives to recover native27
48	48	species due the breed's adaptability to the climate and challenging terrain of the28
49	49	Southeast; and29
50	50	(10) Establishing pineywoods cattle as the official Georgia heritage cattle breed is30
51	51	necessary to fully recognize the importance of the breed and its contributions to Georgia31
52	52	history.32
53	53	SECTION 2.33
54	54	Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other34
55	55	state symbols, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:35
56	56	"50-3-94.
57	57	36
58	58	Pineywoods cattle are designated as the official Georgia heritage cattle breed."37
59	59	SECTION 3.38
60	60	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.39
61	61	H. B. 493
62	62	- 2 -