| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to agriculture; modifying fencing requirements for farmed Cervidae; |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 35.155, subdivision 4. |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 35.155, subdivision 4, is amended to read: |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Subd. 4.Fencing.Farmed Cervidae must be confined in a manner designed to prevent |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7escape. All perimeter fences for farmed Cervidae must be at least 96 inches in height and |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8be constructed and maintained in a way that prevents the escape of farmed Cervidae, and |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9entry into the premises by free-roaming Cervidae, and physical contact between farmed |
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| 10 | | - | 1.10Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae. Perimeter fences must also prevent physical contact |
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| 11 | | - | 1.11between farmed Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae, but only at facilities where the state |
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| 12 | | - | 1.12has paid the costs of fence installation to meet this requirement. The Board of Animal Health |
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| 13 | | - | 1.13or commissioner of natural resources may determine whether the construction and |
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| 14 | | - | 1.14maintenance of fencing is adequate to prevent physical contact or escape under this |
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| 15 | | - | 1.15subdivision and may compel corrective action when fencing is determined to be inadequate. |
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| 16 | | - | 1.16All new fencing installed and all fencing used to repair deficiencies must be high tensile. |
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| 17 | | - | 1.17All entry areas for farmed Cervidae enclosure areas must have two redundant gates, which |
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| 18 | | - | 1.18must be maintained to prevent the escape of animals through an open gate. If a fence |
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| 19 | | - | 1.19deficiency allows entry or exit by farmed or wild Cervidae, the owner must immediately |
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| 20 | | - | 1.20repair the deficiency. All other deficiencies must be repaired within a reasonable time, as |
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| 21 | | - | 1.21determined by the Board of Animal Health, not to exceed 14 days. If a fence deficiency is |
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| 22 | | - | 1.22detected during an inspection, the facility must be reinspected at least once in the subsequent |
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| 23 | | - | 1.23three months. The farmed Cervidae owner must pay a reinspection fee equal to one-half the |
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| 10 | + | 1.10Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae. The Board of Animal Health or commissioner of |
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| 11 | + | 1.11natural resources may determine whether the construction and maintenance of fencing is |
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| 12 | + | 1.12adequate to prevent physical contact or escape under this subdivision and may compel |
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| 13 | + | 1.13corrective action when fencing is determined to be inadequate. All new fencing installed |
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| 14 | + | 1.14and all fencing used to repair deficiencies must be high tensile. All entry areas for farmed |
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| 15 | + | 1.15Cervidae enclosure areas must have two redundant gates, which must be maintained to |
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| 16 | + | 1.16prevent the escape of animals through an open gate. If a fence deficiency allows entry or |
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| 17 | + | 1.17exit by farmed or wild Cervidae, the owner must immediately repair the deficiency. All |
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| 18 | + | 1.18other deficiencies must be repaired within a reasonable time, as determined by the Board |
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| 19 | + | 1.19of Animal Health, not to exceed 14 days. If a fence deficiency is detected during an |
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| 20 | + | 1.20inspection, the facility must be reinspected at least once in the subsequent three months. |
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| 21 | + | 1.21The farmed Cervidae owner must pay a reinspection fee equal to one-half the applicable |
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| 22 | + | 1.22annual inspection fee under subdivision 7a for each reinspection related to a fence violation. |
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| 23 | + | 1.23If the facility experiences more than one escape incident in any six-month period or fails |
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| 31 | | - | Introduction and first reading15901/23/2025 |
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| 32 | | - | Referred to Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development |
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| 33 | | - | Comm report: Amended, No recommendation, re-referred to Environment, Climate, and Legacy02/03/2025 2.1applicable annual inspection fee under subdivision 7a for each reinspection related to a |
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| 34 | | - | 2.2fence violation. If the facility experiences more than one escape incident in any six-month |
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| 35 | | - | 2.3period or fails to correct a deficiency found during an inspection, the board may revoke the |
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| 36 | | - | 2.4facility's registration and order the owner to remove or destroy the animals as directed by |
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| 37 | | - | 2.5the board. If the board revokes a facility's registration, the commissioner of natural resources |
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| 38 | | - | 2.6may seize and destroy animals at the facility. |
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| 31 | + | Introduction and first reading01/23/2025 |
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| 32 | + | Referred to Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development 2.1to correct a deficiency found during an inspection, the board may revoke the facility's |
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| 33 | + | 2.2registration and order the owner to remove or destroy the animals as directed by the board. |
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| 34 | + | 2.3If the board revokes a facility's registration, the commissioner of natural resources may |
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| 35 | + | 2.4seize and destroy animals at the facility. |
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