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DENVER, CO — The House today passed a bipartisan bill, sponsored by Representative Karen McCormick, to save farmers money and prevent livestock harm.
“Farmers and ranchers know that certain diseases or infections could wipe out their entire herd, and this bill saves both animal lives and money for our agricultural communities,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “Every farmer and rancher wants to keep their livestock healthy, and this bill extends the permissible uses of a livestock disease management fund to include preventative education and collaboration. This bipartisan bill is good for our agricultural ecosystem, saves farmers money and limits the spread of harmful diseases amongst livestock.”
HB26-1067, also sponsored by Representative Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, passed the House by a vote of 58 to 1. To save farmers money and help prevent the spread of livestock diseases, this bill would authorize the Department of Agriculture to expend money in support of agricultural workers preparing for and responding to certain emerging threats to livestock health. Under current law, the fund can only be used to reimburse a farmer or rancher if they are forced to euthanize their livestock after exposure to an infectious or contagious disease. This bill adds flexibility to the use of the fund so farmers and ranchers can take proactive measures to treat or prevent disease before it damages the herd.
This bill also renames the fund to the "livestock health preparedness, response, and diseased livestock indemnity" fund to reflect its new role in preventive action and in protecting healthy herds.
Last year, the Trump Administration announced that it would quadruple the amount of beef the U.S. imports from Argentina, which drastically undermined Colorado beef producers during peak season.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture recently warned farmers and ranchers about the New World Screwworm, a parasitic fly that is “a threat to the livestock industry” in Colorado. Bird flu, formally known as the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, has been negatively impacting livestock in Colorado and across the nation.