House Votes To Eliminate WSDA Branding Program

The state House in Olympia passed legislation Wednesday to eliminate the state Department of Agriculture's livestock inspection program.  House Bill 2075, sponsored by Granger Republican Bruce Chandler, provides direction to WSDA how to close the branding program.  He said the Ag community needs to be prepared for the possibility that livestock producers and other stake holder will not be able to come to an agreement how to fund the struggling program.

Chandler’s bill would remove all of WSDA’s authority and provisions relating to the Livestock Inspection Program.  Including:

• repealing the inspection program fees
• deleting provisions creating and requiring identification certificates for livestock
• repealing all provisions related to WSDA's certification of feedlots
• repealing the inspection and enforcement authority related to the inspection program.

“I'm hopeful we don't need this bill,” said Chandler. “It's odd to be in the position of advocating for a bill you hope is completely unnecessary. But this is a last resort if all else fails. It's not acceptable for the Legislature to allow any program to indefinitely run in the red. If there is no appropriation that can meet the need, this bill provides a path – a plan – to systematically close down the program.”

House Bill 2075 passed the House 89-7 and now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

The 105-day 2019 legislative session is scheduled to end April 28.

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