Many new policies and bills are going into affect with new administration. One current bump in the road includes a bill that prohibits any state agency from requiring farmers or ranchers to register farm animals. The bill opposing “The Freedom to Farm Act” passed on Feb. 11 did not gain enough support in the Senate committee.

The opposing bill was sponsored by Rep. Roy Ragland (R.). The bill is in response to the Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Identification System implemented after the mad-cow disease epidemic in 2003.

“It’s just going to be like a giant IRS keeping up with every animal,” Ragland said.

“The bill would prevent the state of Arkansa from implementing the national animal ID system in advance of any federal moves and also send a strong message to the USDA that the farmers in the state of Arkansas do not want this burden weighing on their shoulders,” he said.

The government’s intentions are not to put a burden on anyone. The idea behind the identification program is to have the ability to track illness back to its origin quickly and prevent further outbreaks.

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