HF40 • 2026

Requirement that fencing must prevent physical contact between farmed Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae removed, and authority to revoke registrations under certain conditions removed.

Agriculture

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Burkel, Gillman
Last action: 2025-02-13
Official status: Author added Gillman
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on maintenance requirements for fencing after changes to the law.

Changes to Fencing Requirements for Farmed Deer

This bill removes rules about fencing that prevent contact between farmed deer and wild deer, and it also takes away the power to cancel registrations of farms if they do not follow certain rules.

What This Bill Does

Removes the requirement that fences must stop physical contact between farmed Cervidae (like deer) and free-roaming Cervidae.
Eliminates the authority of certain boards to revoke registrations if a farm does not follow specific rules about fencing.

Who It Names or Affects

Farms and owners who raise Cervidae (like deer).
The Board of Animal Health and the commissioner of natural resources, as they no longer have the authority to revoke registrations under certain conditions.

Terms To Know

Cervidae: A group that includes animals like deer, elk, and moose.
Registration: The official record of a farm or facility raising Cervidae.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if farmed Cervidae escape.
Does not provide details on how fencing must be maintained after the changes to the law.
It is unclear when this bill will become effective or if there are any penalties for non-compliance.

Bill History

2025-02-13 House
Author added Gillman
2025-02-10 House
Introduction and first reading, referred to Agriculture Finance and Policy

Official Summary Text

Requirement that fencing must prevent physical contact between farmed Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae removed, and authority to revoke registrations under certain conditions removed.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

A bill for an act

relating to agriculture; removing requirement that fencing prevent physical contact

between farmed Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae; removing authority to revoke

registrations under certain conditions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section

35.155, subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 35.155, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Fencing.

Farmed Cervidae must be confined in a manner designed to prevent

escape. All perimeter fences for farmed Cervidae must be at least 96 inches in height and

be constructed and maintained in a way that prevents the escape of farmed Cervidae
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,
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new text begin
and
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entry into the premises by free-roaming Cervidae
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, and physical contact between farmed

Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae
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. The Board of Animal Health or commissioner of

natural resources may determine whether the construction and maintenance of fencing is

adequate to prevent
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physical contact or
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escape under this subdivision and may compel

corrective action when fencing is determined to be inadequate. All new fencing installed

and all fencing used to repair deficiencies must be high tensile. All entry areas for farmed

Cervidae enclosure areas must have two redundant gates, which must be maintained to

prevent the escape of animals through an open gate. If a fence deficiency allows entry or

exit by farmed or wild Cervidae, the owner must immediately repair the deficiency. All

other deficiencies must be repaired within a reasonable time, as determined by the Board

of Animal Health, not to exceed 14 days. If a fence deficiency is detected during an

inspection, the facility must be reinspected at least once in the subsequent three months.

The farmed Cervidae owner must pay a reinspection fee equal to one-half the applicable

annual inspection fee under subdivision 7a for each reinspection related to a fence violation.
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If the facility experiences more than one escape incident in any six-month period or fails

to correct a deficiency found during an inspection, the board may revoke the facility's

registration and order the owner to remove or destroy the animals as directed by the board.

If the board revokes a facility's registration, the commissioner of natural resources may

seize and destroy animals at the facility.
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