Livestock

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the specific impacts of removing the hoof requirement from alternative livestock definitions.

Livestock Dealer Licensing Act

This bill changes Tennessee's definition of alternative livestock by removing the requirement that they must have hooves.

What This Bill Does

• Removes the part of the law that says alternative livestock must be hoofed to qualify under the definition.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who work as livestock dealers in Tennessee
• The agriculture commissioner and their agents

Terms To Know

alternative livestock

Non-traditional farm animals that are raised for agricultural or recreational use, such as exotic animals.

livestock dealer

A person who buys and sells livestock as a business.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify which non-traditional livestock will be included in the new definition.
• It is unclear how this change might affect current regulations or enforcement practices.

Official Summary Text

Present law requires any
person doing business as a livestock dealer
to
procure from the commissioner
of agriculture or the commissioner's appointed agent
("commissioner")
an annual license.
The following
actions are
specifically
prohibited:



Any person acting as a livestock dealer without
such
a valid license
.


Failure to maintain records as required by the commissioner
.


Failure to provide access to all records required of such licensee
.


Buying or selling livestock under an assumed name or address.


Violation of a valid rule, regulation
,
or statute governing livestock disease control
.


Failure to make payment to a buyer or seller
.


M
aking
a
payment to a buyer or seller with insufficient funds
.


Failure to keep current bond requirements pursuant to
federal law
.

Present law provides that the above provisions do not
apply to any livestock producer who may occasionally buy or sell livestock in connection with that person's farming operations.

As used in the law described above, "l
ivestock”
means cattle, calves, horses, mules, poultry, swine, sheep, goats, and alternative livestock
.

"ALTERNATIVE LIVESTOCK" DEFINED

Present law defines "a
lternative livestock
"

as
non-traditional cattle, calves, horses, mules, poultry, swine, sheep, goats, and alternative livestock that are hoofed and captive-farmed for purposes of agricultural or recreational use
. This bill removes the requirement that other unspecified alternative livestock that are captive-farmed for
purposes of agricultural or recreational use
must be hoofed.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2150
By Jones R

SENATE BILL 2553
By Reeves
SB2553
009604
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 44,
Chapter 10, relative to livestock.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 44-10-202(1), is amended by
deleting "hoofed and".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.