Special to The SUN
Effective Jan. 1, fees through the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Brand Inspection Division will increase. The fee increase includes cattle, horse and sheep inspection; licenses and permits; brand registration fees/estray fees; brand assessment fees; and canceled brand reinstatement fees.
“The Brand Inspection Division’s job is to protect Colorado’s $3 billion livestock industry from loss by theft or straying,” said CDA’s brand commissioner, Chris Whitney. “Brand inspection fees have not increased since 2005; meanwhile, the livestock market has changed dramatically and the cost of providing the services the industry expects from us has increased. The new fees are a reflection of those changes.”
The brand assessment fee was last increased in 2012; the new fee will be effective in 2017. Fees collected on behalf of the Colorado Beef Council and Colorado Horse Development Authority will not change. For a complete list of the new fees, visit www.colorado.gov/agbrands.
Extensive meetings were held with the Brand Board and livestock industry groups to discuss the market changes and their impact on division services. Following those meetings and discussions, the increases were unanimously supported by industry representatives at a public rule-making hearing on Oct. 15.
Colorado law and regulations require that livestock (including cattle, calves, horses, mules, donkeys, burros and, when requested, sheep), whether or not they are branded, be inspected before:
• any change of ownership (whether by gift or sale);
• transport over 75 miles within the state of Colorado;
• transport to a destination outside Colorado (regardless of the distance);
• transport to sale; and
• transport to slaughter.
Livestock inspection has been a valuable part of Colorado’s agricultural history for nearly 150 years. It helps deter theft, determine ownership, return lost or stolen livestock, and creates an accurate record of livestock movement that is critical in instances of disease outbreak.
Livestock owners can schedule an inspection by contacting their area brand inspector directly. Contact information can be found at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agbrands/contact-us-41#map. They may also contact CDA’s Brand Inspection division at (303) 869-9160 or visitwww.colorado.gov/agbrands.
