Office of the Revisor of Statutes
SF 553
1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 03/25/2025 09:09 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; modifying fencing requirements for farmed Cervidae;
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 Cervidaedeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin andnew text end
entry into the premises by free-roaming Cervidaedeleted text begin , and physical contact between farmed
Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidaedeleted text end . new text begin Perimeter fences must also prevent physical contact
between farmed Cervidae and free-roaming Cervidae, but only at facilities where the state
has paid the costs of fence installation to meet this requirement.new text end The Board of Animal Health
or commissioner of natural resources may determine whether the construction and
maintenance of fencing is adequate to prevent physical contact or 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. 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. deleted text begin If the board revokes a facility's registration, the commissioner of natural resources
may seize and destroy animals at the facility.
deleted text end