HF 3684

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/21/2022 02:51pm

A bill for an act
relating to animal health; prohibiting new registrations for farmed white-tailed
deer; establishing a voluntary farmed white-tailed deer buyout program;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155,
subdivision 10.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10.

Mandatory registration.

(a) A person may not possess live Cervidae in
Minnesota unless the person is registered with the Board of Animal Health and meets all
the requirements for farmed Cervidae under this section. Cervidae possessed in violation
of this subdivision may be seized and destroyed by the commissioner of natural resources.

(b) A person whose registration is revoked by the board is ineligible for future registration
under this section unless the board determines that the person has undertaken measures that
make future escapes extremely unlikely.

new text begin (c) Beginning July 1, 2022, the board must not approve a new registration under this
subdivision for farmed white-tailed deer. This paragraph does not prohibit a person holding
a valid registration under this subdivision from selling or transferring the person's herd and
registration to a family member.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin VOLUNTARY FARMED WHITE-TAILED DEER BUYOUT;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
agriculture to offer a buyout payment to the owners of farmed white-tailed deer registered
under Minnesota Statutes, section 35.155. The commissioner must establish buyout payment
amounts and criteria, with each animal disposed of as determined by the Board of Animal
Health. Owners have until October 1, 2022, to accept the buyout offered by the commissioner
under this section. A participating owner who subsequently possesses farmed white-tailed
deer or otherwise violates the buyout contract must repay all money received under this
section and is subject to appropriate penalties under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 35. This
is a onetime appropriation.
new text end