LINCOLN — While Nebraska state lawmakers are trying to balance the budget, Niobrara State Sen. Barry DeKay held an Agriculture Committee hearing on an amendment to his LB1187 that would change the makeup of the state’s Brand Committee.

The latest amendment from DeKay, AM2503, would replace all of his original bill, LB1187. If the amendment is approved, it would keep the adjustments to the inspection fees for the brand committee, but it would increase the number of people on the Brand Committee from five to seven members. It also would change the makeup of the committee to make sure it includes three people active in the cattle industry, one from each Brand Committee district. And also, “two owners or operators of a cattle feeding operation…one owner or operator of a livestock auction market that primarily sells cattle,” plus one “purebred cattle breeder.”

Every testifier opposed the amendment Thursday, as rural areas in the state deal with wildfires. No one showed up to support the change.

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