Agricultural News
Amended Feral Hog Bill, HB1104, Supported by Oklahoma Pork Council
Wed, 04 Mar 2015 04:50:31 CST
An amended version of House Bill 1104 may be considered by the Oklahoma House this week as supporters of mandatory testing for captured feral swine support the revised language. The bill, authored by Scott Biggs of Chickasha, has generated a lot of buzz within the agricultural community in recent days.
The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Pork Council, Roy Lee Lindsey, told the Oklahoma Farm Report Tuesday evening that his organization supports the bill as amended- and has sent a letter of support out to Oklahoma House members.
Representative Biggs filed the amendment to his original language on Tuesday afternoon. The revised language goes into detail about how feral swine are to be handled, tested and transported once captured.
Specifically, the bill says "All persons that transport live feral swine in this state shall be required to obtain a transporter license from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. Prior to transporting captured feral swine, the capturer shall tag the swine using a Department - approved identification method and have all captured feral swine test negative to a pseudorabies and brucellosis test administered by a state - licensed veterinarian, as well as any other diseases as required by the Department."
The measure goes on to say "Live feral swine shall only be transported to the following:
"1. A licensed sporting facility;
"2. A licensed handling facility;
"3. Directly to an approved slaughter facility; or
"4. Pursuant to an order issued by the State Veterinarian."
In addition, the amendment stipulates "No person shall commingle feral swine with domestic swine at any time. No person shall hold feral swine on any premises where domestic swine are located.
"No person shall hold feral swine at a licensed handling facility for more than thirty (30) consecutive days unless the feral swine are held solely for domestic consumption purposes. No person shall allow breeding of feral swine held for domestic consumption purposes.
"Any person adding feral swine to a licensed sporting facility shall ensure each feral swine is individually identified with a form of official identification and tests negative to a pseudorabies and brucellosis test administered by a state - licensed veterinarian within ten (10) days prior to entry into the licensed sporting facility."
HB1104 could be considered as early as this week on the floor of the Oklahoma House.
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