Senator Tom Brewer
43rd District
2-2-2024
I have received a number of calls from ranchers concerned about Electronic Identification of
livestock (EID). Let me start by saying there is no such bill being considered by the Nebraska
legislature. I believe concerns about this started with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposing regulation changes. After speaking with the legislature’s Agriculture Committee staff (one of my committee assignment) I learned the proposed changes concern ordinary plastic ear tags that are in common use in the ranching industry. The rule change that got everyone all stirred up says the common plastic ear tag must be able to be read electronically if it has a bar code or a QR code.
I also spoke with the new Brand Committee Executive Director, Mr. Don Arp. He assures me
that unlike previous brand committee initiatives, there are no plans to implement the use of
electronic ID by Nebraska’s Brand Committee. He went on to say the brand committee will
focus on their primary mission of determining ownership at the point of sale for livestock.
In the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee which I chair, we heard a bill from Senator Ray Aguilar. LB 925 is intended to prohibit government entities from contracting with businesses that discriminate against the firearms industry.
My good friend Steve Hornady, president of Hornady Manufacturing, Inc, which makes
ammunition, testified in support of the bill. He said his company, which has been in business
since 1949 and employs 1,200 people, has faced discrimination from insurance, software and
credit card processing companies.
Hornady said the company’s property insurance carrier informed him last year that limits would be put on their coverage due to catastrophic weather-related challenges throughout the U.S. and because the company had begun to outgrow the provider’s capacity. When he requested bids from 24 other providers, he said the company received no quotes.
Americans, and Nebraskans in particular, have constitutionally-guaranteed rights, like the 2nd Amendment, and Article 1 of the Nebraska Constitution. I am glad Senator Aguilar introduced this legislation.
Please contact my office with any comments, questions, or concerns. Email me at
tbrewer@leg.ne.gov, mail a letter to Sen. Tom Brewer, Room #1423, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln,
NE 68509, or call us at (402) 471-2628.