HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1347

             As Reported By House Committee On:

               Agriculture & Rural Development

Title:  An act relating to camelids.

Brief Description:  Authorizing the department of agriculture to control diseases in alpacas and llamas.

Sponsors:  Representatives Forner, Rayburn, Dyer, Thomas, Wood, Morton and Silver.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Agriculture & Rural Development, March 2, 1993, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives Rayburn, Chair; Kremen, Vice Chair; Chandler, Ranking Minority Member; Schoesler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Foreman; Grant; Karahalios; Lisk; and Roland.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:

Department of Agriculture - Disease Control.  State law grants the director of the Department of Agriculture general responsibility for the prevention of the spread and suppression of diseases affecting animals within, in transit through, and imported into the state.  Among the authorities of the director are those to impose quarantines, regulate veterinary biologics, and adopt and enforce rules to prevent the introduction or spread of diseases in domestic animals.  The disease control authorities of the director are exercised through the state veterinarian who is appointed by the director.

Agricultural Enabling Acts.  The Agricultural Enabling Act of 1955 and the Agricultural Enabling Act of 1961 provide mechanisms for persons in various segments of the agricultural industry to establish commodity boards and commissions and marketing orders regulating the sale of their products.  The range of agricultural products for which such boards and orders may be established is very broad.  It includes any animal.

Summary of Bill:

Disease Control.  The authority of the director of the Department of Agriculture to prevent, control, and suppress diseases in llamas and alpacas is the same as the director's authority regarding any other domestic animal.  The authority of the Department of Wildlife does not extend to preventing, controlling, or suppressing diseases in these animals nor to controlling their movement or sale.

Commodity Boards and Commissions.  Llamas and alpacas are expressly designated as being animals for which marketing orders and a commodity board or commission may be established under the state's Agricultural Enabling Acts. 

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (1) Llamas and alpacas should be treated as domestic animals, not as wildlife.  They have been raised as domestic animals in the Americas since pre-history.  They are raised in this state as part of 4-H projects and are part of the animal exhibits in nearly every county fair.  (2) More than 5,600 llamas in this state are used in agriculture, as pack animals, and as pets.  (3) In the sheep industry, llamas are used  as "watch dogs."  They detect and run off coyotes.  (4) Llamas are registered to avoid in-breeding. 

Testimony Against:  None. 

Witnesses:  Representative Forner (in favor); Allan Jorgensen, Triple J Farms (in favor); Cathy Pfeil, Llamas N' More 4-H Club (in favor); Craig Spalding, Gentle Spirited Llamas (in favor); and Carolyn Willis, Sahaja Fantasy Llamas (in favor).