By a 30-0 vote, the Legislature agreed Thursday to stress that the "Locate in 48" and similar programs are voluntary.

Check out our FREE online Bill Pay!

A bill, LB 632, would allow land and livestock owners to opt out of the "Locate in 48" program if they have joined. The law would cover any future additional livestock registration programs.

A group of poultry producers say premise ID is just the beginning of a mandatory system. For more, click on "opinion" - Editor.

Twelve senators did not vote on the bill. The bill will go on to the second round of debate, perhaps as early as next week.

"This is a great day for Nebraska’s independent cattle producers” said Chris Abbott, a Cherry County rancher who is president of the Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska. “We have demonstrated that when important issues like this come up, ICON has the network and the people in place to influence the outcome in a positive fashion.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has repeatedly stated that the national animal identification program is “voluntary at the federal level."

But state officials are working hard to implement the program. The USDA has sent money to promote the program to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and the department has sent letters to livestock owners and purchased advertising touting the “Locate in 48” program.

ICON said the Nebraska Department of Agriculture wants to achieve full participation in the "Locate in 48" program by 2009. But, in a letter to the Bulletin Thursday, the ag department said it has “always made it clear that signup for this federal program is voluntary.”

LB 632 would "simply prohibits the state from telling people that they have to participate", ICON said.

LB 632 would require the ag department to “develop and facilitate a process of withdrawal of registration," the bill states. Also, written confirmation would be sent upon withdrawal of registration from the department’s database.

ICON is also concerned that sensitive business and property information could become public if it is registered with the state. So, under LB 632, the department is specifically instructed to abide by state and federal privacy and confidentiality law.

The prposed animal identification program stops at meat packers. It does nothing to provide information about the animal or the meat from that point on.

And, land and livestock owners will probably end up being forced to pay additional costs under the ID program, ICON said.