CSSB 46(FIN): "An Act relating to moose farming and relating to game farming."
00CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 46(FIN) 01 "An Act relating to moose farming and relating to game farming." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. AS 03.05.010(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) The commissioner of natural resources shall 05 (1) direct, administer, and supervise promotional and experimental 06 work, extension services, and agricultural projects for the purpose of promoting and 07 developing the agricultural industry within the state including such fields as 08 horticulture, dairying, cattle raising, fur farming, game farming, grain production, 09 vegetable production, and development of other agricultural products; 10 (2) procure and preserve all information pertaining to the development 11 of the agricultural industry and disseminate that information to the public; 12 (3) assist prospective settlers and others desiring to engage in the 13 agricultural industry in the state with information concerning areas suitable for 14 agriculture and other activities and programs essential to the development of the
01 agricultural industry in the state; 02 (4) review the marketing, financing, and development of agricultural 03 products inside the state including transportation, with special emphasis upon local 04 production, and negotiate for the marketing of agricultural products of the state with 05 federal and state agencies operating in the state; 06 (5) regulate and control the entry into the state and the transportation, 07 sale, or use inside the state of plants, seeds, vegetables, shell eggs, fruits and berries, 08 nursery stock, animal feeds, remedies and mineral supplements, fertilizers, and 09 agricultural chemicals in order to prevent the spread of pests, diseases, or toxic 10 substances injurious to the public interest, and to protect the agricultural industry 11 against fraud, deception, and misrepresentation; in this connection the commissioner 12 may require registration, inspection, and testing, and establish procedures and fees; and 13 (6) regulate game [THE] farming of elk and moose in a manner 14 similar to the manner in which the commissioner regulates domestic animals and 15 livestock, to the extent that is appropriate. 16 * Sec. 2. AS 03.05.011(b) is amended to read: 17 (b) The commissioner of environmental conservation shall regulate game 18 [THE] farming of elk and moose in a manner similar to the manner in which the 19 commissioner regulates domestic animals and livestock, to the extent that is 20 appropriate. 21 * Sec. 3. AS 03.05 is amended by adding a new section to read: 22 Sec. 03.05.075. IMPORTATION OF MOOSE. A person may not import 23 moose into the state for the purpose of moose farming. 24 * Sec. 4. AS 03.25.010 is amended to read: 25 Sec. 03.25.010. COMMISSIONER AUTHORIZED TO EMPLOY 26 VETERINARIANS. The commissioner may either independently or in cooperation 27 with the United States Department of the Interior or a college or a university or like 28 institution employ veterinarians for periods found to be to the best advantage for the 29 purpose of aid and service to the fur raising industry and game farming industry, and 30 for the purpose of aid and service to those engaged in raising livestock and other 31 domestic animals.
01 * Sec. 5. AS 03.25.020 is amended to read: 02 Sec. 03.25.020. DUTIES OF VETERINARIANS. Veterinarians shall 03 (1) visit the fur farms and game farms of the state, study problems 04 incidental to raising fur bearing animals and captive game animals and advise those 05 engaged in the industry in matters pertaining to the breeding and care of fur bearing 06 animals and captive game animals and the prevention and cure of diseases of fur 07 bearing animals and captive game animals; 08 (2) prepare, publish, and distribute such data as the veterinarian, with 09 the advice and consent of the commissioner, considers useful to those engaged in the 10 industry; 11 (3) make reports to the commissioner when required by the 12 commissioner for transmittal to the state legislature; 13 (4) initiate and carry on experiments, on or in connection with a fur 14 farm or game farm, with relation to the care and feeding of fur bearing animals or 15 captive game animals, the improvements of the breed, or the cure or prevention of 16 any disease to which they may be subject or the extermination of the parasites by 17 which they may be attacked, and in this connection employ and pay for the necessary 18 assistance and rent and use of necessary facilities; 19 (5) perform other duties as may be prescribed by the commissioner as 20 are not inconsistent with the duties specifically imposed by this chapter; 21 (6) study problems incidental to the raising of livestock, [AND] other 22 domestic animals, and captive game animals, and advise those engaged therein upon 23 matters pertaining to the breeding, care, and the prevention and cure of diseases of 24 livestock, [AND] other domestic animals, and captive game animals; 25 (7) issue a certificate to a person, group, association, partnership, 26 or corporation who has applied to the Department of Fish and Game to receive 27 surplus moose under AS 16.40.010 if the applicant has demonstrated to the 28 satisfaction of the veterinarian that the applicant 29 (A) has the ability to prevent and detect the spread of 30 disease and parasites from 31 (i) captive moose to wild game; and
01 (ii) domestic animals to captive moose; and 02 (B) possesses facilities sufficient to prevent injury to animals 03 and handlers. 04 * Sec. 6. AS 03.40.010 is amended to read: 05 Sec. 03.40.010. BRANDS AND MARKS. Any person owning cattle, reindeer, 06 bison, musk ox, moose, [MUSKOX,] sheep, horses, mules, or asses [,] may adopt a 07 brand or mark. After recording the brand or mark as provided in AS 03.40.030, the 08 person has the exclusive right to its use. 09 * Sec. 7. AS 03.40.050 is amended to read: 10 Sec. 03.40.050. USE WITHOUT CERTIFICATE PROHIBITED. A person 11 may not brand any horse, cattle, reindeer, bison, musk ox, moose, [MUSKOX] mule, 12 or ass, unless the person using the brand holds a written certificate of acceptance from 13 the commissioner. 14 * Sec. 8. AS 16.40.010 is amended to read: 15 Sec. 16.40.010. DISPOSITION OF SURPLUS GAME ANIMALS [BUFFALO 16 AND MUSK OXEN]. Whenever it is determined by the department that a surplus 17 [EXISTS IN THE HERDS] of buffalo, moose, or [AND] musk oxen exists [UNDER 18 ITS CONTROL], the department may, under regulations adopted by it, grant the 19 surplus or portions of the surplus [IT] to persons, groups, associations, partnerships, 20 or corporations for the purpose of raising and breeding the animals as domestic stock 21 for commercial purposes, or for scientific and educational purposes. A person, group, 22 association, partnership, or corporation may receive animals only after 23 (1) obtaining a certificate from a veterinarian under AS 03.25.020, 24 if the person, group, association, partnership, or corporation intends to raise and 25 breed moose; and 26 (2) proving to the satisfaction of the department 27 (A) [(1)] intent to raise and breed the animals; and 28 (B) [(2)] possession of facilities for maintaining the animals 29 under positive control. 30 * Sec. 9. AS 16.40.010 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 31 (b) A person, including a group, association, partnership, or corporation, who
01 receives moose under (a) of this section after the effective date of this subsection shall 02 (1) brand or mark each animal received and the progeny of any animal 03 received with an appropriate mark, brand, or tattoo as approved by the commissioner 04 of natural resources under AS 03.40 and with a highly visible, numbered ear tag; 05 (2) register the animals received, other captive game animals however 06 acquired, and the progeny of those animals with the commissioner of fish and game, 07 the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Environmental 08 Conservation within 30 days after the animals are acquired; 09 (3) construct and maintain a fence that is adequate to prevent the 10 escape of the animals and their progeny and to exclude wild game; 11 (4) establish and maintain a contractual relationship with a veterinarian 12 to examine the animals and their progeny semi-annually; 13 (5) notify the commissioner of fish and game of the birth, sale, 14 slaughter, escape, or death of the animals and their progeny; 15 (6) provide at the person's cost for a complete necropsy by a 16 veterinarian approved by the commissioner of fish and game to determine the cause 17 of death of all the animals and their progeny; 18 (7) notify the commissioner of fish and game within 24 hours after wild 19 big game enters a facility where the animals or their progeny are present. 20 (c) A person who receives moose under (a) of this section after the effective 21 date of this subsection may not raise moose and domestic livestock in the same fenced 22 area. 23 * Sec. 10. AS 16.40.020 is amended to read: 24 Sec. 16.40.020. SALE OF MEAT. The sale of buffalo, moose, or musk oxen 25 meat resulting from the slaughter of animals obtained under AS 16.40.010, or their 26 offspring is authorized. The slaughter of animals and sale of meat authorized 27 under this section are subject to AS 03, regulations adopted under AS 03, and 28 other applicable law.