Northern Ag Network Note: The following article was first published on March 15. The deadline for renewing Montana brands is 5 o’clock on Monday, May 14.
The following is a press release from the Montana Department of Livestock:
The Montana Board of Livestock has temporarily suspended its brand conflict policies, giving brand holders who missed the December 31, 2011, rerecord deadline an opportunity to reapply for their brands.
“Out of 55,000 registered brands, we had a handful of ranchers who missed the deadline,” said board chair Jan French, a cattle rancher from Hobson. “This suspension will allow those who missed the deadline but actively use their brands to get those brands recorded. In short, they’re not going to lose their brands.”
Conflict and recording policies will be suspended for owners of brands that expired January 1, 2012 under the following two conditions: Brands can only be issued in the same name, species and position as previously held, and brand owners must prove the brand was active during calendar years 2009-2011 through one of the following methods:
- Per capita fee payments;
- change of ownership inspection;
- change of pasture inspection;
- lifetime inspection;
- annual inspection;
- market tally;
- hide inspection.
Copies of these documents will be accepted. Department staff may provide duplicates. The cost of any duplicate is $10 per copy.
As a result of suspending its brand conflict policies, the department will not have a list of expired brands available until after May 15.
The fee for application will be $100 for recording plus a $500 late fee. The suspension will remain in effect through Monday, May 14 at 5 pm. All payments must be received by this time. POSTMARKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Source: Montana Department of Livestock
Posted by Haylie Shipp
