LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Livestock brands are a vital part of protecting Colorado’s livestock industry; time is running out for brand owners to pay a fee to keep the rights to a brand.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Division of Brand Inspection reminds brand owners, who have not already paid the 2007 brand assessment fees, to submit their assessment and late fees of $325.00 by June 30, 2010, or the brand will be cancelled.

There are currently over 36,600 brands on record in Colorado with nearly 5,000 still unpaid. The total due for the 2007 assessment is $325.00 ($225 assessment fee and late fees of $100 per brand). The money must be received in the Denver Brands office at 4701 Marion Street, Suite 201, Denver, CO 80216 by 5:00 pm on June 30, 2010. Postmarks will not be accepted. Brand assessment fees are valid for five years; the next assessment for all brands will be in 2012.

CDA’s Division of Brand Inspection’s primary responsibility is to protect the livestock industry from loss by theft, illegal butchering, or straying of livestock. The Division is assigned five principal regulatory responsibilities:

Record and administer livestock brands

Inspect livestock and verify ownership prior to change of ownership; transportation beyond 75 miles; transportation out of state; or slaughter

License livestock sale rings and inspect all consignments prior to sale to verify ownership

License and inspect alternative livestock (elk and fallow deer) facilities and inspect alternative livestock prior to movement or at time of sale

Investigate reports of lost, strayed or stolen livestock and return livestock to rightful owners

In FY08/09, CDA’s Brands division personnel traveled in excess of 1.4 million miles and inspected approximately 4.1 million head of livestock. In addition, they identified ownership of lost, stolen, or strayed and questionably owned livestock valued at over $60 million. The annual budget for the division exceeds $3 million and is completely funded by fees levied to livestock owners and brand registration fees levied every five years.

For more information on the Division of Brand Inspection, visit www.colorado.gov/ag/brands.