Senator Steinmetz: Wyoming must reject USDA’s Electronic Livestock Traceability Rule and more priorities
My legislative priorities include bills opposing mandatory electronic livestock IDs, advocating for country-of-origin labeling, challenging CO2’s pollutant status, illegal immigration, defining health care and defunding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. These proposals reflect my commitment to individual rights, agricultural interests, national security and conservative values.
SF0064 Wyoming Opposes Mandatory Electronic ID Devices-Livestock
America’s Superior Livestock Tracking System
Americans have built a comprehensive and effective disease traceability system which has proven over decades to be reliable, affordable, flexible and the envy of the world in its ability to protect the food supply. Just as important is the system’s protection of private property rights, assuring confidentiality, proprietary investments, and cost-adjustable aspects that fit the producer. Wyoming laws have codified the right to VOLUNTARILY identify livestock using historically reliable means which include brands, backtags, tattoos and ear tags.
Whose Agenda Is Demanding This Rule?
The new electronic identification device (EID) mandate is being implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as an agency “rule”. In other words, this was not requested by Congress or, more importantly, by the livestock industry. This type of traceability – a tag emitting a signal that could be captured by any compatible receiver – is a food sustainability goal of the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH.org) which is an advisory organization for the World Health Organization (WHO).
Elites in the global organizations want control of the livestock industry and food supply. They want to know how many cattle people own in order to regulate the industry. The goal isn’t just safe food, it’s part of their climate change cult which includes control of land use by monitoring livestock movement patterns. To show where this is going in the U.S., Ireland has embraced EIDs, and the result is a government proposal to kill 200,000 cattle to slow climate change.
The USDA rule does not enhance disease traceability but does allow for tracking of the animal’s life history and location, going far beyond disease tracing at a cost that will seriously affect producers and require spending millions of your tax dollars when we’re pushing to reduce government spending.
While this first go-round would only track 11% of our livestock – the rodeo stock and cattle and bison crossing state lines – you can be sure that will quickly expand. To date, the USDA has spent $15 million just to stand up the office within the USDA; this price does not include the EID tags, wands to read the tags, computer infrastructure, extra labor costs throughout the supply chain or extra costs at the sale barn and processing plants. From this we can see that actual numbers are likely in the billions. We all know these costs will be passed on to you and I at the grocery store.
Rejecting and bypassing the mandate.
I have introduced SF0064 “Wyoming Opposes Mandatory Electronic ID Devices-Livestock”, which opposes the EID mandate and requires the State Veterinarian and all Wyoming veterinarians to inform livestock owners of their rights concerning voluntary identification methods. The bill also stipulates receiving buyers in states requiring EID shall be responsible to tag with EID upon receipt of the animal in their state.
As the Chairman of the Agriculture State and Public Lands Committee in 2024, I drafted a bill during the interim(which passed the Committee) directing the Wyoming Livestock Board Director to use the exemption in the USDA “rule”, which allows for state-to-state agreements to continue “business as usual.” This bill is not yet numbered, but I expect it to be soon. I have contacted Legislators from six other states who plan to introduce similar legislation, joining us in pushing back against this federal agency overreach and continuing “business as usual” between states. I am thankful the Livestock Board Commissioners passed two resolutions based on my legislation, which have started the state-to-state agreement process.
Support Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) – SF0084
The vast majority of livestock affected by the mandatory EID rule originate in wide-open spaces and live on clean, disease-free pastures and not in confined areas with thousands of livestock coming from different areas. If the USDA was concerned with and focused on preventing a livestock disease outbreak, they would stop the main route to infection: the importation of livestock from countries that have known and documented disease problems. This is why I am sponsoring a bill requiring Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for beef and hope to see it passed this session so that consumers know the origin of the product, and producers benefit from the labeling as a value-added market component.
We have a superior traceability system worth defending, which is already protecting our livestock industry, our food source, and the pocketbook of every consumer. Our way of life is worth protecting.
SF0083 Large Energy Project Funding-Legislative Approval
SF0083 outlines in statute a process for the legislature to approve large energy projects similar to the omnibus water bill or large project funding bill that the legislature approves each year. For the past several years, Governor Gordon was given an energy slush fund in the budget, which totals over $400 million. Projects funded from mechanisms like this one never see another vote from the legislature, but rather are subject to the unilateral control of the governor. This is an abrogation of the legislative authority to appropriate and must be corrected.
SF0092 Make Carbon Dioxide Great Again
In a bold move, we are challenging the narrative that C02 is a pollutant as categorized by the EPA. This bill acknowledges the truth that C02 is plant food and the basic building block of all life on Earth. SF0092 repeals the low carbon emission standards passed in 2020.
SF0103 Terminating and Defunding Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, caused a myriad of concerns about these policies across public institutions in the state. SF0103 defunds and terminates DEI at the University of Wyoming, community colleges, K-12 schools, and state agencies. The goal is to ensure that Wyoming’s colleges, schools and agencies prioritize fairness, individual achievement and opportunities for all.
I have two bills that are not yet numbered:
Illegal Immigration-Identify, Report, Detain and Deport
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported over 150 encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list attempting to cross the border illegally in 2023. Wyoming’s critical infrastructure – including military bases, power plants, dams, and water system – makes our state a potential target. These assets are essential not only for Wyoming’s residents, but also for the entire nation. Without strong state policies on immigration enforcement, we leave ourselves vulnerable to threats that could have catastrophic consequences. This bill seeks to identify aliens illegally in the country, reporting to law enforcement and detaining them until ICE can deport them.
Defining Healthcare and Protecting the People’s Welfare
The legislature recognizes the need to protect the health and general welfare of the people of Wyoming. In accordance with this purpose, the definition and rules specified in this section are provided to advance the health, welfare and safety of all people in Wyoming.
“Health care” means as defined in Wyoming statute, provided that the action, treatment or procedure is taken to protect the health of a person; No act, treatment or procedure that causes harm to the heart, respiratory system, central nervous system, brain, skeletal system, jointed or muscled appendages or organ function shall be construed as health care unless documented and medically necessitated to save the life of a pregnant woman or in cases in which a licensed physician has determined and documented that a person has no chance of meaningful recovery.
As always, you can watch the session online, track bills, contact the Legislature and stay up to date on all happenings at wyoleg.gov. I will continue to update my social media and send out weekly updates during the session. I am always available, accessible and accountable to you, my constituents. Please feel free to reach out.
About Senator Cheri Steinmetz:
Senator Steinmetz represents Goshen, Niobrara, and Weston counties.
