History
South Dakota brand law dates back to Dakota Territory 1862. At that time, the Land Office was required to maintain a record of brands in the county or area. In 1897, a Brand and Mark Committee was established by the Legislature to oversee the registration of livestock brands. The Committee published a Brand Book in 1898-99 containing 2,066 registered brands. This Committee was dissolved in 1925 when the Legislature transferred brand registration authority to the Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Industry under the supervision of the Department Secretary.
When the State Legislature convened in 1937, the State Brand Board was created and given authority for livestock brand registration and ownership inspection. The board has Quasi Judicial, Quasi Legislative, Administrative and Special Budgetary functions. The Board is comprised of five members who are appointed by the Governor for a three-year term. The board operates entirely on user fees generated from livestock brand registration, renewals, transfers and inspections. No general fund money is used by the board.
The State Brand Board adiminsters programs for livestock brand registrations and livestock ownership inspections. The board employs a director to administer these operations and financial affairs of the Brand Office. The board also employees four inspection suprervisors, full-time and part-time brand Inspectors, certified law enforcments officers for the enforcement of brand and livestock owernship inspection laws, and office staff.
WHY THE BRAND BOARD EXISTS
- To provide livestock owners with a system of livestock identification through brand registration.
- To assure proper ownership of livestock by brand inspection at time of sale or prior to removal of livestock from the ownership inspection area.
- To investigate and apprehend persons accused of violating brand and livestock ownership inspection laws and assist local law enforcement.
- The Brand Board Office maintains a record of over 28,000 registered livestock brands. It also provides for the transfer of brand ownership, the registration of new brands and the renewal of registered brands. Every five years all brands registered in South Dakota are renewed by the brand owners. After each renewal period, the Brand Board publishes a Brand Book of all currently registered brands.
The Board provides livestock ownership inspections which are required at auction markets and at public and private sales located west of the Missouri River in South Dakota. Inspections are also provided at designated points located outside the South Dakota livestock ownership inspection area.
