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Brand board member quits over Stockgrowers removalRAPID CITY, S.D. (AP)--Former state lawmaker Lyndell Petersen of Hermosa has resigned from the South Dakota Brand Board because of its decision to take over the brand inspection program from the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association. State law makes the brand board responsible for inspecting brands when cattle and horses are sold or otherwise leave 22 western South Dakota counties. The goal is to prevent livestock theft and determine ownership of lost or stray animals. The Stockgrowers has operated the program for more than 100 years, but its contract expires June 23. Petersen said the 3 to 2 vote on June 2 to turn the program over to the brand board was wrong. "I didn't want to be any part of it," he said. Petersen and current chief brand inspector Jim Reed, who is retiring, questioned whether the brand board will be ready. But Gov. Mike Rounds defended the decision June 20 and said the board will have inspectors in place to take it over June 24. The problems between the brand board and the Stockgrowers began in early 2004 when Rounds fired four of the five brand board members, Petersen said. He said at the time, Rounds cited an investigative report alleging improper conduct on the part of brand inspectors, although no charges were ever filed. Rounds said June 20 he dismissed the members to get them out from under extreme pressure to reverse a vote they had taken to end the contract with the Stockgrowers. A compromise was reached later in 2004 to reinstate the contract with the Stockgrowers and Rounds appointed new members, including Petersen. The brand board based its decision to not renew with the Stockgrowers on a consultant's report indicating the state could run the program more efficiently, Petersen said. Under the expiring contract, the Stockgrowers Association receives 8 percent of the total brand inspection fees of 80 cents per head. With about 1.4 million cattle and horses sold each year, collections could easily top $100,000. Petersen and others have suggested that some people in the cattle industry didn't approve of the Stockgrowers using those profits to pay for political activities, but Rounds said he doesn't care how the money is spent. "I don't have a problem with the Stockgrowers as an organization," he said. 6/30/08 Date: 6/25/08
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