Colorado Revised Statutes Title 35. Agriculture § 35-53-101. Brand inspection fee--animal shares--minimum fee--waiver permit--rules--definition

(1) As a means of financing the operations of the state board of stock inspection commissioners, the board is hereby authorized to levy and collect, through authorized brand inspectors, a per head inspection fee not to exceed the amount specified in section 35-41-104 on all livestock inspected. In addition, the board is authorized to levy and collect through authorized brand inspectors a minimum fee of not less than the amount specified in section 35-41-104 from each person, company, or corporation requesting the brand inspection or from whom a brand inspection is required by law. The inspection fee established pursuant to this subsection (1), but not the minimum fee, shall apply when branded or unbranded cattle, horses, or mules are being consigned to a Colorado licensed public livestock market or a licensed slaughter plant. It is the duty of all authorized Colorado brand inspectors to inspect all cattle, horses, and mules, except as exempt by law, that are offered for sale or to be moved interstate or intrastate and collect the inspection fee and minimum fee thereon. Within the limits prescribed by this subsection (1), the state board of stock inspection commissioners shall determine the amount of the inspection fee and minimum fee that shall be collected by authorized brand inspectors from the owner or person in charge of said cattle, horses, or mules before issuing a certificate of brand inspection granting leave to the owner or person in charge to offer the brand inspected cattle, horses, or mules for sale or movement interstate or intrastate. The inspection fee and minimum fee so collected shall be reported and transmitted to the state board of stock inspection commissioners at such time and in such manner as the board shall by regulation require.

(2) When any individual, firm, association, partnership, or corporation, referred to in this article as “person”, who owns or has had under control by lease or grazing permit for not less than five years a headquarters ranch or farm and who moves any cattle, horses, or mules from the headquarters place to another grazing or feeding ground that is also owned by the person or that has been controlled by lease or by grazing permit for not less than five years by the person, or when the person moves any cattle, horses, or mules from the grazing or feeding ground within this state to the person's headquarters ranch or farm in this state, the person, upon payment of a fee in an amount determined by the board by rule, may apply to the state board of stock inspection commissioners for and may be granted a brand inspection fee waiver permit, irrespective of the fact such headquarters ranch or farm and the other grazing or feeding grounds exceed seventy-five miles from the point of origin provided for in section 35-53-105(4)(f) or that the grazing or feeding grounds are outside this state. The brand inspection fee waiver permit shall entitle the permittee to move cattle, horses, and mules for grazing or feeding purposes, with no change of ownership involved, between the headquarters ranch or farm and the other grazing or feeding grounds, with no charge for brand inspection and no collection of a beef board fee. If the livestock are moved outside this state, the permittee shall guarantee that, if, for any reason, the livestock are not returned to the Colorado ranch or farm, the permittee will immediately pay the required brand inspection and beef board fee to the board.