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(Kearney, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman announced the official designation of Hitchcock and Webster Counties as the second and third Livestock Friendly Counties in Nebraska under a state program coordinated by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA). The Governor made the announcement during an afternoon session of the 18th Annual Governor’s Ag Conference in Kearney.
“These counties are making a strong commitment to support rural development in their agricultural sectors,” Gov. Heineman said. “This program recognizes the important impact that a viable livestock industry has on local economies. Pursuing and receiving Livestock Friendly designation is evidence that local officials view their local livestock industry as one ready to seize new investment and expansion opportunities.”
The Governor and Nebraska Agriculture Director Greg Ibach presented officials from both counties with certificates designating their counties as Livestock Friendly. The counties also will receive road signs bearing the program logo to display with existing county signs along highways. Dale Keeney of Trenton, chairman of the Hitchcock County Board, Kelly Skrdlant, vice chairman of the Webster County Board, and Marvin Harrifeld, chairman of the Webster Joint Planning Committee, were on-hand to accept the designations.
“With nearly 65 percent of our state agricultural receipts coming from livestock producers, we know this industry has an important impact on our state and local economies,” the Governor said. “Counties that seek this designation have a way to demonstrate to potential employers that their counties are open for business in livestock development.”
Ibach said, “We are very pleased to welcome two new counties to this program. The livestock industry is a positive economic force, and counties that attain this designation are demonstrating the importance of their agricultural industries and natural resources. It is a public acknowledgement of the desire to work in partnership for the mutual benefit of the livestock industry and local economies.”
Hitchcock and Webster Counties now join Morrill County as participants in Nebraska’s Livestock Friendly County program. The Legislature passed a law authorizing the program in 2003, and NDA opened the program to applications in September 2004.
To apply for a livestock friendly designation, a county must hold a public hearing, secure a declaration acknowledging the importance of livestock to the well-being of the county, submit a narrative that describes how the county meets the intent of the Livestock Friendly County program, and provide copies of their livestock-related zoning requirements, if the county has zoning regulations that apply to the livestock industry.
Additional information about the Livestock Friendly program is available by contacting the NDA at 800-422-6692 or by visiting the NDA Web Site at http://www.agr.state.ne.us, and clicking the Livestock Friendly box.
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