Bill To Protect Tennessee Farmers From Being Compelled To Vaccinate Livestock Moves To Full Committee

Image: Bill Sponsor Rep. Bud Hulsey Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov

The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –

This week in the Tennessee House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee, a bill that will prevent the state from compelling those who raise livestock from being forced to vaccinate their animals passed and is now headed to full committee.

In the Tennessee Senate, the bill was referred to the Calendar committee to be scheduled for hearing on the floor.

The bill is being carried in the House by Representative Bud Hulsey (R-D2-Kingsport), and in the Senate by Senator Frank Nicely (R-D8-Strawberry Plains). 

HB2801/SB2543 as stated in the caption text: “As introduced, exempts livestock and poultry producers who do not vaccinate their animals from orders of the commissioner of agriculture or state veterinarian that require vaccines for animals. – Amends TCA Title 43; Title 44 and Title 53.

The reason for this bill based on an introduction by Representative Hulsey, is so Mennonite constituents in his district would be immune from any orders by the state of Tennessee to vaccinate the animals they have never vaccinated and so those animals would have the opportunity to develop their own healthy immune systems. 

Those particular farmers, as explained by Hulsey, are very small producers, and their animals are not transported anywhere else in their area or in the state. They do provide their products for people who prefer to purchase from farmers who do not vaccinate their animals. 

During the hearing, the committee heard testimony from the State Veterinarian Dr Samantha Beatty who opposes the bill.

Dr. Beatty explained that if there should be an agricultural emergency that involves livestock, it could affect the state’s commerce with regard to the animals that typically move from Tennessee to other states for the purpose of sales for consumption.

Dr. Beatty also explained that any kind of order would be narrow in scope and rare since every time they decide to vaccinate to mitigate any disease, that decision is reported to a system that then will flag those animals and possibly keep any possibly affected animals from being sold and transported outside the state. 

Questions were also raised whether the state of Tennessee currently has a law in place to compel vaccination of livestock, which it does not. There is however, a regulatory measure in place that in the event of a specific type of emergency involving farm animals, it may be necessary to impose such a rule to mitigate disease and loss. 

While the argument was made that there could be some virus in the future that might cause enough disease to prompt some concerns, Hulsey made a primary point that because an emergency occurs, it isn’t a reason to suspend the property rights of Tennesseans and force them to inject their animals with a vaccine they would have never used otherwise. 

In his closing statements, Hulsey said, “You’ve got another deal to deal with here, now that is a bigger issue to me. We just came through four years ago, a virus that had a survivability rate of about 99.4%. And there was every effort in the world to force people to take a shot they didn’t want.”

He continued, “I screamed and yelled about that, we all did actually, and executive branches of government felt like they could make law and force people to take a shot they didn’t want. Those principals in my heart, are the same here… the issue comes down is, whose property is this? It belongs to me. I’ve never vaccinated and don’t want to vaccinate. Then the issue comes, can the state force me to deal with my property in a way I do not want to. That’s a much bigger issue to me.” 

The bill will now go to the full House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/13/2024. If it passes there it will be scheduled for discussion, debate and a vote on the House Floor for passage. 

If the bill is signed into law by Governor Lee, it will take effect on July 1^st of this year.

About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member.  Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.