A "modified certified brucellosis free area" may be established as provided in this section.

1. (1) If sixty-five percent or more of the cattle owners within an area owning sixty-five percent of the cattle in such area sign a petition requesting eradication of brucellosis on an areawide basis, and the petition is filed with the department, then all cattle owners within such area shall be required to inaugurate and carry out brucellosis control plan A.
2. (2) All persons responsible for obtaining signatures of cattle owners on the petitions shall submit therewith an affidavit certifying that the petitions are true and accurate as witnessed, and the petitions shall be filed with the department along with an affidavit of the county clerk of the county that the petitions contain the names of not less than sixty-five percent of the cattle owners owning sixty-five percent of the cattle within the area as disclosed by the last assessment rolls of the one or more townships therein.
3. (3) When the last complete test of all herds within an area indicates that the number of reactors, exclusive of officially calfhood vaccinated animals under thirty months of age and steers and spayed heifers of any age, does not exceed one percent and the herd infection does not exceed five percent, the area may be declared a "modified certified brucellosis free area" for a period of three years. Infected herds shall be quarantined until they have tested sufficiently as outlined in current brucellosis eradication regulations.
4. (4) The certification of an area may be extended when requirements, as jointly agreed upon by the United States Department of Agriculture and the state department of agriculture, are being carried out.
5. (5) The department may require the testing of all eligible cattle leaving a public stockyards market, licensed market and dealers premises for the purpose of screening beef type herds and for determining the level or rate of infection for the respective area of origin. If the total of the cattle screened or tested for the area is insufficient, then sufficient additional measures may be required by the department, including testing of herds at the farm level. The consignor of cattle shall, immediately upon delivery to a market, furnish the correct name and address of the owner of the herd or herds of origin, the county or other point of origin for all cattle in the consignment, and all dealers shall maintain records which provide such information in order to facilitate the proper screening of the herds of origin, and for the recertification of an area. Market operators and dealers shall make such information available to a representative of the department upon demand and to the veterinarian charged with testing of such cattle.
6. (6) The department is hereby granted the authority to enter all milk or dairy plants and cream buying stations for the purpose of collecting milk or cream for the conduct of the milk ring test. Operators of all such milk plants and cream buying stations shall maintain accurate records of all herd owners selling milk or cream to their plant and shall maintain an individual milk sample for the department on all milk collected in bulk, and shall make such information available to a representative of the department upon demand.
7. (7) Cattle which have passed a negative test for brucellosis shall be maintained separate and apart from any other untested cattle when such cattle are to be offered for sale, barter, exchange or movement within thirty days from date of the test.
8. (8) "Area" as used in this section shall include one or more townships in any county.
9. (9) When the livestock owners in ninety or more counties have petitioned the department for the eradication of brucellosis on an areawide basis under the provisions of plan A, all cattle owners in the remaining counties in the state shall be required to inaugurate and carry out brucellosis eradication plan A upon notice from the department.

(L. 1955 p. 5 § 267.310, A.L. 1961 p. 19, A.L. 1973 S.B. 291)