GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1997 SESSION

S.L. 1997-84
HOUSE BILL 935

AN ACT TO RECOGNIZE LLAMAS AS LIVESTOCK ANIMALS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 113A-52.01 reads as rewritten:
"§ 113A-52.01.  Applicability of this Article.
This Article shall not apply to the following land-disturbing activities:
(1)	Activities, including the breeding and grazing of livestock, undertaken on agricultural land for the production of plants and animals useful to man, including, but not limited to:
a.	Forages and sod crops, grains and feed crops, tobacco, cotton, and peanuts.
b.	Dairy animals and dairy products.
c.	Poultry and poultry products.
d.	Livestock, including beef cattle, llamas, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, mules, and goats.
e.	Bees and apiary products.
f.	Fur producing animals.
(2)	Activities undertaken on forestland for the production and harvesting of timber and timber products and conducted in accordance with best management practices set out in Forest Practice Guidelines Related to Water Quality, as adopted by the Department.
(3)	Activities for which a permit is required under the Mining Act of 1971, Article 7 of Chapter 74 of the General Statutes.
(4)	For the duration of an emergency, activities essential to protect human life."
Section 2.  G.S. 68-15 reads as rewritten:
"§ 68-15.  Term 'livestock' defined.
The word 'livestock' in this Chapter shall include, but shall not be limited to, equine animals, bovine animals, sheep, goats, llamas, and swine."
Section 3.  Any rules adopted by the Board of Agriculture that affect llamas shall not refer to llamas as exotic or wild animals.  It is the intent of the General Assembly that llamas be treated as domesticated livestock in order to promote the development and improvement of the llama industry in the State.  This section does not prohibit the Board of Agriculture from classifying llamas for animal health purposes in accordance with generally accepted standards of veterinary medicine.  For purposes of this section, 'llama' means a South American camelid that is an animal of the genus llama.  Llama includes llamas, alpacas, and guanacos.  Llama does not include vicunas.
Section 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.  Section 3 of this act applies to rules adopted or amended on or after this date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 15th day of May, 1997.
s/	Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate

s/	Harold J. Brubaker
Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/	James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor

Approved 5:59 p.m. this 22nd day of May, 1997