The Agency of Agriculture will hold a series of hearings starting next week on its farm registration program for livestock operations.
Under the premises ID program, operations ranging from hundreds of animals to a few backyard chickens would have to register with the state.
Officials say information on what kind of animals are kept and where would help them to contain an outbreak of disease if it happened.
Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr says the state rules are less invasive than a federal program that calls for tracking individual animals.
But many small farmers are opposed to the government-run program. They say it’s an unwarranted intrusion and that it won’t prevent disease outbreaks.
The hearings on premises ID will be held on Tuesday in Island Pond and Newport and on Thursday in Morrisville and Lyndonville. More hearings will take place through August and into September.