ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNSEL 

 John J. McColgan, Counsel 



In fiscal year 1981 there were no major changes in the agricultural 

 laws. There were, however, seven amendments to the law, some of them significant 

 to those affected. 



Ch. 378 of the Acts of 1980 was entitled 'Ian Act further regulating certain 

 agricultural land use." What it did in effect was add a definition of "Arbor". 

 The definition reads as follows: "An area of land devoted to the propagation 

 and cultivation of fruit bearing trees and shrubs and nut trees." This amendment 

 authorized the Division of Land Use to purchase such trees and shrubs and plant 

 them in various places throughout the Commonwealth. 



Ch. 397 provided that the employees of Suffolk County Cooperative Extension 

 Service may participate in the Commonwealth's group insurance program. 



Ch. 428 provided that the Board of Veterinary Medicine shall have the 

 authority to grant to the Veterinary School in Grafton an institutional license 

 under which veterinarians who are not otherwise licensed may practice veterinary 

 medicine if such practice is conducted in conjunction with their full time 

 employment at the school . r 



Ch. 430 provided that all dogs and cats shipped into the Commonwealth for 

 commercial resale shall be inoculated against distemper and that such dog or 

 cat be accompanied by an official health certificate, a copy of which must be 

 sent to the Commissioner of Food and Agriculture. It also provided that no 

 pet shop shall import into the Commonwealth any cat or dog less than eight weeks 

 of age. 



Ch. 475 provided that the Department of Mental Health shall lease to the 

 Department of Food and Agriculture for a period of ten years with an option to 

 renew certain lands at the Belcher town State School. 



Ch. 557 was an Act clarifying exemption of tractors used by farmers from the 

 sales tax. It provides that the tax shall be imposed only on the difference 

 between the sales price of the vehicle purchased and the amount allowed on the 

 vehicle traded in on such purchase. 



Ch. 59 of the Acts of 1981 provides that, subject to the rules promulgated 

 by the Commissioner of Food and Agriculture, the Director of Animal Health may 

 prohibit the importation of female cattle for breeding purposes over five months 

 of age without an official certificate of vaccination. 



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