Topeka ? Legislation creating a state animal identification program cleared a House committee Monday minus a provision for fees and penalties on livestock owners.

As endorsed by the House Agriculture Committee, the bill provides that funding would come from the state and federal governments. An earlier version called for livestock owners to finance the program through fees or penalties paid for noncompliance.

Committee Chairman Dan Johnson, R-Hays, said the program would initially need about $100,000 from the state.

State Livestock Commissioner George Teagarden proposed the identification program to help track farm animals with diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow. His proposal followed the first confirmed American case of mad cow in December in Washington state.

Supporters and opponents of an identification program had expressed concern that the original measure give Teagarden too much power to set policies and fees and would initially put farmers along Kansas’ borders at a competitive disadvantage.

Federal officials are working on an identification plan and have encouraged states to prepare for participation.

The state program eventually will become part of the national effort.