Court Opinion

ID: 7818821
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 17:46:25.775697+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:40.867289
License: Public Domain

John A. Fogleman, Justice, concurring. I agree with the dissenting opinion to the extent that the exemption encompasses any materials which are (or were at the time of the passage of the act) materials commonly known and used as feed for poultry and used in growing or producing poultry. I cannot see that appellees met their burden of proving that the items assessed were exempt. Apparently appellant lumped them all under the heading “Medication placed in water.” Appellees seem to list them as “Water feed additives.” I cannot tell what particular items are included in either. I think that through the testimony of Tyson it was clearly shown that vitamins and antibiotics were, at the time of the passage of the act, commonly a part of the feedstuff for chickens and are now given to the chickens in appellees’ operation by adding them to water instead of feed. Apparently a considerable amount of the materials involved is vitamins and antibiotics. But it appears that among materials involved are such as Funjol, a copper sulfate compound for prevention of myotic infections, and Piperazine, a worming compound. These are clearly medications which I understand from the testimony are frequently administered in the feed mix given chickens but may also be administered in water. Showing that a medication may be, or that it is frequently, administered in feed does not mean that it is or was commonly known and used as feed. Yet, I find no means of separating those items which are, or were, commonly known and used for feed and those which may be and are frequently administered in feed mix. The burden of making this showing was upon appellees. J. Fred Jones, Justice, concurring. I concur in the conclusion reached by the majority in this case because I am unable, from the record before us, to separate the items that I would be willing to accept as “feedstuff” under the statute from the items I consider clearly medication. I would consider vitamins and minerals as “feed-stuff” commonly known and used as feed, but I do not so consider worming compounds and medical preparations to guard against infection. We are concerned here with materials commonly known and used as feed and not materials commonly known and used in feed. I agree that the appellees failed to meet their burden of proving that the items assessed in this particular case were exempt.