Deer Farm Legislation

[Steve-o]

FieldAndStream: Minnesota Lawmakers Take Aim at Captive Deer Farms in Battle Against CWD

Where were these guys 15-20 years ago when their efforts might have made a difference?   

Minnesota’s captive deer farms are back in the news, as Gopher State lawmakers look to combat Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) with tighter restrictions on deer farmers. Only a few months ago, the Minnesota Deer Hunter’s Association (MDHA)—the state’s largest and most influential hunter’s group—called for the complete elimination of deer farms in the state, starting with stricter rules, a moratorium on new facilities, and an eventual phased buyout of existing farms.

Now state legislators have entered the fray. Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul) has proposed a ban on new deer farms, with additional requirements for existing facilities to strengthen fencing to prevent escapes, and increased testing for, and reporting of, CWD-positive animals. Hansen is also arguing for a prohibition on the transport of deer and deer semen from states or provinces where CWD has been detected.

Legislators acknowledged these difficulties and several argued that deer farmers needed to be compensated. “Whatever our views are on deer farms at the moment, it’s incumbent upon us to alleviate some of this financial pressure that the state…and the DNR forced these small farms to endure,” Rep. John Burkel (R-Badger) told the Tribune.

Obviously a phased buyout of existing farms like the one proposed by the MDHA would be even more expensive for the state, but with a budget surplus of 9.25 billion, the state may well consider such a move, as legislators debate how to allocate the extra dollars. It certainly seems to have strong support among the state’s hunters, which is no small consideration for Minnesota lawmakers.

[Pulleye16]

OMG- Wish this would have been done years ago.

One thing I'm not in favor of is "prohibiting the transport of deer (I'm assuming dead) across state lines." I hunt WI and MO regularly, and will be illegally smuggling these across. I don't know why a dead deer is so worried about. Make "how" you dispose of deer parts a thing instead. 

But that's just me!

[Steve-o]

The details are not clear from the story, but given the context is deer farm, I think they are talking about transporting live, breeder deer across state lines from CWD states.

But I wouldn't put it past our legislature to continue to do the wrong thing and prohibit all deer carcass transport from any CWD state.