News Update - Aug. 16th, 2015Experts: Deer Wasting Disease Not Widespread
SAN ANTONIO - The recent euthanization of about three dozen deer in a South Texas ranch, where three bucks were found with a degenerative neurological disorder called chronic wasting disease, has raised concerns about the well-being of the $2.1 billion-a-year deer industry in Texas.
“Should you be concerned about chronic wasting disease? Yes, but don’t panic,” Walter Cook, clinical associate professor at Texas A&M University, told a large gathering at the annual state convention of the Texas Deer Association that ended on Saturday.
“All the evidence out there suggests that humans are not susceptible to chronic wasting disease,” Cook said. “And we clearly know that people have been eating deer and elk that have chronic wasting disease for decades.”
For instance, 10 years ago he ate elk meat even though he knew the animal had the disease, Cook said.
“I don’t think I am wasting away,” he said as he looked at and then put his hand on his belly. “However, there is a standing piece of advice that you never eat the meat of a diseased animal. That is probably a good piece of advice.”
Chronic wasting disease, often referred as CWD, has gotten more attention than usual since June when a buck was found with the disorder in Medina County, a rural county near San Antonio. A month later two more deer tested positive for the disease typified by weight loss that eventually kills the animal.
CWD, which was first discovered in Colorado in 1967 and only affects deer, elk and perhaps moose, is rare in Texas, Cook and other wildlife experts emphasize.
In Texas, the first case of the disease in a captive buck was discovered in July 2012.
“This is not an outbreak, this is not an epidemic,” said. Dee Ellis, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission. “Until six weeks ago, we didn’t have CWD in Texas.”
However, the state is addressing the issue to avoid the mistakes Wisconsin and other states have made over the years, experts and deer breeders say.
“We are making sure that what happened in those states is not duplicated here in Texas,” Hugo Berlanga, a deer breeder in Duval County in South Texas, said in an interview.
Berlanga served in the Texas House of Representatives for 20 years before going into the deer breeding business a decade ago.
His former colleagues in the Texas Legislature are also keeping an eye on the disease because they say the deer industry is vital to the economy of their districts and of the entire state.
The House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee, whose seven members include Lubbock Republican John Frullo, addressed the issue at a recent public hearing.
“I have a number of low-fence landowners and they are concerned that this disease could spread to the wild herd,” said state Rep. Drew Springer, who is not at a member of the committee but sat at the July 13 hearing at the invitation of panel chairman Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City.
“And I also have a large number of high-fence operations throughout the district that bring a bunch of money into the local economy,” said Springer, R-Muenster, who represents the largest rural district in the Texas House.
Like some of his colleagues, Springer said he is pleased with the state’s response to the reported CWD cases.
“I think the state is on top of it,” he said. “Nobody wants to see it get out control but we have seen drastic actions in states like Wisconsin where they tried to kill all deer in a 250 square mile (radius) ... it is one of those things that we have to figure what’s the impact.”
State Rep. Four Price said he is confident the Animal Health Commission, as well as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, have taken the necessary steps to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease.
“They have a contingency plan in place,” Price, R-Amarillo, said. “They know how to quarantine animals.”
State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, said it is also important for the general public - not just breeders - to understand that CWD does not threaten humans.
“Outbreaks of CWD have occurred in 23 other states and was first identified in a wild mule deer in Texas in 2012,” he said. “There have not been any additional positive test results, but we are staying vigilant and working to keep the disease from spreading.”
Berlanga said while he is glad to see the state on top of the issue, like fellow breeders, he wants to make sure the three recent CWD cases in Medina County do not result in additional regulations for the deer breeding industry in Texas.
“These cases in the Medina County ranch were isolated incidents,” he said.
Additional regulations could “stifle an industry that provides almost $1 billion to the Texas economy. We’ve got over 1,800 jobs that are attributable to our industry.”
ENRIQUE RANGEL
“Should you be concerned about chronic wasting disease? Yes, but don’t panic,” Walter Cook, clinical associate professor at Texas A&M University, told a large gathering at the annual state convention of the Texas Deer Association that ended on Saturday.
“All the evidence out there suggests that humans are not susceptible to chronic wasting disease,” Cook said. “And we clearly know that people have been eating deer and elk that have chronic wasting disease for decades.”
For instance, 10 years ago he ate elk meat even though he knew the animal had the disease, Cook said.
“I don’t think I am wasting away,” he said as he looked at and then put his hand on his belly. “However, there is a standing piece of advice that you never eat the meat of a diseased animal. That is probably a good piece of advice.”
Chronic wasting disease, often referred as CWD, has gotten more attention than usual since June when a buck was found with the disorder in Medina County, a rural county near San Antonio. A month later two more deer tested positive for the disease typified by weight loss that eventually kills the animal.
CWD, which was first discovered in Colorado in 1967 and only affects deer, elk and perhaps moose, is rare in Texas, Cook and other wildlife experts emphasize.
In Texas, the first case of the disease in a captive buck was discovered in July 2012.
“This is not an outbreak, this is not an epidemic,” said. Dee Ellis, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission. “Until six weeks ago, we didn’t have CWD in Texas.”
However, the state is addressing the issue to avoid the mistakes Wisconsin and other states have made over the years, experts and deer breeders say.
“We are making sure that what happened in those states is not duplicated here in Texas,” Hugo Berlanga, a deer breeder in Duval County in South Texas, said in an interview.
Berlanga served in the Texas House of Representatives for 20 years before going into the deer breeding business a decade ago.
His former colleagues in the Texas Legislature are also keeping an eye on the disease because they say the deer industry is vital to the economy of their districts and of the entire state.
The House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee, whose seven members include Lubbock Republican John Frullo, addressed the issue at a recent public hearing.
“I have a number of low-fence landowners and they are concerned that this disease could spread to the wild herd,” said state Rep. Drew Springer, who is not at a member of the committee but sat at the July 13 hearing at the invitation of panel chairman Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City.
“And I also have a large number of high-fence operations throughout the district that bring a bunch of money into the local economy,” said Springer, R-Muenster, who represents the largest rural district in the Texas House.
Like some of his colleagues, Springer said he is pleased with the state’s response to the reported CWD cases.
“I think the state is on top of it,” he said. “Nobody wants to see it get out control but we have seen drastic actions in states like Wisconsin where they tried to kill all deer in a 250 square mile (radius) ... it is one of those things that we have to figure what’s the impact.”
State Rep. Four Price said he is confident the Animal Health Commission, as well as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, have taken the necessary steps to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease.
“They have a contingency plan in place,” Price, R-Amarillo, said. “They know how to quarantine animals.”
State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, said it is also important for the general public - not just breeders - to understand that CWD does not threaten humans.
“Outbreaks of CWD have occurred in 23 other states and was first identified in a wild mule deer in Texas in 2012,” he said. “There have not been any additional positive test results, but we are staying vigilant and working to keep the disease from spreading.”
Berlanga said while he is glad to see the state on top of the issue, like fellow breeders, he wants to make sure the three recent CWD cases in Medina County do not result in additional regulations for the deer breeding industry in Texas.
“These cases in the Medina County ranch were isolated incidents,” he said.
Additional regulations could “stifle an industry that provides almost $1 billion to the Texas economy. We’ve got over 1,800 jobs that are attributable to our industry.”
ENRIQUE RANGEL
News Update - Aug. 17th, 2015
Texas Deer Breeder Movement Standards Plan Finalized
Written by TPWD
Texas deer breeders will be able to resume animal movements under a plan finalized today by staff of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission.
The Breeder Deer Movement Qualification Standards Plan will take effect upon the filing of Emergency Rules by TPWD and will be in place through the 2015-16 Texas hunting season. Details of the plan are available online at www.tpwd.texas.gov/cwd.
Key elements of the plan include:
o A framework giving breeders who met previous movement qualified standards an option to move and liberate deer. Movement qualification is also dependent on administrative compliance with deer breeder permit regulations and statutes.
o Enhanced options for closely-monitored herds with a status of “fifth year” or “certified” in the TAHC Monitored Herd Program. There are no additional release site requirements for ranches that receive deer only from these herds.
o Additional Chronic Wasting Disease testing in deer breeding facilities. Under the plan, the vast majority of the 1,300 permitted deer breeders in Texas can gain movement qualified status by testing two or fewer animals.
o There will be CWD testing requirements for a proportion of deer that are harvested on some release sites.
The goal of the Movement Qualification Plan is to provide deer breeders with options prior to the September 22 deadline for movement and liberation of bucks and before the 2015-16 hunting season. This is just one of many steps Texas is taking to mitigate the spread of CWD after it was detected in deer from a Medina County deer breeding facility earlier this summer.
“We have received and tried to be responsive to the extensive feedback from the state’s many and varied deer management interests in developing this revised plan,” said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director. “In the development of this framework, both agencies are balancing the need to minimize the risk of unwittingly allowing the movement or liberation of Chronic Wasting Disease-positive deer on the Texas landscape while adopting reasonable movement qualification standards that allow qualified deer breeders to begin moving and liberating captive deer. The complexity associated with the development of this framework is immense.”
A joint agency CWD Working Group will now focus efforts on developing individual herd plans for affected deer breeders and develop a plan for strategic sampling of hunter harvested deer from free-ranging populations this fall.
“Our goal was to protect the health of free-ranging and captive breeder deer, while maintaining business continuity for the breeder industry,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC Executive Director. “We believe this plan accomplishes those goals.”
Factors such as level of connectedness to the index facility, level of testing in the TAHC Monitored Herd Program, relative percentage of the overall herd that has been tested, and variable liberation criteria are all being considered in development of the herd plans.
The TAHC and TPWD are continuing the investigation of the index facility in Medina County, where 42 deer have been euthanized and tested for CWD.
“The results from the partial testing of the animals in the Index Facility, as well as samples from the CWD-exposed herds, are important to making reasonable, prudent, and responsible decisions for the remaining captive herds, neighboring landowners, and wild deer,” said Clayton Wolf, TPWD Wildlife Division director.
Conor Harrison
Texas deer breeders will be able to resume animal movements under a plan finalized today by staff of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission.
The Breeder Deer Movement Qualification Standards Plan will take effect upon the filing of Emergency Rules by TPWD and will be in place through the 2015-16 Texas hunting season. Details of the plan are available online at www.tpwd.texas.gov/cwd.
Key elements of the plan include:
o A framework giving breeders who met previous movement qualified standards an option to move and liberate deer. Movement qualification is also dependent on administrative compliance with deer breeder permit regulations and statutes.
o Enhanced options for closely-monitored herds with a status of “fifth year” or “certified” in the TAHC Monitored Herd Program. There are no additional release site requirements for ranches that receive deer only from these herds.
o Additional Chronic Wasting Disease testing in deer breeding facilities. Under the plan, the vast majority of the 1,300 permitted deer breeders in Texas can gain movement qualified status by testing two or fewer animals.
o There will be CWD testing requirements for a proportion of deer that are harvested on some release sites.
The goal of the Movement Qualification Plan is to provide deer breeders with options prior to the September 22 deadline for movement and liberation of bucks and before the 2015-16 hunting season. This is just one of many steps Texas is taking to mitigate the spread of CWD after it was detected in deer from a Medina County deer breeding facility earlier this summer.
“We have received and tried to be responsive to the extensive feedback from the state’s many and varied deer management interests in developing this revised plan,” said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director. “In the development of this framework, both agencies are balancing the need to minimize the risk of unwittingly allowing the movement or liberation of Chronic Wasting Disease-positive deer on the Texas landscape while adopting reasonable movement qualification standards that allow qualified deer breeders to begin moving and liberating captive deer. The complexity associated with the development of this framework is immense.”
A joint agency CWD Working Group will now focus efforts on developing individual herd plans for affected deer breeders and develop a plan for strategic sampling of hunter harvested deer from free-ranging populations this fall.
“Our goal was to protect the health of free-ranging and captive breeder deer, while maintaining business continuity for the breeder industry,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC Executive Director. “We believe this plan accomplishes those goals.”
Factors such as level of connectedness to the index facility, level of testing in the TAHC Monitored Herd Program, relative percentage of the overall herd that has been tested, and variable liberation criteria are all being considered in development of the herd plans.
The TAHC and TPWD are continuing the investigation of the index facility in Medina County, where 42 deer have been euthanized and tested for CWD.
“The results from the partial testing of the animals in the Index Facility, as well as samples from the CWD-exposed herds, are important to making reasonable, prudent, and responsible decisions for the remaining captive herds, neighboring landowners, and wild deer,” said Clayton Wolf, TPWD Wildlife Division director.
Conor Harrison
News Update- Aug. 13th, 2015
MISSOURI DEER OWNERS WIN PRELIMINARY LEGAL CHALLENGE AGAINST RESTRICTIVE NEW STATE RULES
A Missouri state court has entered a ruling blocking enforcement of new state regulations that threaten the existence of the state’s growing farmed-deer industry by preventing the importation of privately owned cervids into the state.
In a 33-page ruling entered today, Judge Robert D. Schollmeyer of the 20
th Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri granted Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction in the matter of Donald Hill, et al. v. Missouri Conservation Commission, et al. The Court held that Plaintiffs are likely to prevail on their argument that the privately owned animals they raise and import for breeding and hunting (including white-tailed deer and other cervids, or hoofed animals) are not subject to regulation by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) as communally owned “wildlife resources of the state.”
As a result, importation of privately owned cervids will be allowed under rules administered by the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA). Prior to the adoption of the new rules by the MDC, the MDA had regulated the importation of cervids as livestock. Those rules include, among other requirements, that the animal being imported come from a herd that is certified as having no positive test results for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), as well as a number of other diseases, for at least five years. This program was designed by the United States Department of Agriculture.
The order prohibits the MDC from enforcing a controversial series of new regulations that went into effect earlier this year-including a complete ban on importing cervids into Missouri-until the legality of the regulations can be finally resolved. The Court found not only that Plaintiffs had shown that the MDC likely was without the authority to issue the new regulations, but that the potential harm to Plaintiffs outweighed any threat posed by Chronic Wasting Disease, the stated reason for the regulations.
“Without question, Plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm... up to and including the loss of their businesses should the regulations remain in effect throughout the upcoming hunting season,” the Court’s order stated. “By contrast, Defendants cannot show an imminent threat to Missouri’s cervid population or other public interests that would justify the regulations remaining in effect while their Constitutionality is finally resolved.”
Contrary to Defendants’ argument that farmed cervids are communally owned “wildlife resources of the state,” the ruling noted that the Missouri Court of Appeals has already ruled that breeder deer owned by Plaintiff Don Hill were “domestic animals” under Missouri law. The ruling also noted that the MDC’s own regulations require all “hoofed wildlife of the state” to be excluded from private hunting preserves, and that the department has said in other cases that deer on private hunting preserves are “the sole property” of the preserve owner.
Despite the claimed risks of spreading Chronic Wasting Disease through interstate cervid movement, the Court noted that the MDC itself has imported free-ranging elk from Kentucky in recent years from herds using CWD certifications very similar to that required by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Defendants’ expert witness admitted that free-ranging cervids pose a greater risk of spreading disease-causing agents compared with animals in fenced-in preserves.
The ruling follows a two-day hearing last month in Gasconade County Circuit Court. The next step in the litigation will be a final hearing on a request that the Court enter a judgment declaring the regulations invalid. No date for that final hearing has been set. The named Plaintiffs in the action are Donald Hill; Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch, LLC; Travis Broadway; Winter Quarters Wildlife Ranch, LLC; Troy Popielarz; Kevin Grace; and Whitetail Sales and Service, LLC. Plaintiffs are being represented by Jean Paul Bradshaw, Jay Felton, Rachel Stephens and Eric Weslander of Lathrop & Gage LLP. Mr. Bradshaw and Ms. Stephens represented Plaintiffs at the hearing.
Contact: Jean Paul Bradshaw at Lathrop & Gage LLP 816-460-5507 • [email protected]
In a 33-page ruling entered today, Judge Robert D. Schollmeyer of the 20
th Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri granted Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction in the matter of Donald Hill, et al. v. Missouri Conservation Commission, et al. The Court held that Plaintiffs are likely to prevail on their argument that the privately owned animals they raise and import for breeding and hunting (including white-tailed deer and other cervids, or hoofed animals) are not subject to regulation by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) as communally owned “wildlife resources of the state.”
As a result, importation of privately owned cervids will be allowed under rules administered by the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA). Prior to the adoption of the new rules by the MDC, the MDA had regulated the importation of cervids as livestock. Those rules include, among other requirements, that the animal being imported come from a herd that is certified as having no positive test results for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), as well as a number of other diseases, for at least five years. This program was designed by the United States Department of Agriculture.
The order prohibits the MDC from enforcing a controversial series of new regulations that went into effect earlier this year-including a complete ban on importing cervids into Missouri-until the legality of the regulations can be finally resolved. The Court found not only that Plaintiffs had shown that the MDC likely was without the authority to issue the new regulations, but that the potential harm to Plaintiffs outweighed any threat posed by Chronic Wasting Disease, the stated reason for the regulations.
“Without question, Plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm... up to and including the loss of their businesses should the regulations remain in effect throughout the upcoming hunting season,” the Court’s order stated. “By contrast, Defendants cannot show an imminent threat to Missouri’s cervid population or other public interests that would justify the regulations remaining in effect while their Constitutionality is finally resolved.”
Contrary to Defendants’ argument that farmed cervids are communally owned “wildlife resources of the state,” the ruling noted that the Missouri Court of Appeals has already ruled that breeder deer owned by Plaintiff Don Hill were “domestic animals” under Missouri law. The ruling also noted that the MDC’s own regulations require all “hoofed wildlife of the state” to be excluded from private hunting preserves, and that the department has said in other cases that deer on private hunting preserves are “the sole property” of the preserve owner.
Despite the claimed risks of spreading Chronic Wasting Disease through interstate cervid movement, the Court noted that the MDC itself has imported free-ranging elk from Kentucky in recent years from herds using CWD certifications very similar to that required by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Defendants’ expert witness admitted that free-ranging cervids pose a greater risk of spreading disease-causing agents compared with animals in fenced-in preserves.
The ruling follows a two-day hearing last month in Gasconade County Circuit Court. The next step in the litigation will be a final hearing on a request that the Court enter a judgment declaring the regulations invalid. No date for that final hearing has been set. The named Plaintiffs in the action are Donald Hill; Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch, LLC; Travis Broadway; Winter Quarters Wildlife Ranch, LLC; Troy Popielarz; Kevin Grace; and Whitetail Sales and Service, LLC. Plaintiffs are being represented by Jean Paul Bradshaw, Jay Felton, Rachel Stephens and Eric Weslander of Lathrop & Gage LLP. Mr. Bradshaw and Ms. Stephens represented Plaintiffs at the hearing.
Contact: Jean Paul Bradshaw at Lathrop & Gage LLP 816-460-5507 • [email protected]
News Update - March 25th, 2015
Senate seeks to expand deer farming in N.C.
RALEIGH, N.C.- A bill filed in the state Senate on Wednesday would expand captive deer farming in North Carolina.
The measure would transfer oversight and regulation of captive deer herds from the state's Wildlife Resources Commission to the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. It's part of an omnibus Farm Bill sponsored by Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, who said it "sets the scene for an entirely new industry."
Wildlife Resources Commission Chairman Gordon Myers said there are around three dozen captive deer operations already in the state, some of which supply venison to restaurants or ship deer to other states for canned hunts on private reserves. He said the Agriculture Department and his agency have long worked in partnership to inspect those herds, and he expects the commission will remain involved.
The major concern many conservationists have expressed about the deer farming is that it could bring a deadly deer disease, chronic wasting disease, or CWD, into the state as breeding animals are transferred between farms. There is currently no live test for the disease; it can be confirmed only after an animal has died.
CWD is a highly contagious, fatal disease that infects cervids - animals with antlers, such as deer, elk, and moose. It has devastated wild populations of white-tailed deer in more than 20 states, but it has not yet been found in North Carolina.
For years, the Wildlife Resources Commission has fought to limit the expansion of captive cervid herds in the state, warning that they could introduce the disease to North Carolina. Would-be deer farmers have fought back, saying the risk is being blown out of proportion and accusing the commission of heavy-handed enforcement tactics. The dispute became fraught with politics last year as Rep. Roger West, R-Cherokee, turned a sympathetic ear to the would-be deer farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Steve Troxler also sounded sympathetic Wednesday, saying CWD could easily enter the state through the wild population.
"Deer do not recognize state boundaries," Troxler said. "There's a risk when hunters go to other states that have CWD and bring back carcasses."
Troxler said his department had not sought the regulatory transfer but said it "makes perfect sense" because the Agriculture Department already monitors for and manages disease in other farm animal populations, such as poultry and swine. He added that his agency has a solid track record, veterinary expertise and diagnostic labs across the state.
The deer farms would be inspected and managed according to U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, he said.
"We have these areas of expertise, and we intend to bring in additional biosecurity," Troxler said. "We take measures to be sure that whatever disease is present at one facility won't be spread to another."
Jackson confirmed the bill does not include any funding for additional personnel at the Agriculture Department to manage the increased workload. Troxler said he'll ask for more if it's needed.
The North Carolina Wildlife Federation opposes the move and the expansion of captive deer farming in the state.
"North Carolina does not need to relax regulations governing the issuance of new captivity licenses for white-tailed deer and elk, nor does the state need to allow the sale of captive deer and elk to fulfill the demand of fenced shooting preserves for paying customers in places like Texas," NCWF said in a statement. "We feel strongly that the commercialization and exploitation of public trust resources is extremely damaging to professional, science-based wildlife management of our native deer herds."
The bill will likely receive its first committee hearing next week.
By Laura Leslie
The measure would transfer oversight and regulation of captive deer herds from the state's Wildlife Resources Commission to the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. It's part of an omnibus Farm Bill sponsored by Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, who said it "sets the scene for an entirely new industry."
Wildlife Resources Commission Chairman Gordon Myers said there are around three dozen captive deer operations already in the state, some of which supply venison to restaurants or ship deer to other states for canned hunts on private reserves. He said the Agriculture Department and his agency have long worked in partnership to inspect those herds, and he expects the commission will remain involved.
The major concern many conservationists have expressed about the deer farming is that it could bring a deadly deer disease, chronic wasting disease, or CWD, into the state as breeding animals are transferred between farms. There is currently no live test for the disease; it can be confirmed only after an animal has died.
CWD is a highly contagious, fatal disease that infects cervids - animals with antlers, such as deer, elk, and moose. It has devastated wild populations of white-tailed deer in more than 20 states, but it has not yet been found in North Carolina.
For years, the Wildlife Resources Commission has fought to limit the expansion of captive cervid herds in the state, warning that they could introduce the disease to North Carolina. Would-be deer farmers have fought back, saying the risk is being blown out of proportion and accusing the commission of heavy-handed enforcement tactics. The dispute became fraught with politics last year as Rep. Roger West, R-Cherokee, turned a sympathetic ear to the would-be deer farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Steve Troxler also sounded sympathetic Wednesday, saying CWD could easily enter the state through the wild population.
"Deer do not recognize state boundaries," Troxler said. "There's a risk when hunters go to other states that have CWD and bring back carcasses."
Troxler said his department had not sought the regulatory transfer but said it "makes perfect sense" because the Agriculture Department already monitors for and manages disease in other farm animal populations, such as poultry and swine. He added that his agency has a solid track record, veterinary expertise and diagnostic labs across the state.
The deer farms would be inspected and managed according to U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, he said.
"We have these areas of expertise, and we intend to bring in additional biosecurity," Troxler said. "We take measures to be sure that whatever disease is present at one facility won't be spread to another."
Jackson confirmed the bill does not include any funding for additional personnel at the Agriculture Department to manage the increased workload. Troxler said he'll ask for more if it's needed.
The North Carolina Wildlife Federation opposes the move and the expansion of captive deer farming in the state.
"North Carolina does not need to relax regulations governing the issuance of new captivity licenses for white-tailed deer and elk, nor does the state need to allow the sale of captive deer and elk to fulfill the demand of fenced shooting preserves for paying customers in places like Texas," NCWF said in a statement. "We feel strongly that the commercialization and exploitation of public trust resources is extremely damaging to professional, science-based wildlife management of our native deer herds."
The bill will likely receive its first committee hearing next week.
By Laura Leslie
News Update- Feb. 26th, 2015
Governor Tomblin Signs SB237, Creating Captive Cervid Farming Act
NADeFA,
I would like to say Thank You from the WV Deer Farmers Association and all the Deer Farmers in WV for your assistance and support here in WV. We have been practically put out of business since 2004 when our Department of Natural Resources put such tight restraints on us that we could not be successful in our cervid businesses. We have been fighting to be regulated by our Department of Agriculture even before that time. We have had lobbyist, lawyers and law suits against the state for over 10 years. Many Deer Farms have gone out of business or moved to other states and we depleted our funds fighting this battle. We started a successful grassroots effort and talked to everyone that we could to educate them about what we do. We set up booths at different locations, trade shows, fairs, ran commercials, hosted venison lunches at our capital and several other things to get our message out to the public. Our bill has passed the House and or the Senate several times over the last several years only to get stopped or blocked. This year we had a major shift at our capital; both House and Senate changed from Democratic control to Republican control and the Natural Resources Director retired in December. It appeared that our major roadblocks were cleared so we introduced our bill again in January where it passed the Senate 26 to 5 and the House 88 to 12. The last and final step was for our Governor to sign or veto and the deadline was Wednesday, Feb 25. To our delight, he signed the bill and effective immediately, we are 100% under WV Dept of Agriculture. We still have some work to do with Agriculture but they have been assisting, supporting and pushing for our industry for many years. The Agriculture Commissioner is excited to start working with us to iron out all the details. We would not have gotten this major victory without NADeFA’s assistance. Shawn and others have made trips to Charleston, WV as well as sending emails and making phone calls for the last 10 years. We have been very proud that we have been able to fund our efforts until this year when we came up short. NADeFA came through for us in a huge way this year by helping us with our costs to get this completed. Every time that we called on NADeFA to assist, they were there. Thank you again for all that you do, not only in WV, but for our industry as a whole.
Mark Cobb
BOD, WV Deer Farmers Association
I would like to say Thank You from the WV Deer Farmers Association and all the Deer Farmers in WV for your assistance and support here in WV. We have been practically put out of business since 2004 when our Department of Natural Resources put such tight restraints on us that we could not be successful in our cervid businesses. We have been fighting to be regulated by our Department of Agriculture even before that time. We have had lobbyist, lawyers and law suits against the state for over 10 years. Many Deer Farms have gone out of business or moved to other states and we depleted our funds fighting this battle. We started a successful grassroots effort and talked to everyone that we could to educate them about what we do. We set up booths at different locations, trade shows, fairs, ran commercials, hosted venison lunches at our capital and several other things to get our message out to the public. Our bill has passed the House and or the Senate several times over the last several years only to get stopped or blocked. This year we had a major shift at our capital; both House and Senate changed from Democratic control to Republican control and the Natural Resources Director retired in December. It appeared that our major roadblocks were cleared so we introduced our bill again in January where it passed the Senate 26 to 5 and the House 88 to 12. The last and final step was for our Governor to sign or veto and the deadline was Wednesday, Feb 25. To our delight, he signed the bill and effective immediately, we are 100% under WV Dept of Agriculture. We still have some work to do with Agriculture but they have been assisting, supporting and pushing for our industry for many years. The Agriculture Commissioner is excited to start working with us to iron out all the details. We would not have gotten this major victory without NADeFA’s assistance. Shawn and others have made trips to Charleston, WV as well as sending emails and making phone calls for the last 10 years. We have been very proud that we have been able to fund our efforts until this year when we came up short. NADeFA came through for us in a huge way this year by helping us with our costs to get this completed. Every time that we called on NADeFA to assist, they were there. Thank you again for all that you do, not only in WV, but for our industry as a whole.
Mark Cobb
BOD, WV Deer Farmers Association
News Update- February 16th, 2015- Legislative Front
NADeFA is truly committed to all states and all cervid species. Last summer I received a call from elk and reindeer producers asking for assistance to remove the Idaho import restriction of “no elk or reindeer from the eastern half of North America”, due to meningeal worm, which is a brain worm common in whitetail deer. As a result of those calls NADeFA has had boots on the ground in Idaho throughout this campaign. From attending the meeting of the proposed rule working group last summer, to following through with testimony in both the House and Senate hearings this winter, to approve the proposed rule changes.
The political process can be challenging, from committee hearings being rescheduled, to testimony being overrun with self-proclaimed brain worm and wildlife experts. NADeFA has taken the high road and stuck to the science and facts to make our case. To reinforce our position we have consulted with the leading scientist in Canada and the United States, and even flew in Dr Glen Zebarth to provide testimony of his hands on experience with meningeal worm research.
We have cleared the house, and had a very positive Senate committee hearing last Thursday. The Senate vote is scheduled for Tuesday, and I believe that truth will
The political process can be challenging, from committee hearings being rescheduled, to testimony being overrun with self-proclaimed brain worm and wildlife experts. NADeFA has taken the high road and stuck to the science and facts to make our case. To reinforce our position we have consulted with the leading scientist in Canada and the United States, and even flew in Dr Glen Zebarth to provide testimony of his hands on experience with meningeal worm research.
We have cleared the house, and had a very positive Senate committee hearing last Thursday. The Senate vote is scheduled for Tuesday, and I believe that truth will
News Update- February 3rd, 2015
Due to an unexpected amount of bookings, the French Lick Hotel is full for Wednesday night. Rooms are available at West Baden (the other hotel on property, but not as close) for the group rate Wednesday night.
Thursday, the hotel valet staff will move your luggage to a room at French Lick for the remainder of the week. You don’t need to do anything except leave your luggage inside your hotel room. Wednesday is the only night affected.
You may choose to stay at West Baden the entire time, but the room rate is slightly higher. The hotel will provide shuttles back and forth between West Baden and the exhibit hall for the entire conference.
Thursday, the hotel valet staff will move your luggage to a room at French Lick for the remainder of the week. You don’t need to do anything except leave your luggage inside your hotel room. Wednesday is the only night affected.
You may choose to stay at West Baden the entire time, but the room rate is slightly higher. The hotel will provide shuttles back and forth between West Baden and the exhibit hall for the entire conference.
News Update - May 10th, 2014
It was a busy week for NADeFA and the farmed cervid industry. The Missouri Whitetail Breeders and Hunting Ranch Association spent some long days at the capital educating their House of Representatives why they should follow the lead of the Senate and overwhelmingly pass their "Deer Bill" to move regulatory authority under the Department of Agriculture.
I was able to join them on Wednesday and I would like to point out some positive items that stood out to me. 1) All the breeders had the same message, they all had a different spin on how to sell it, but there was no confusion as to what they wanted. 2) There was a good turnout of Missouri breeders and hunt ranch owners and I was really impressed that all of them were NADeFA members! 3) They had a really nice handout that showed the similarities between deer and other livestock species (I heard the credit goes to Roxanne Knibb). 4) They were very well organized with the everyone split into smaller groups and assigned a list of legislators to educate and try to sway to a yes vote.
One area of improvement that we all need to start working on, is the lack of support from other industries and organizations. These are tough battles and should not be fought alone. If we want to be a part of the agriculture community then now is the time to start the dialog with the various livestock and commodity groups. I did have a great conversation with the head of the Missouri Farm Bureau and was relieved to hear that they were upset with the actions of the Missouri Department of Conservation and were supporting for the deer farmers. We all must get to know our state cattleman's association, Pork producers, Farm Bureau, Farmers Union and any other organized Ag group within your state. The same applies to your local state chapter of SCI and the Friends of the NRA. Everyone should be a member of their local group and donate to their fundraiser our better yet work with them to organize a youth or disabled hunt.
Thank you to those members that sent emails to the Missouri legislators. I will follow this email with another that list the legislators, to make it easy for those that were waiting until this weekend.
I attended the final meeting of the North Carolina Cervid Disease Task Force. I have been asked to participate in a lot of Task Forces around this country and I must admit this was one of the most challenging. There was a mix of producers, wildlife/conservation organizations, USDA, Wildlife Services, Department of Ag, and Farm Bureau. There were times when the discussion got a little heated, but overall everyone maintained their professionalism throughout the entire process.
It is yet to be seen how the North Carolina Conservation Commission will respond to our recommendations as there are several that will come from the Task Force as well as recommendations from individuals and organizations. Taken as a whole, I think we stand a good chance of some positive changes for the farmed cervid industry in NC .
The CWD Herd Certification Program Standards were finalized with only 4 minor changes! I want to thank those of you that took the time to submit comments, it is because of you that anti-industry and special interest groups were not able to ram though a bunch of changes that would have negatively impacted our industry. While it would have been nice to see some of our comments acted on, any one of them would have been a "significant" change, which would have resulted in the comment period opening back up again and allowing these other groups more opportunity to work against us. So in the long term, I think the 4 minor changes were in the best interest of the industry.
I have went back through my comments and there wasn't any of them that we had to have for our industry to continue status-quo. When I go back and compare the original version 1 to the finalized version, the industry made great strides. So much so, that our adversaries waged a campaign against our industry to gut all of our changes from the final version.
If you have any questions on the Standards or the 4 minor changes, feel free to give me a call - 651-212-1315.
Shawn Schafer
I was able to join them on Wednesday and I would like to point out some positive items that stood out to me. 1) All the breeders had the same message, they all had a different spin on how to sell it, but there was no confusion as to what they wanted. 2) There was a good turnout of Missouri breeders and hunt ranch owners and I was really impressed that all of them were NADeFA members! 3) They had a really nice handout that showed the similarities between deer and other livestock species (I heard the credit goes to Roxanne Knibb). 4) They were very well organized with the everyone split into smaller groups and assigned a list of legislators to educate and try to sway to a yes vote.
One area of improvement that we all need to start working on, is the lack of support from other industries and organizations. These are tough battles and should not be fought alone. If we want to be a part of the agriculture community then now is the time to start the dialog with the various livestock and commodity groups. I did have a great conversation with the head of the Missouri Farm Bureau and was relieved to hear that they were upset with the actions of the Missouri Department of Conservation and were supporting for the deer farmers. We all must get to know our state cattleman's association, Pork producers, Farm Bureau, Farmers Union and any other organized Ag group within your state. The same applies to your local state chapter of SCI and the Friends of the NRA. Everyone should be a member of their local group and donate to their fundraiser our better yet work with them to organize a youth or disabled hunt.
Thank you to those members that sent emails to the Missouri legislators. I will follow this email with another that list the legislators, to make it easy for those that were waiting until this weekend.
I attended the final meeting of the North Carolina Cervid Disease Task Force. I have been asked to participate in a lot of Task Forces around this country and I must admit this was one of the most challenging. There was a mix of producers, wildlife/conservation organizations, USDA, Wildlife Services, Department of Ag, and Farm Bureau. There were times when the discussion got a little heated, but overall everyone maintained their professionalism throughout the entire process.
It is yet to be seen how the North Carolina Conservation Commission will respond to our recommendations as there are several that will come from the Task Force as well as recommendations from individuals and organizations. Taken as a whole, I think we stand a good chance of some positive changes for the farmed cervid industry in NC .
The CWD Herd Certification Program Standards were finalized with only 4 minor changes! I want to thank those of you that took the time to submit comments, it is because of you that anti-industry and special interest groups were not able to ram though a bunch of changes that would have negatively impacted our industry. While it would have been nice to see some of our comments acted on, any one of them would have been a "significant" change, which would have resulted in the comment period opening back up again and allowing these other groups more opportunity to work against us. So in the long term, I think the 4 minor changes were in the best interest of the industry.
I have went back through my comments and there wasn't any of them that we had to have for our industry to continue status-quo. When I go back and compare the original version 1 to the finalized version, the industry made great strides. So much so, that our adversaries waged a campaign against our industry to gut all of our changes from the final version.
If you have any questions on the Standards or the 4 minor changes, feel free to give me a call - 651-212-1315.
Shawn Schafer
News Update - May 1st, 2014
Earlier in the week we heard reports that the Missouri Department of Conservation had voted to adopt new rules which would strangle their deer farming industry. Today I am happy to report, that efforts by the Missouri Whitetail Deer Breeders & Hunting Ranch Association have been successful in moving a Bill, which would remove oversight of the farmed deer industry fully under the Department of Agriculture.
SB 964 passed out of committee and through the full vote of the Senate! Today the companion Bill HB 2031 passed through committee! This is great news and hopefully we will see a clean sweep as it moves to the floor of the House for the final vote. The threat of a veto by the governor still hangs over these Bills, but if the House vote is strong enough, it will override that authority.
So, please keep the pressure on! Not only do we need a win, we need a big win. If you have family or friends in Missouri, please ask them to call their Representative in the House and ask for a Do Pass on HB 2031.
They can use the following link to look up their Representative and contact information: http://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup.
-Shawn Schafer
SB 964 passed out of committee and through the full vote of the Senate! Today the companion Bill HB 2031 passed through committee! This is great news and hopefully we will see a clean sweep as it moves to the floor of the House for the final vote. The threat of a veto by the governor still hangs over these Bills, but if the House vote is strong enough, it will override that authority.
So, please keep the pressure on! Not only do we need a win, we need a big win. If you have family or friends in Missouri, please ask them to call their Representative in the House and ask for a Do Pass on HB 2031.
They can use the following link to look up their Representative and contact information: http://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup.
-Shawn Schafer
NADeFA Opposes Missouri's Harsh New Farming Regulations
CANTON, Ohio - The North American Deer Farmers Association has announced its opposition to recently proposed new regulations in Missouri, which deer industry experts agree are unnecessary and will adversely effect the state economy.
On April 28, 2014, the regulations committee for the Missouri Department of Conservation approved nearly 25 pages of new, stricter regulations concerning farm-raised whitetail deer, mule deer, and hybrids. Despite the fact that Missouri already has some of the most stringent testing guidelines of any industry in the nation, the new regulations, if approved, will add new and burdensome controls on movement, fencing, ownership, testing, tagging and record-keeping.
"These new regulations will kill the industry in Missouri and force most farmers to quit or move to another state," says Shawn Schafer, executive director for the North American Deer Farmers Association. "This is a huge overreaction by the MDC over Chronic Wasting Disease, a neurological disease which has received a lot of headlines but has actually had no quantifiable impact on any deer herd, anywhere. These proposed regulations are not based on any peer-reviewed scientific evidence and will only serve to stifle or kill a growing industry that benefits family-owned farms across the state."
Schafer explains that of the estimated 1.4 million whitetail deer in Missouri, there have only been 10 reported cases of CWD in the wild and 11 cases within fenced hunting preserves, and all of the cases occurring in the preserves were animals born on the property, so there is no evidence to suggest additional regulations are needed. In addition, the state tested 3,666 wild deer harvested during and after the 2013 deer-hunting season - a scientifically negligible one quarter of one percent (0.0026) of the herd population - and CWD was not detected at all. Deer farmers and hunting preserves test 100 percent of animals harvested.
In contrast, hemorrhagic diseases such as Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) and Blue Tongue Virus (BTV) have killed more than 200,000 deer in Missouri and the MDC has taken no actions to prevent its spread and its continued devastation on the state's deer population.
"We support oversight and continued testing for CWD, but EHD is the real and proven threat to Missouri's deer population," adds Schafer. "We strongly urge the MDC to focus its resources for disease prevention on the diseases that are actually impacting the deer as well as sportsmen across the state."
The North American Deer Farmers Association was founded in 1983 and is dedicated to the promotion of deer farming and ranching as an agricultural pursuit and serves its members through its educational programs and publications and by providing leadership in setting and maintaining quality standards. NADeFA represents the deer farming industry at all levels of government, and works closely with livestock producers and other organizations to promote ethical standards of conduct and husbandry in deer farming and to actively market standards for deer and deer products. NADeFA representatives are also available to media for expert testimony and information about deer farming and animal health issues, such as Chronic Wasting Disease, EHD and other topics.
For more information about NADeFA and membership, call 330.454.3944 or visit www.NADeFA.org.
On April 28, 2014, the regulations committee for the Missouri Department of Conservation approved nearly 25 pages of new, stricter regulations concerning farm-raised whitetail deer, mule deer, and hybrids. Despite the fact that Missouri already has some of the most stringent testing guidelines of any industry in the nation, the new regulations, if approved, will add new and burdensome controls on movement, fencing, ownership, testing, tagging and record-keeping.
"These new regulations will kill the industry in Missouri and force most farmers to quit or move to another state," says Shawn Schafer, executive director for the North American Deer Farmers Association. "This is a huge overreaction by the MDC over Chronic Wasting Disease, a neurological disease which has received a lot of headlines but has actually had no quantifiable impact on any deer herd, anywhere. These proposed regulations are not based on any peer-reviewed scientific evidence and will only serve to stifle or kill a growing industry that benefits family-owned farms across the state."
Schafer explains that of the estimated 1.4 million whitetail deer in Missouri, there have only been 10 reported cases of CWD in the wild and 11 cases within fenced hunting preserves, and all of the cases occurring in the preserves were animals born on the property, so there is no evidence to suggest additional regulations are needed. In addition, the state tested 3,666 wild deer harvested during and after the 2013 deer-hunting season - a scientifically negligible one quarter of one percent (0.0026) of the herd population - and CWD was not detected at all. Deer farmers and hunting preserves test 100 percent of animals harvested.
In contrast, hemorrhagic diseases such as Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) and Blue Tongue Virus (BTV) have killed more than 200,000 deer in Missouri and the MDC has taken no actions to prevent its spread and its continued devastation on the state's deer population.
"We support oversight and continued testing for CWD, but EHD is the real and proven threat to Missouri's deer population," adds Schafer. "We strongly urge the MDC to focus its resources for disease prevention on the diseases that are actually impacting the deer as well as sportsmen across the state."
The North American Deer Farmers Association was founded in 1983 and is dedicated to the promotion of deer farming and ranching as an agricultural pursuit and serves its members through its educational programs and publications and by providing leadership in setting and maintaining quality standards. NADeFA represents the deer farming industry at all levels of government, and works closely with livestock producers and other organizations to promote ethical standards of conduct and husbandry in deer farming and to actively market standards for deer and deer products. NADeFA representatives are also available to media for expert testimony and information about deer farming and animal health issues, such as Chronic Wasting Disease, EHD and other topics.
For more information about NADeFA and membership, call 330.454.3944 or visit www.NADeFA.org.