Wisconsin Commercial Deer & Elk Ranchers Disapprove Governor Walker’s CWD Plan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2018
Rudolph, WI – The Wisconsin Commercial Deer & Elk Farmers Association (WCDEFA) concurs with the North American Elk Breeders Association (NAEBA) in announcing their opposition to Governor Scott Walker’s proposed changes to the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease management for Farmed Elk and deer.
Recently, Governor Walker proposed an unprecedented policy change for all elk and deer farms in the State of Wisconsin. Both WCDEFA and NAEBA continue to support current USDA CWD Program Standards for control measures to mitigate the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease when found. This program currently works in keeping the farmed elk CWD free, as there has never been a natural born farmed elk in the State of Wisconsin that has contracted CWD.
Governor Walker’s proposed changes to current policies will do little to solve the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease problem in the wild whitetail deer population. These proposed policy changes in an effort to control the spread of CWD in the wild deer population will also create a negative financial impact for elk and deer farms to be put out of their farm business.
In all reality, forcing double fencing policy will result in a $25 million unfunded mandate for these small business family farms. No state or province in the United States and Canada has ever forced their elk and deer family farms to double fence. When any jurisdiction proposes fence regulation changes, there traditionally is a grandfather clause to avoid unfunded mandates.
Another proposed policy change is the prohibition for small business family farms to move their livestock to markets. These small business family farms have worked diligently to comply with, and maintain, State and Federal standard in relation to CWD FREE status and healthy herds. This complete halt of CWD FREE status livestock to the farmer’s markets will punish these family farm business owners. Wisconsin small family farm business owners (beef, dairy, sheep, goats, deer and elk) have no ability to stop CWD diseased, free-ranging deer from spreading Chronic Wasting Disease into their county much less the State.
WCDEFA and NAEBA respectfully request Governor Walker to withdraw his proposal and work with all stakeholders in a deeper look at other ways to protect the state from Chronic Wasting Disease in the wild deer. Such proposal, without scientific basis, fuels the public’s negative perception about Chronic Wasting Disease in the wild deer population and negatively impacts their view of licensed elk and deer farms.
The State of Wisconsin and United States Department of Agriculture already have a livestock movement agreement in place with a rigorous protocol for elk and deer farms that move animals intrastate and interstate. This program also requires all eligible mortalities over twelve months of age be tested for Chronic Wasting Disease at the owner’s expense.
Moreover, Chronic Wasting Disease has been discovered in several states and countries where elk and deer farming do not exist. Published articles have demonstrated that crows, coyotes, and other animals can spread CWD prions by scavenging on carcasses, so there may be other factors at work in the spread of this disease.
WCDEFA, NAEBA and Whitetails of Wisconsin continue their research efforts for developing elk and deer with resistant genetics to Chronic Wasting Disease. Though the known genetic resistant lines are not “immune” to the disease, the increased resistance to the onset of a clinical case of CWD is expected. The expectation in genetic resistance could outperform the current genetic makeup of the State’s whitetail deer herd that continues to succumb to infection of CWD. Recent research shows there may be genetics that are completely resistant to CWD as developed in comparable sheep flocks against scrapie.
For More Information Contact:
Corey Siegler, WCDEFA President
coreysiegler@gmail.com
0 Comments
Leave a reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.