SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach (MNPRO) has announced a May 2 survey of dumping site in Beltrami County – used by a nearby former deer farm to discard white-tailed deer carcasses – resulted in a positive test of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in at least one carcass.
State Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL – International Falls), chief author of comprehensive legislation to combat CWD, urged fellow lawmakers to take swift action to address the disease.
“I’m grateful for the efforts by the experts at the U of M and the DNR, but their findings highlight just how big of a threat CWD is to our wild white-tailed deer population, especially without safeguards at deer farms,” Rep. Ecklund said. “Our current laws and actions by the Board of Animal Health aren’t sufficient to address this growing problem. Minnesotans deeply value our hunting heritage, but if we don’t take strong, proactive steps immediately to stop the spread of CWD, our ability to pass traditions to future generations might be in jeopardy.”
The House Environment and Natural Resources budget bill contained Rep. Ecklund’s proposal to combat the spread of CWD. The bill creates new requirements for deer farms, including one to immediately notify the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of an escaped animal if the animal is not returned or captured within 24 hours and requires identification of farmed white-tailed deer to include certain contact information of the owner. It allows a licensed hunter to kill and possess an escaped farmed Cervidae without being liable to the owner for the loss of the animal and requires farmed Cervidae killed by a hunter or the DNR to be tested for CWD at the owner’s expense.
Rep. Ecklund’s legislation expands a provision prohibiting the importation of Cervidae carcasses. Under current law, a person cannot import a hunter-harvested Cervidae carcass unless it has been processed to meet certain requirements to ensure it has been cleaned of all brain tissue and the spinal column (e.g. cut and wrapped meat, finished taxidermy mounts, or quartered without the spinal column or head attached). The bill expands the provision to all Cervidae carcasses, not just those harvested by hunters. The bill also includes changes to muzzleloader regulations, permanently allows portable stands within wildlife management areas, and allows all legal firearms to be used statewide during the regular firearms deer season.
As discussions continue to craft a final Environment and Natural Resources budget package in advance of a June special session, Rep. Ecklund and DFL lawmakers will continue advocating for the inclusion of strong anti-CWD solutions.