Chronic Wasting Disease: Deer Farming Bill Hits a Snag in West Virginia

02/17/2012

Deer Farming Bill Hits a Snag

Chris Lawrence

Charleston

Legislation which would change the way deer farms in West Virginia are regulated hit a snag Friday in the state Senate.

Senate Bill 421 was up for third reading and passage when it was suddenly transferred to the rules committee during Friday's floor session. The change leaves the bill with an uncertain future and it would still face approval in the House of Delegates even if it’s approved in the state Senate.

Deer farming advocates want the legislation to allow their operations to be under the regulation and control of the Department of Agriculture. During testimony last week one deer farmer indicated the change would enable the farmers to sell venison in the same manner as domestic livestock products.

"The biggest thing we're trying to accomplish is the slaughter and sale of our animals for venison sales on the open market," said Jack Oliver of Shadow Valley Whitetails in Marion County.

Sportsman's groups in West Virginia and wildlife biologists cringe at the notion of making whitetail meat a commercially sold product.

"The Constitution of this state says the whitetail deer is 'wildlife,'" said DNR Director Frank Jezioro. "Whether it's roaming free or behind a fence, a whitetail deer is a whitetail deer."

Jezioro and many hunting organizations in the state fear allowing the sale of any whitetail venison creates the potential for a black market and a lucrative opportunity for poachers.

The potential for disease spread also concerns wildlife biologists who say deer farms are documented to be incubators of wildlife disease, particularly CWD. Department of Agriculture officials counter they have a ready team of veterinarians and inspectors who inspect to monitor all diseases on any livestock--including deer. Wildlife officials often point out there is no live test for CWD and once it's established in an area, it never leaves.

Others are concerned the Department of Agriculture jurisdiction would authorize deer farmers to transfer live deer from place to place within the state and to import them from out of state--potentially distributing CWD and other maladies on a wide and uncontrolled scale.

Sportsman's groups plan to rally at the state capitol on Tuesday in opposition to the bill. An alert to members of the National Wild Turkey Federation proclaims Tuesday as "hunters’ day" at the capital and encourages those attending to wear blaze orange or camo in a show of solidarity against SB 421.

http://www.wvmetronews.com/sports.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=51035

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

West Virginia Deer Farming Bill backed by deer farmers advances, why ? BE WARNED CWD

http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2012/02/west-virginia-deer-farming-bill-backed.html