Deer farm lobbyist launches blitz against CWD bills, demands public pay for business costs

In St. Paul Pioneer Press capitol reporter Dave Orrick's strong reporting, Minnesota’s largest deer hunting group targets deer farms for chronic wasting disease policy, there's copy documenting how the deer farm lobby works to squelch meaningful policy designed to fight chronic wasting disease:

Deer farming groups have begun a counter-offensive, blitzing lawmakers and the media with information casting doubt on the seriousness of CWD and its ties to deer farms.

Tim Spreck, a lobbyist who represents about 100 deer farm owners who are part of the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association, said deer farm operators want to work with lawmakers to stop the spread of CWD, but they feel unfairly targeted.

“There’s been too much finger pointing at deer farms, while there are other things that need attention as well,” Spreck said.

Spreck listed several areas that wildlife and animal health experts have also highlights as potential vectors for the spread of chronic wasting disease, including taxidermists, roadkill carcass disposal, and hunters bringing deer they’ve shot from out of state back to Minnesota — something that’s already prohibited but is generally believed to have questionable levels of compliance.

Deer farmers aren’t necessarily opposed to some of the items on the MDHA’s agenda, Spreck said, but he said taxpayers will need to help pay for changes, such as installing additional and higher fences.

“These people entered into a legal business, and now they want to change the rules on them,” he said.

Lots of people enter into legal businesses and the rules change. We need only think of regulations developed to protect children in car seats, industries that dumped toxic substances into Minnesota's surface and groundwater before the establishment of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the like.

When legal businesses are found to harm the public--in this case the public wild deer herd and the interests of Minnesota deer hunters--rules get changed. It may well not be the responsibility of the public to pay for the cost of the changes. We'll be curious to see which legislators repeat Spreck nonsensical argument.

Read the entire piece--as there is good news with the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association joining Bluffland Whitetails in supporting the CWD response plan.

Roseville DFL state representative Jamie Becker-Finn tweeted the deer hunters association's letter of support:

Statement from @MNDeerHunters in support of legislation to address chronic wasting disease #CWD #mnleg 🦌 pic.twitter.com/2ucDSHamNr

— Jamie Becker-Finn (@jbeckerfinn) February 27, 2019

Photo: A big buck.

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Comments

[John Reynolds]

I busted out laughing when I saw that Mr. Spreck was their lobbyist. I should have known that he would represent them. He's also a lobbyist for the dog killing trappers who are running around the Capitol trying to stop anything that would make them change the way they trap.

[John Reynolds]

This study seems to say that mice can be a vector of CWD. Should that be the case double fencing won't be any help at preventing the transmission out of the pens. It also won't stop the soil in the pen from continuing to infect the surrounding area.

https://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/2019/02/25/scientists-unearth-soil-property-that-combats-chronic-wasting-disease/?utm_source=GFM+Publications&utm_campaign=ee94219c91-Canadian+Cattlemen+daily+enews+Feb+26%2C+2019&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2da8244677-ee94219c91-88580497&fbclid=IwAR0VS2kv5am0qJYXRC__ubI-CNcrPQkJ_bo9RocGMFFjX8tFUQfBjFcduPw