We've been following the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Minnesota for years now.
Matters began to come to a head in April, when we posted BAH: Southern Minnesota CWD investigation identifies new infection in Beltrami County.
That location turned up again in May 18's News release: U of M testing finds presence of CWD prions at Beltrami Co. carcass dump site, from the University of Minnesota. The Minnesota Animal Board of Health, which has oversight of farmed cervidae in the North Star State, "Additional CWD positives and illegal carcass disposal spur expanded investigation and response in Beltrami County." And the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued its own news release, "DNR stresses urgency in addressing chronic wasting disease in Minnesota."
In June, Minnesotans learned more in Star Tribune: Deer farming and "CWD-infested dump site on public land" in Beltrami County
A group of Minnesota House members have had enough. Just in from the Minnesota House of Representatives DFL Media:
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL – International Falls), Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul), House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley), Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL – Minneapolis), Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL – Minnetonka), Rep. Ami Wazlawik (DFL – White Bear Township), Rep. Kelly Morrison (DFL – Deephaven), Rep. Todd Lippert (DFL – Northfield), Rep. Ginny Klevorn (DFL – Plymouth), Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL – Saint Paul), Rep. Heather Keeler (DFL – Moorhead), Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn (DFL – Roseville), Rep. Samantha Vang (DFL – Brooklyn Center), Rep. Fue Lee (DFL – Minneapolis), Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL – Maplewood), Rep. Steve Sandell (DFL – Woodbury), Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL – Coon Rapids), Rep. Liz Reyer (DFL – Eagan), Rep. Erin Koegel (DFL – Spring Lake Park), Rep. Jamie Long (DFL – Minneapolis), Rep. Michael Howard (DFL – Richfield), and Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL – Minneapolis) issued the following statement calling for the resignation of Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) President Dean Compart:
“Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) poses a critical threat to Minnesota’s wild white-tail deer population, and the Board of Animal Health has the responsibility to hold cervid farms in our state accountable for their role in its spread. Unfortunately, by failing to act, the BAH and its leadership have continued to let down those who enjoy deer hunting. Worse, future generations potentially won’t be able to enjoy these cherished traditions if CWD is allowed to spread, and based on the frequency at which the disease is identified in new areas of the state, unless urgent action is taken, it almost certainly will.
“All Minnesotans deserve a healthy deer herd and comprehensive solutions to protect it. If the deer farms won’t be accountable to the BAH, and the BAH won’t be accountable to Minnesotans, it’s time for BAH President Dean Compart to do the honorable thing and resign.”
In April, House DFLers included a comprehensive CWD prevention plan, authored by Rep. Ecklund, as part of the original House Environment and Natural Resources budget bill. The legislation included a measure to transfer oversight of deer farms to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from the BAH. However, in negotiations over a final Environment budget package, Senate Republicans refused to accept the CWD prevention plan.
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects cervids, including white-tailed deer. In May, the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach (MNPRO) announced a survey of a dumping site in Beltrami County – used by a nearby former deer farm to discard white-tailed deer carcasses – resulted in a positive test of CWD in at least one carcass. In recent years, other CWD cases connected to deer farms have been located in Pine, Douglas, Winona, Houston, Crow Wing, and Meeker counties.
We agree.
Screengrab: The OAH's flow chart of CWD spread to MN deer farms.
Related posts
- Star Tribune: Deer farming and "CWD-infested dump site on public land" in Beltrami County
- Are deer farmers posing against MN DNR rule pausing movement of captive whitetails?
- MN DNR temporarily bans movement of farmed whitetails in state to protect wild deer health
- 5 more MN deer farm herds exposed to CWD; Beltrami carcass dump site inquiry continues
- News release: U of M testing finds presence of CWD prions at Beltrami Co. carcass dump site
- BAH: Southern Minnesota CWD investigation identifies new infection in Beltrami County
- Concerned about CWD in MN deer? Learn about new research from MNPRO's Peter Larsen
- Some of the science at the center of Update on Chronic Wasting Disease Efforts hearing
- VIDEO: MNHouse passes bill for process to extend funding for ENRTF projects for one year
- Session Daily: Experts want to study how CWD flows in state's waterways
- Sen. Andrew Lang seems behind the curve on current funding & progress of CWD test research
- VIDEO: University of Minnesota scientists share CWD research, search for test with lawmakers
- Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund plan from U of M for CWD diagnostic test
- Peter Larsen slideshow: Development of Advanced Diagnostic Tests for CWD by U of M
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