We last posted about the Chronic Wasting Disease version of hell in Beltrami County in our post Emerging Issues LCCMR proposal addresses CWD prions at Beltrami deer carcass dump site on Tuesday
There's more coverage of the Beltrami County (CWD) carcass dumping in Tony Kennedy's Deer farming drives predicament over CWD-infested dump site on public land in the Star Tribune's Outdoor section:
Minnesota officials are scrambling on several fronts to fight against the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in northern deer herds where the always fatal neurological disease has traveled to Beltrami County by virtue of commercial deer farming.
Gov. Tim Walz wants the Legislature to strip deer farming oversight from the Board of Animal Health; the DNR is racing to build a fence around public land where the heavily infected deer farm dumped carcasses; University of Minnesota researchers want emergency funding to expand CWD testing at the dump site; state wildlife officials are applying for more federal funds to fight CWD; and the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association is suing the state to halt part of DNR's aggressive response to the outbreak.
CWD could have already spread from the dump site to an abundant population of wild deer previously considered untouched by CWD. The farmer, whose identity has not been revealed, accepted an undisclosed amount of federal money this spring to go out of business and have his herd killed and tested.
After a state investigation determined that nine other Minnesota deer farms in eight counties could be linked to the Beltrami farm outbreak, the DNR on June 1 imposed a two-month moratorium against the movement of any Minnesota farmed white-tailed deer for any reason to another location. According to the Board of Animal Health, 143 captive deer at the nine farms are considered exposed to CWD and should be killed and tested.
Investigators suspect the Beltrami farm became entangled with CWD by unknowingly acquiring a CWD-infected deer from a trophy buck deer farm in Winona County. The same Winona farm has been described as the vector to a separate CWD outbreak on a deer farm in Houston County. . . .
Read the rest at the Star Tribune.
Related posts
- 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
Photo: A white-tail deer in the late stages of CWD.
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