Last week, we posted Senate DFL Leader Franzen raises conflict-of-interest concerns in Republican leader's role overturning bipartisan vote to protect wild deer, in which we explored Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller's family business interests in a Winona area deer farm and hunting preserve.
A reader let us know that we'd missed one important connection: Miller's brother Todd's leadership roles in the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association.
We've posted a screenshot at the top of this post of the "Minnesota Deer Farmers Association--BOD's [Board of Directors] from page 21 of Upper Midwest Whitetails, a trade publication for deer farmers in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. On page 2 of the publication, however, a list of state deer farmer association president includes Rich Meech, who runs a deer farm at a Menahga address.
The publication is posted on the frontpage of the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association webpage; we've downloaded a copy since we assume a new issue will fill the space at some time.
But Todd Miller's leadership in the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association isn't limited to 2021-2022. ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer page of data for the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association included IRS filings from 2009 through 2019; for 2013 forward, Propublica list the names of officers on the filings.
According to this IRS data, Todd Miller is listed as President in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 filings, while he's listed as Vice-President on the 2019 filing. We checked earlier IRS filings on the ProPublica site and he was not listed as an officer of the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association before the 2016 IRS filing.
Todd Miller's leadership in the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association led to another opportunity: a place at the table in the Board of Animal Health's Farmed Cervidae Advisory Task Force, beginning in 2018. In a January 2018 "Animal Bytes" item, Seeking members for task force, the BAH notes:
. . .the Board would benefit from input from the following stakeholders:
- Accredited veterinarians working with farmed cervids.
- Minnesota Elk Breeders Association.
- Minnesota Deer Farmers Association.
- A farmed cervid producer at large (not a member of either organization above).
- A farmed cervid producer that provides hunting of farmed cervids on their premises.
- A farmed cervid producer that raises non-native cervid species (ex. reindeer, muntjac, red or fallow deer).
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources staff.
- USDA Veterinary Services staff.
The Task Force is limited to 15 members for a duration of two years or less, as described in state statute. . . .
Minutes for two meetings--June 25, 2019 and August 6th, 2019--include Todd Miller as an alternate for the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association. As we noted, the task force was limited in duration.
At the Board of Animal Health, next came the Farmed Cervidae Rulemaking Advisory Committee, which was "formed to develop recommendations and provide the Board with advisement while drafting its rule amendments" (page 4). Serving on this committee:
- Representative of the Minnesota Deer Farmers: Rich Meech; Alternate: Todd Miller
Looking through the minutes of this committee, we find that Todd Miller "Todd Miller, Registered Farmed Cervidae Producer" made comments as a member of the public at a the first meeting on August 26, 2020, though we are unable to find his comments in the detailed minutes.
The next meeting at which Todd Miller appears in the minutes is November 13, 2020. Here's the passage in the minutes:
Todd Miller, Vice President of Minnesota Deer Farmers Association addressed Dr. Larsen stating, “Every article states urine, feces, saliva and now carcasses can contain infectious prions, why not include blood when considering which fluids can spread CWD?”
Peter Larsen confirmed that CWD prions can be detected in blood.
Mr. Miller followed with a question, “Then why doesn’t the DNR ask hunters to pick up carcasses being left all over the landscape?”
Peter Larsen reiterated that a positive animal will have prions in blood.
Mr. Miller commented, “the legislature gave you guys [MNPRO] a bunch of money which will be reevaluated this spring; is a live animal test going to be ready?”
Dr. Larsen stated that thanks to the legislature Minnesota has RT-QuIC functionality, which is a live animal test, in the research lab. He added that validation with USDA will take time and that MNPRO will be submitting three different provisional patents for approval. Dr. Larsen reiterated that his lab has a research focused test that can evaluate samples from live animals.
The Farmed Cervidae Rulemaking Advisory Committee last met on January 22, 2021. There's this passage in the minutes:
Todd Miller, a non-committee member and cervid farmer, identified his farm as currently under quarantine as a CWD-infected farm. He stated he has had almost 40 of his animals tested for CWD in the past few months, and all results have been CWD not detected. The quarantine restrictions are still in place, and his business cannot function. Dr. Wheeler said that the Board needs to differentiate between “exposed” and “suspected,” as this is a difference that people do not understand. Mr. Miller agreed.
Dr. Glaser said Mr. Miller’s herd is part of an ongoing CWD-positive investigation, and the herd is quarantined following the CWD program standards from the USDA for the investigation. This is a separate situation outside of the rules. If a herd is exposed, the Board would quarantine it and follow the program standards to follow through.
According to a source who replied on background--who was in the room--when we asked about the passage in the minutes:
At one of the meetings of the BAH's Farmed Cervid Rulemaking Advisory Committee . . . Todd Miller interrupted (not during public comment time) to begin the rant I believe you are referring to, he had to identify himself and was cut off by Dr. Linda Glaser due to his involvement in a quarantined cervid farm she stated.
We have emailed Todd Miller for comment about the minutes and the outcome of the quarantine.
Todd Miller's brother, Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, was first elected in 2010; he became Senate President in 2019, and was chosen Majority Leader in 2021 when Paul Gazelka,R-East Gull Lake, stepped down to pursue a gubernatorial bill.
While the name of Todd Miller's operation on the screenshot above is "Little Paradise Whitetails," the address is 26005 Blackberry Road. As we posted in Senate DFL Leader Franzen raises conflict-of-interest concerns in Republican leader's role overturning bipartisan vote to protect wild deer, this address is connected to Senator Miller's business interests:
After a bit of sleuthing in online business and property records, we've learned that Todd Miller is the contact person for Epic Antler Ranch a private hunting operation with headquarters at the address 26005 Blackberry Rd, WInona, MN 55987.
Looking into Schneider Corporation's Beacon database for Winona County, we find that 26005 Blackberry Road was purchased by Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal Co in 2006. According to Majority Leader Miller's EIS, Miller is a Director, Officer and Owner of Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal Co.
According to the information for the address, the Primary Taxpayer is S & T Acres LLC at 265 6th St. W in Winona. Six parcels are listed in the parcel results for S & T Acres LLC. The name of the manager of S & T Acres LLC in the Secretary of State's Business Record Details is Susan M. Miller. This name appears in parcel results with that of Jerome Miller and Jerry Miller.
In 2014, the Winona Daily News' article in A family affair with scrap, the cutline under the photo at the top of the article reads:
Miller Scrap in Winona is led by, from left, Jeremy Miller, chief financial officer, Todd Miller, co-yard supervisor, Jerry Miller, president and CEO, and Willie Miller, chief operating officer.
Down column, the copy notes:
Jeremy’s brothers, Willie and Todd, also ended up back in the business after “a few ripples in the water,” Jeremy said.
Todd Miller includes both Epic Antlers and Little Paradise Whitetails on his Facebook page.
Related post:
Screenshot: "Minnesota Deer Farmers Association--BOD's [Board of Directors] from page 21 of Upper Midwest Whitetails, a trade publication for deer farmers in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. On page 2 of the publication, however, a list of state deer farmer association president includes Rich Meech, who runs a deer farm at a Menahga address.
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