Bluestem readers know this blog has been following the effort to contain Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the always fatal prion disorder that afflicts cervids.
For years, the formerly Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate slowed down CWD policy measures, most notably in the April 2022 episode documented in our post, Senate DFL Leader Franzen raises conflict-of-interest concerns in Republican leader's role overturning bipartisan vote to protect wild deer.
Now that control of the Senate is in DFL hands, will that change?
On Tuesday, the Minnesota Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee and House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy held a joint hearing that was an overview of CWD.
Today (Wednesday), the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee will hear HF1202, a bill authored by Minnesota deer-defender Jamie Becker-Finn, DFL-Roseville, a measure that would cover:
Animal health; data classified, owners of farmed Cervidae requirements modified, [new] registrations prohibited, civil liability established, federal fund disposition modified, live-animal testing for chronic wasting disease required, Board of Animal Health duties transferred to commissioner of natural resources, and money appropriated.
The public can watch the committee meeting at the Minnesota House Information Service's Live Video HTV 4 beginning at 3:00 p.m.
UPDATE: Written testimony for and against the bill can be read in a PDF here.
According to the agenda, whose testifying are:
• Patrick Boyle, St. Louis County Commissioner
• Keith Nelson, St. Louis County Commissioner
• Tim Spreck, Minnesota Deer Farmers Association
• Scott Fier, Minnesota Deer Farmers Association
• Deb Holtaus, Minnesota Deer Farmers Association
• Tony Kwilas, Elk Breeders Association
• Faron Jackson, Sr., Chair, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
• Erik Simonson, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association
Why the county commissioners? In September 2022, Duluth News Tribune John Myers reported St. Louis County makes deer farm ban permanent. [end update]
In an email to Bluestem Prairie, Becker-Finn, a deer hunter herself, wrote:
It is well past time we took more decisive action to fight the spread of CWD in our wild deer herd. As legislators, our top priority must be the health of our wild deer herd in order to best protect treaty rights and our constitutional right to hunt as Minnesotans.I also urge everyone to watch the testimony of Dr. Larsen, Dr. Osterholm, and Chairman Dupuis from today's hearing
Here's the Minnesota House Information Services YouTube of that hearing:
It's worth readers taking a look at the slide shows and handouts from Tuesday's joint hearing:
Peter Larsen MNPRO Presentation
Peter Larsen MNPRO Handouts
Michael Osterholm CIDRAP Presentation
Michael Osterholm CIDRAP Handouts
DNR, MPCA and BAH Presentation
BAH Handout
Written Testimony on Chronic Wasting Disease
Judging by material the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is circulating around the state capitol--see this post on the Minnesota Naturalists Facebook page--the effort to pass HF1202 won't be a clean shot.
As of this posting, there's no senate companion bill for HF1202 but that may well change.
Today's committee meeting will also hear biils on replacing lead drinking water service lines and funding conservation reserve program state incentives.
Related posts
- $100m proposal to replace all lead water service lines within decade gains 1st MNHouse approval
- Update: wild CWD detection in Beltrami County possibly connected to deer farm dump site
- DNR: Chronic wasting disease suspected in a wild deer in Bemidji area for the first time
- Chronic Wasting Disease: St. Louis County permanently bans new or expanded cervid farms
- MN Chronic Wasting Disease dilemma: should new deer farms be blocked? The old bought out?
- Chronic Wasting Disease: St. Louis County permanently bans new or expanded cervid farms .
- Todd Miller's deer farm was depopulated Tuesday,
- On Facebook, operator of CWD doomed Winona County deer farm wears Miller Scrap hat
- MN Board of Animal Health: CWD confirmed in quarantined Winona County captive deer herd
- Update: More on Miller family deer farm interests
- Senate DFL Leader Franzen raises conflict-of-interest concerns in Republican leader's role overturning bipartisan vote to protect wild deer
Photo: A wild whitetail buck in Minnesota.
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