Bluestem Prairie has been following efforts to curb the spread of chronic wasting disease through Minnesota's wild and captive deer herds for many years.
Late last December, I posted Lawsuit: Minnesota Deer Farmers Association takes State of Minnesota to federal court, which includes a copy of the lawsuit.
On Wednesday, Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reported in Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging deer farm regulations:
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Minnesota laws that tighten regulation of the farmed deer industry.
The Legislature last year passed a package of laws restricting expansion and operation of white tailed deer farms in the state. The laws took effect this year.
The action was in response to the spread of chronic wasting disease, an always fatal neurological disease that infects cervids, a family of animals including deer and elk. . . .
The Minnesota Deer Farmers Association filed suit against the state, seeking an injunction to prevent enforcement of the laws.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge John Tunheim denied the injunction request and dismissed the lawsuit. . . .
Here's a PDF of Judge Tunheim's decision:
Deer Farmers v. DNR CWD - Tunheim Decision - DNR Motion Granted uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
Gunderson reported that the MDFA lawyer plans an appeal:
. . . An attorney for the deer farmers said they will appeal the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Erick Kaardal said he believed the court erred in dismissing the case. He said Minnesota statute identifies deer farming as an occupation.
“But in direct contradiction, the new 2024 state laws prohibit transfer of deer farm registrations to willing buyers and prohibit issuing new deer farm permits,” said Kaardal. “Meanwhile, my law firm represents a willing buyer who wants to again pursue the deer farming occupation, but he can’t because of the 2024 laws.”
Kaardal said the deer farmers will ask the appeals court for an expedited hearing of the case . . .
On Facebook Thursday, Kittson County deer farmer Steve Porter, one of the more vocal plaintiffs shared his own thoughts about the decision in a video on his business's Facebook page:
As, me late father often said, you can't beat it with a stick. Well, maybe in court.
Porter is also an anti-wolf activist on the board of the group Hunters for Hunters.
Photo: A 10-foot fence surrounds 12 acres of land where domesticated deer remains were allegedly dumped near Hines. The fence was built by the Minnesota DNR in an attempt to help stop the spread of chronic wasting disease. "Blane Klemek, the assistant regional wildlife manager of the Minnesota DNR northwest division, said the fence was constructed to last 20 years with the DNR absorbing the cost of construction -- about $194,000 -- and maintenance." Contributed to the Bemidji Pioneer.
Related posts
- Fact check: what is the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's stand on wolf management?
- Lawsuit: Minnesota Deer Farmers Association takes State of Minnesota to federal court
- Is it hunting? In South Dakota, ‘wild’ game increasingly raised in captivity for profit
- MinnPost: In effort to curb CWD, DFL lawmakers agree to ban new captive deer farms
- Session Daily: Bill targets deadly deer disease with tighter proposed restrictions on farms
- VIDEO: MN House environment committee passes most sweeping anti-CWD measure to date
- DNR: Chronic wasting disease suspected in a wild deer in Bemidji area for the first time
- 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
- 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
- DNR temporarily bans farmed deer movement into & within MN to protect wild white-tailed deer
- CWD update: DNR Commissioner's letter to BAH Director on regulation to protect state's wild deer
- Bemidji Pioneer: Must-read article on illegal dumped CWD deer remains in Beltrami County
- Statement: Minnesota DNR learns of 2 deer farms that received deer from CWD+ farm in Wisconsin
- Hunters, tribes, conservation groups and St. Louis County call on state to get rid of deer farms
- Tune in to House Enviro Committee hearing tomorrow morning for latest CWD information
- MN DNR press release: Return to mandatory testing in chronic wasting disease zones this season
- South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks: CWD detected in mule deer in new area, Perkins County
- UMN MNPRO’s latest research detects CWD prions in cervid muscles using RT-QuIC
- MNReformer Radio podcast interviews Jamie Becker-Finn on Chronic Wasting Disease politics
- Listen to MN House environment committee chair Rep. Rick Hansen talk CWD on Matt McNeil Show
- Special Board of Animal Health meeting to review farmed Cervidae rulemaking postponed
- Bad news from the North: CWD sweeps through Alberta & Saskatchewan deer & elk herds
- Forum News Service: MN Deerhunters Association wants to end deer farming
- Just in: House DFL Lawmakers urge resignation of Minnesota Board of Animal Health President
- 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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