National Deer Alliance and QDMA Provide Comments on Deer Farms in Minnesota, Support Rhode Island Fee Increase
Comments and letters of support reinforce steps in the right direction in the ongoing battle to manage chronic wasting disease (CWD)
INDIANA, Pa. – (September 21, 2020) — The National Deer Alliance (NDA) and the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) recently submitted comments on the Minnesota Board of Animal Health’s planned amendments to farmed cervidae rules. In addition, the NDA and QDMA also sent letters of support to Rhode Island lawmakers for the Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife’s proposed increases to the fees associated with many wildlife licenses and permits.
Comments to Minnesota’s Board of Animal Health
“We applaud and support the Board’s leadership and willingness to attack this critical issue head-on,” said Nick Pinizzotto, president and CEO of NDA and QDMA. “We feel improved rulemaking will clarify ambiguities in current regulations and better help the agency prevent and control disease. The more defined rules will also allow the Board to more effectively address and respond to detections of CWD positive farmed cervids and support compliance with state and federal requirements for farmed cervids.”
NDA and QDMA feel the proposed changes contain language aimed at managing CWD, stronger and/or additional language should also be added to those rules to further manage and slow the spread of CWD in farmed and wild cervids. To highlight, new rule amendments should prohibit the importation of live cervids and cervid carcasses into Minnesota. Also, the Board should consider rulemaking that requires an owner of captive cervids to immediately notify the commissioner of natural resources of the escape of a farmed cervid. The Board should also consider rulemaking that strengthens requirements related to tracking CWD exposure via testing.
Letters of Support for Rhode Island Proposed License Fee Increases
“We applaud the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s leadership on drafting a budget proposal that will provide additional state match for federal funding,” said Pinizzotto. “This will increase the Division’s ability to conserve and manage fish and wildlife and carry out projects that benefit the outdoor community.”
NDA and QDMA feel the Division’s proposal more closely aligns license and permit fees with surrounding states, and the proposal minimizes impact to hunters and anglers by employing a three-stage, eight-year incremental approach for fee increases. Undoubtedly, sporting license sales and excise taxes on Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Programs are the pillars of the American System of Conservation Funding.
More information is available at nationaldeeralliance.com or on its social outlets.
About National Deer Alliance: NDA is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization with a mission to serve as the guardian for wild deer conservation and our hunting heritage. Focusing primarily on issues at the policy level, NDA is a leader in advocating for sustainable, science-based conservation of wild deer and fair-chase hunting, and is a source for credible, responsible, and timely information. Learn more at nationaldeeralliance.com.
