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Date: 5/26/12-7/1/12
June Dairy Breakfast Schedule
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Green Co. Dairy Breakfast
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Farm Events: |
Farm News: DNR Considers Purchasing CWD-Infected FarmcommentsPosted: 03.15.2011
The Department of Natural Resources is considering purchasing a CWD-infected Portage County farm known as the Hall Farm to protect wild deer in the area from chronic wasting disease.
The Department of Natural Resources will request permission from the when it meets March 23 in Madison. Citizens interested in testifying before the board on this matter must register with the Natural Resources Board Liaison, Laurie Ross, (608) 267-7420 Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov by 4:00 p.m. Friday Mar. 18. Stan Hall operated but was not the owner of the farm. He operated the property as a whitetail deer farm until 2006 at which time it was closed down due to an outbreak of chronic wasting disease (CWD). Chronic wasting disease was first found in a deer harvested from the farm in 2002. Discovery of additional CWD positive deer followed. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture depopulated the farm’s deer herd in an agreement reached with the owner. At the time of depopulation, 60 of 76 animals euthanized tested positive for the fatal disease. In all, 80 CWD-positive animals were removed from the farm.
“To our knowledge this was the most heavily infected herd found anywhere in North America with 80% of the animals infected,” said Kurt Thiede, land administrator for DNR. “Science tells us CWD prions can survive for years in the soil and that healthy deer can become infected by contacting those prions. We believe that there is an unacceptable potential risk of wild deer being exposed to CWD-causing prions should the current fencing be damaged or removed. Purchasing this property is the best assurance we can give that deer-proof fences are maintained and the wild herd protected.”
The department’s recently adopted Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan 2010-2025 sets a goal to “minimize the area of Wisconsin where CWD occurs and the number of infected deer in the state.”
Since 2002, 1,200 Portage County wild deer have been tested for CWD with no positives.
With the current management agreement between the owner and the USDA due to expire in May 2011, DNR wildlife officials feel the only way the public can be assured the fences will be maintained is by purchasing the property. Stewardship funds will be used to purchase the property from Patricia Casey for $465,000. The department intends to allow access to the property for research purposes only.
Nature based outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, trapping, cross country skiing and hiking would be prohibited as part of the purchase approval. The primary purpose for this purchase is to create a permanent enclosure so that no wild deer may enter the property by any means and to ensure that no soil or sediments are removed from the property and transported to other locations unless authorized by the department, according to DNR officials. Additionally, DNR hopes to use the property to conduct research.
Full details on this action are available online at the DNR webpage, dnr.wi.gov. Select Natural Resources Board followed by Meeting Agendas and Materials.
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