Contact: Senator Robert Cowles ~ (608) 266-0484
GREEN BAY– Senator Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) released the following statement after Governor Scott Walker announced new steps by the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to combat the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in white-tailed deer in Wisconsin:
“For years, Wisconsin’s deer hunting tradition has been put more and more at risk by the spread of CWD. As we’ve learned more about this disease through academic and field research done in Wisconsin and throughout the nation, the severity of this ecological epidemic has become all the more evident and recent calls for action by sportsman and woman throughout the state has been strong.
“Today’s announcement of new administrative rules by the Governor to combat the further spread of CWD is a welcome step towards ensuring the future of Wisconsin’s deer population is healthy and the future of Wisconsin’s deer hunting tradition is strong. I commend the Governor on this announcement and hope to see DATCP and DNR expedite the rulemaking process.”
Governor Walker announced two new initiatives for the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to start the rulemaking process on, including requiring deer farms to install enhanced fencing such as double fencing or an otherwise impenetrable barrier and banning the movement of live deer from deer farms in CWD-affected counties. The Governor also announced one new initiative for the Department of Natural Resources to start the rulemaking process to ban the movement of deer’s spinal cords and allow whole carcass movement out of CWD-affected counties only if the deer is headed to a taxidermist or meat processor.
