DNR, MDARD Update: Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan - Northern Michigan's News Leader

The National Resources Commission adopted changes to Chronic Wasting Disease Baiting and Feeding Regulations, yesterday at their regular monthly meeting.

The updated plan takes into account the large amount of research and case studies on CWD that have become available since Michigan's original Surveillance and Response Plan for Chronic Wasting Disease of Free-ranging and Privately Owned Cervids was finalized in 2002.

The primary changes to the plan are:

     (1) The plan will be implemented if a CWD-positive animal is found within 10 miles of the Michigan border, rather than 50 miles as in the original plan.

     (2)  Baiting and Feeding will be banned in any county within a 10-mile radius of where CWD is detected.

     (3) All Privately Owned Cervid facilities within that zone will be required to complete increased disease testing of their herds to monitor for signs of CWD.

     (4) If the disease is diagnosed in a Privately Owned Cervid facility, all facilities that have had contact (through purchase, sales or immediate contact) will undergo increased disease surveillance testing, and exposed animals will be removed from contact herds.

These changes eliminate the peninsula-wide management provisions for dealing with a CWD occurrence. 

Actions that remain from the original response plan include: immediate baiting and feeding bans; a restriction on removing anything more than the boned meat, hide, and antlers of a deer or elk taken within the CWD management zone; and mandatory CWD testing of animals remain in effect.

The updated plan and more information about CWD can be found at the links provided.