January 9, 2003 - The Michigan Commission of Agriculture today passed a motion directing the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) to continue its moratorium issued last spring that banned deer and elk imports, according to Dan Wyant, MDA Director. The Commission is a five-member board that oversees the Department’s policy and executive direction, and the Department is responsible for overseeing the licensing, registration and inspection of the state’s privately owned, or farmed, cervid (deer and elk) herds.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a disease of deer and elk that attacks the animals’ nervous system and causes chronic weight loss that eventually leads to death. It has not been found in Michigan and is not known to be contagious to humans, livestock or other animals.

Wyant explained that the Commission action was taken in light of several CWD discoveries in other states and as a precaution until more is known about the scope, transmission and range of the disease.

"Today’s action adds to the strong preventive measures that MDA and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have already taken to date to keep Michigan free from CWD and protect both the state’s farmed and free ranging deer and elk herds from exposure to the devastating disease," Wyant said.

Last fall, MDA and DNR also jointly launched enhanced CWD surveillance and testing efforts. Specific to MDA’s oversight of all privately owned cervid herds, the Department is conducting mandatory CWD surveillance and testing of all death losses from these herds, estimated to be approximately 1,700 to 2,000 animals yearly. To date, MDA has tested 518 deer and elk from 50 counties for the disease, all of which have been negative. Another 200 samples are currently in the pipeline for testing.

For more information or a detailed summary of Michigan’s surveillance and response plan for CWD, please visit MDA online at www.michigan.gov/mda or DNR online at www.michigan.gov/dnr.