The Minnesota Board of Animal Health is asking for public participation as it goes through the process of changing its rules for farmed Cervidae (commonly called deer and elk) to help the agency better prevent and control diseases such as chronic wasting disease. The public can participate in the process in several ways including providing written comment, and by tuning into virtual meetings of the Farmed Cervidae Advisory Committee.

The proposed rule changes are available online. One of the proposed changes requires depopulation of a Cervidae herd if it has been infected or exposed to CWD and requiring the owner to maintain fencing for at least five years. Quarantined animals would no longer have options to be released from quarantine.

Full meeting details and how to join the meeting are posted on the board’s rulemaking website and the final 15 minutes of the meeting will be open to public comment.

Members of the public can also provide written comments about the proposed rule changes at any time through at least Sept. 14 (the board will be republishing our Notice of Request for Comments to extend the comment period deadline to Oct. 30) during this part of the rulemaking process. The public will have a second opportunity to comment on the rules after the board publishes its Notice of Intent towards the end of 2020.

The following are upcoming listening session for the general public. If you plan to make comments at these sessions, please be prepared to state your name and affiliation or interest. You can join the virtual meetings either online or by phone:

Source: Minnesota Board of Animal Health, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all of its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.