DNR temporarily bans farmed deer movement into and within Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued an emergency rule that temporarily prohibits the importation and movement of farmed white-tailed deer into and within Minnesota. This emergency action takes effect Monday, Oct. 11, and aims to reduce further spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) and protect the health of Minnesota’s wild deer.

The DNR is taking this action in response to the discovery that a CWD-positive farm in Wisconsin shipped 387 farmed white-tailed deer to farms in seven states, including Minnesota. Three farms in Minnesota  received a total of five deer from the infected farm.

This temporary movement ban will provide time to track the movement of deer from the infected farm and understand the potential risk to other herds. The investigations will show connections among known CWD-exposed herds, identify if there were additional exposed herds, and prevent additional transfer from potentially exposed herds. The rule provides exemptions for deer being transported to slaughter and those being transported on a direct route through the state.