New York State Conservation Council, Inc.

8 East Main Street , Ilion , NY 13357

 For Immediate Release

PRESS RELEASE:    For Release Friday, April 8, 2005 , at 6am.

 Contact:           President                                Howard Cushing Jr.                  518-674-2961

                          Legislative Vice President     Wally John                                518-479-2485

  New York State Conservation Council Appalled and Dismayed by CWD Farmed Deer

President Howard Cushing Jr. of the New York State Conservation Council, a 70 year old organization, representing over 1200 clubs and associated organizations with a membership of 300,000 conservationists, sportsmen and women, told his members that he was appalled and dismayed at the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in farmed deer near Rome, New York. 

    “I am deeply disappointed the regulations for captive deer by the Department of Agriculture and Markets were not strict enough to prevent the spread of this dread disease to farmed captive deer in the State,” said President Cushing.  “We are appalled and dismayed at the discovery of the deer at two locations in recent weeks.  This is a sad time for the wild deer as they may have been exposed to the diseased farmed deer.  Many of the wild deer must now be slaughtered because they must be tested for CWD and there is no live test.”  

    Vice President Wally John has been briefing Legislators about CWD. He said the NYSCC has been following the spread of CWD from Wyoming and Colorado into western Canada and east to Wisconsin and Illinois .  “It has been found in farmed deer and elk at many locations in the past decade and we were always afraid that it would be spread to New York by captive farmed deer,” John said.  “I know that Montana was able to stop the spread of CWD from farmed elk to wild elk and deer, but other states have not been as successful.  Montana had to enact a ban on captive deer farms and preserves and to destroy the existing captive animals to achieve this result.”  

    President Cushing said, “Strict new State regulations of game farms are needed Now.  All facilities that have captive animals should be totally locked down in an absolute quarantine to prevent any movement of live animals around the state, into the state or out of state.” A letter of concern has been sent to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets. 

    The Council calls upon the State to spare no expense to stop the spread of CWD.  Our conservation legacy hangs in the balance, as do the lives of over a million wild deer.              

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