Monday, December 4, 2017

Statement from the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Supporting the Introduction of the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Act

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies supports the introduction the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Act of 2017 (H.R. 4454). This legislation would authorize critical funding to state and tribal agencies responsible for wildlife management to implement surveillance, monitoring and management strategies to address Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Representatives Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced the legislation on Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

“Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease that affects members of the deer family, and may be one of the biggest challenges in modern wildlife conservation history,” stated Virgil Moore, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Director of Idaho Fish and Game. “This legislative package, if passed, will move forward and strengthen state and tribal chronic wasting disease management strategies by providing critical funding to help protect our nation’s wildlife.”

“The Association strongly supports this important legislation,” said Executive Director Ron Regan. “The state fish and wildlife agencies stand ready to work cooperatively with their state, federal and other conservation partners to address this serious wildlife health issue.”

Specifically, the CWD Management Act will:
  • Authorize critical funding to state and tribal agencies responsible for wildlife management to implement management strategies to address CWD.
  • Direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make grants to expand and accelerate applied research on CWD.
  • Directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior to work cooperatively with the states to conduct research and implement state CWD response plans to reduce the spread and prevalence of the disease.

Check out AFWA's press release here.