SF 2792

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/08/2022 10:33am

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; prohibiting registration of new white-tailed deer farms;
prohibiting movement of farmed white-tailed deer except for purposes of slaughter;
prohibiting importation of white-tailed deer from Cervidae farms; appropriating
money for a voluntary herd buyout program for participating white-tailed deer
farmers; requiring a report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155,
subdivisions 10, 12; Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 35.155,
subdivision 11.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10.

Mandatory registration.

(a) A person may not possess live Cervidae in
Minnesota unless the person is registered with the Board of Animal Health and meets all
the requirements for farmed Cervidae under this section. new text begin A person may not possess live
white-tailed deer in Minnesota under this section after August 1, 2024. new text end Cervidae possessed
in violation of this subdivision may be seized and destroyed by the commissioner of natural
resources.

(b) A person whose registration is revoked by the board is ineligible for future registration
under this section unless the board determines that the person has undertaken measures that
make future escapes extremely unlikely.

new text begin (c) The board must not allow new registrations under this section for possessing
white-tailed deer.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 35.155, subdivision 11, is amended
to read:

Subd. 11.

Mandatory surveillance for chronic wasting disease; depopulation.

(a)
An inventory for each farmed Cervidae herd must be verified by an accredited veterinarian
and filed with the Board of Animal Health every 12 months.

(b) Movement of farmed Cervidae from any premises to another location must be reported
to the Board of Animal Health within 14 days of the movement on forms approved by the
Board of Animal Health. new text begin A person must not move farmed white-tailed deer from any premises
to another location unless the movement is directly to a location for slaughter.
new text end

(c) All animals from farmed Cervidae herds that are over 12 months of age that die or
are slaughtered must be tested for chronic wasting disease.

(d) The owner of a premises where chronic wasting disease is detected must:

(1) depopulate the premises of Cervidae after the federal indemnification process has
been completed or, if an indemnification application is not submitted, within a reasonable
time determined by the board in consultation with the commissioner of natural resources;

(2) maintain the fencing required under subdivision 4 on the premises for five years after
the date of detection; and

(3) post the fencing on the premises with biohazard signs as directed by the board.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 35.155, subdivision 12, is amended to read:

Subd. 12.

Importation.

new text begin A person must not import white-tailed deer into the state from
a farmed Cervidae herd. new text end A person must not import new text begin other new text end Cervidae into the state from a herd
that is infected or exposed to chronic wasting disease or from a known chronic wasting
disease endemic area, as determined by the board. A person may import Cervidae new text begin other
than white-tailed deer new text end into the state only from a herd that is not in a known chronic wasting
disease endemic area, as determined by the board, and the herd has been subject to a state
or provincial approved chronic wasting disease monitoring program for at least three years.
Cervidae imported in violation of this section may be seized and destroyed by the
commissioner of natural resources.

Sec. 4. new text begin VOLUNTARY WHITE-TAILED DEER HERD BUYOUT;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of Animal
Health to offer a herd buyout payment to the owner of each deer herd registered under
Minnesota Statutes, section 35.155. The board must pay $....... per animal, including fawns,
to each owner who accepts the buyout offered under this section by March 1, 2023, and an
additional $....... per animal, including fawns, to each owner who accepts the buyout offered
under this section by October 1, 2022. The board must not enter into a herd buyout contract
under this section after March 1, 2023. Deer covered by a buyout under this section must
be disposed of as determined by the board. A participating owner must sign a contract with
the board certifying that the owner will not have or allow any wild or farmed white-tailed
deer to be located on the premises after the contract takes effect and must record a
corresponding deed restriction with the county recorder or registrar of titles. A participating
owner who violates the buyout contract must repay all money received under this section
and is subject to appropriate penalties under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 35. This is a onetime
appropriation and is available until June 30, 2023.
new text end

new text begin (b) By October 1, 2023, the Board of Animal Health shall submit a report on the buyout
program operated under this section to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
house of representatives and senate committees and divisions having jurisdiction over
environment and natural resources.
new text end