GRNC Alert 9.14.15: Bill Endangering Deer Hunting Gets Hearing TOMORROW

Suggested subject: “Stop deer farming scam now!”

 

Dear NC House Members:

 

I am appalled at the scheme apparently hatched by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, Senator Brent Jackson, former Food Lion CEO Tom E. Smith and a few wealthy landowners calling themselves the “NC Deer and Elk Farmers’ Association” to enrich a few while endangering North Carolina’s hunting traditions.

 

If passed, Section 14 of SB 513 would endanger our state’s indigenous white-tailed deer population by facilitating transportation of farmed deer into and out of the state. This is precisely how “Chronic Wasting Disease” was transmitted to deer populations in Colorado, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Montana and 15 other states.

 

According to a report by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission in a 2011 report:

 

• CWD infected 49% of a mule deer herd in Wyoming in 2010, resulting in a 50% reduction in herd size.

 

• Food borne transmission of mad cow disease to humans indicates that the species barrier may not completely protect humans from animal prion diseases, potentially including CWD. Conversion of human prion protein by CWD-associated prions has been demonstrated in lab experiments.

 

• Wisconsin spent approximately $25 million on CWD-related activities from 2002-2006. These direct expenditures do not include other broader economic impacts. Hunting license sales declined 10% in the first year after CWD was detected in Wisconsin.

 

• “Assuming a 10% reduction in deer hunters in North Carolina following detection of CWD (as was the case in Wisconsin), we estimate that NCWRC would lose approximately $976,820 annually in license sales if CWD was detected in North Carolina with additional impacts to federal assistance (i.e., Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration) funds as the number of certified license holders declines.”

 

• “Assuming a 10% reduction in deer hunters in North Carolina following detection of CWD (as was the case in Wisconsin) and using the 2006 economic data, we estimate that detection of CWD in North Carolina would have multiple, negative economic impacts including: an $18.7 million dollar impact on retail sales to deer hunters, a $32 million impact on economic output, a $5 million impact to travel-related expenditures, a $2 million impact to state tax revenue, and the loss of 340 jobs.”

 

• “…North Carolina hunters could lose an estimated $35-$54 million in recreational benefits annually.”

 

• “CWD appears to have spread by jumping from state to state (see map below, USGS 2011) suggesting that the disease has been spread by human movement of animals or infectious materials.”

 

• “Results of current modeling efforts using data from deer herds in states with CWD are sobering.”

 

• “These models generally show significant impacts to deer populations that may not occur until 25 to 50 years after they become infected and extinction of populations may occur in 100 years…”

 

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OPEN LETTER FROM VALONE TO TROXLER

 

Dear Commissioner Troxler:

 

Last month, Grass Roots North Carolina focused attention on Section 14 of Senate Bill 513 (“North Carolina Farm Act of 2015”), which would transfer control of deer farming to your Department of Agriculture while resuming issuance of new deer farming permits, which has been stopped since 2004. We pointed out that the financial motivation for deer farming was to genetically engineer deer with huge antlers for “canned” hunting preserves which are illegal in North Carolina but exist on the Cherokee Indian Reservation, where huge racks can command $14,000 and up.

 

Deer farming will bring Chronic Wasting Disease to NC

 

You no doubt recall our concerns that deer farming benefits a few wealthy landowners (coincidentally, chief among them your friend, deer farmer and large-dollar donor, former Food Lion CEO Tom E. Smith), while potentially decimating deer hunting in North Carolina due to almost certain introduction of Chronic Wasting Disease CWD) through deer shipped into the state.

 

As any honest person in this debate would admit, CWD is incurable, spreads even through the soil years after introduction, cannot be readily diagnosed, is typically transmitted through cattle transporters, and often fails to manifest symptoms for up to fifteen years. Introduced to deer populations by captive cervids in Colorado, in a few short decades CWD has become a scourge to twenty-one states plus the Canadian province of Alberta. It most recently threatens the deer population of Texas, where herds have tested positive for CWD despite more than nine years of isolation.

 

Stop parsing your words, Commissioner Troxler

 

In response to GRNC’s last alert, your office issued a press statement claiming, “Commissioner Troxler did not ask for Section 14 to be part of the farm act.” But ignoring, for a moment, that large contributions from former Food Lion CEO Smith (now the state’s biggest deer farmer) and another Food Lion CEO align closely with the hatching of the deer farming scheme, you certainly stood to defend the measure at a press conference featuring bill sponsor Senator Brent Jackson, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) Executive Director Gordon Myers, and you. So whether or not you hatched the scheme with your longtime friend, Sen. Jackson, and your other longtime friend, Mr. Smith, you have publicly supported the measure.

 

Will it really protect deer hunters, Commissioner?

That’s not what NCWRC says…

 

Your statement also says Section 14 of SB 513 will “enhance the ability of farms to flourish while protecting the wild deer population.” But that wasn’t the previous position of the NCWRC, was it? In fact, in 2004 and in response to “emergency legislation,” NCWRC not only stopped issuing captive cervid permits, but also spent $247,850 to buy out fifteen deer farmers and remove 328 captive deer.

 

In 2011, NCWRC issued a report entitled “Chronic Wasting Disease and the Holding of Deer in Captivity,” which featured the following damning conclusions (emphasis added):

 

• CWD infected 49% of a mule deer herd in Wyoming in 2010, resulting in a 50% reduction in herd size.

 

• Food borne transmission of mad cow disease to humans indicates that the species barrier may not completely protect humans from animal prion diseases, potentially including CWD. Conversion of human prion protein by CWD-associated prions has been demonstrated in lab experiments.

 

• Wisconsin spent approximately $25 million on CWD-related activities from 2002-2006. These direct expenditures do not include other broader economic impacts. Hunting license sales declined 10% in the first year after CWD was detected in Wisconsin.

 

• “Assuming a 10% reduction in deer hunters in North Carolina following detection of CWD (as was the case in Wisconsin), we estimate that NCWRC would lose approximately $976,820 annually in license sales if CWD was detected in North Carolina with additional impacts to federal assistance (i.e., Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration) funds as the number of certified license holders declines.”

 

• “Assuming a 10% reduction in deer hunters in North Carolina following detection of CWD (as was the case in Wisconsin) and using the 2006 economic data, we estimate that detection of CWD in North Carolina would have multiple, negative economic impacts including: an $18.7 million dollar impact on retail sales to deer hunters, a $32 million impact on economic output, a $5 million impact to travel-related expenditures, a $2 million impact to state tax revenue, and the loss of 340 jobs.”

 

• “…North Carolina hunters could lose an estimated $35-$54 million in recreational benefits annually.”

 

• “CWD appears to have spread by jumping from state to state (see map below, USGS 2011) suggesting that the disease has been spread by human movement of animals or infectious materials.”

 

• “Results of current modeling efforts using data from deer herds in states with CWD are sobering.”

 

• “These models generally show significant impacts to deer populations that may not occur until 25 to 50 years after they become infected and extinction of populations may occur in 100 years…”

 

In fact, after you and Smith hatched your scheme, NCWRC reversed its position and held public hearings in October of 2014 on resuming deer farming. The hearings produced 1,968 comments in opposition, versus only 8 in support.

 

When will you see the light, Commissioner Troxler?

 

What will it take for you to denounce this scheme to enrich wealthy land-owners at the expense of deer hunters and North Carolina taxpayers? How about deer smuggling resulting from the huge financial incentives in other states which permit deer farming?

 

I strongly urge you to publicly renounce your support for Section 14 of SB 513, a measure with the potential to destroy North Carolina’s deer hunting tradition, and cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually.

 

Respectfully,

F. Paul Valone

Lies Told by Moms Demanding Action

Click here to learn the full details of the deceptions spread by the so-called Moms Demanding Action (or rather Moms Demanding Gun Bans).

Additional Skills Needed for the GRNC Alert Team:

A person is needed to expand the GRNC alert team.  Good writing skills is a must along with the ability to coordinate with personnel at various levels.  Knowledge of HTML and ability to manipulate HTML style emails on the code level.  Strong understanding of desktop publishing concepts and Microsoft Office tools.  Person should be able to translate legal, political, technical and firearms jargon into layman’s terms and make the public care about the issue.  Familiarity of a mass emailing system like Constant Contact is a nice to have.

If interested, please contact GRNC via the following e-mail address: alert@grnc.org

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