Public Hearings to be held on Bovine Tuberculosis in Deer
Feeding Ban and Baiting Restrictions to be Discussed
Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Coordinator Bob Bender today announced a series of public meetings to be held on the issue of bovine tuberculosis in deer. The public meetings have been scheduled in order for individuals to comment on the proposed mandatory feeding ban on deer and elk that has been presented to the
Agriculture Commission and the wildlife conservation order on baiting restrictions that has been presented to the Natural Resources Commission.A
Governor Engler has called for a strategy to eliminate the spread of bovine tuberculosis and it is clear that a mandatory ban on feeding is a crucial part of this strategy,@ said Bender. ACitizens in the affected area know that something has to be done to stop this disease from spreading. I look forward to hearing from people on this important issue.@On Friday, March 6, 1998, the public meeting will be held in Presque Isle county at the Belknap Township Hall, 1720 W. 638 Highway, Hawks. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
On Saturday, March 7, 1998, the public meeting will be held in Montmorency county at the Hillman Community Center, 24220 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hillman. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.
On Saturday, March 7, 1998, the public meeting will be held in Alcona county at the South End Fire Hall, 5132 N. Hubbard Lake Road, Spruce. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
Bender, of the Department of Community Health, will be joined at these meetings by representatives from both the Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissions, as well as representatives from the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The proposed feeding ban on deer and elk
would eliminate supplemental feeding which concentrates and crowds the deer. The disease is spread among animals through the respiratory route by prolonged direct nose to nose exposure. The goal is to establish a natural population of deer to avoid the possible transmission of bovine tuberculosis.The wildlife conservation order defines and implements baiting restrictions. Baiting would be restricted by the kind of material used (exclusively grain seeds or pellets, or both), by date (September 24, 1998 to the end of muzzleloader season), by method of placement (no use of mechanical or electronic devices to scatter, spread, tend or meter bait) and by volume (five gallons at any time at any hunting location).
The order would be in effect for all premises and land located in an area bordered by Interstate Highway 75 to the west, M-55 to the south, Lake Huron to the east and the Straits of Mackinac to the North. This includes Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties in their entirety and portions of Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Ogemaw, Otsego and Roscommon counties. The area was expanded from the original five county area to effectively eradicate the disease.
The proposed mandatory feeding ban on deer and elk and the baiting restrictions would go into effect on May 1, 1998.A joint meeting of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissions is scheduled to take place on March 11, 1998 to hear public comment and act on the
proposed mandatory feeding ban on deer and elk and baiting restrictions. The meeting will begin at 3:00 p.m. with public appearances on bovine tuberculosis taken from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. The meeting is scheduled to take place at Michigan State University, Kellogg Center, Lincoln Room, 55 South Harrison Road, East Lansing.Individuals are also welcome to send their comments in writing to
the commissions at the following addresses:Michigan Commission on Agriculture
P.O. Box 30017
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Michigan Natural Resources Commission
P.O. Box 30028
Lansing, Michigan 48909
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS CONTACT: Geralyn Lasher
February 24, 1998 (517) 241-2112