The Standards Working Group met today from 10:00a.m. to Noon CST. Three weeks ago Industry along with State Vet reps had submitted a revised version of the Standards with changes agreed upon by those two groups through extensive discussions over a two week period. We are now about 30 days into Dr. Clifford’s 60 day deadline and Dr. Patty Klein started today’s meeting with the information that due to next Monday being Memorial Day and the following week she would be out of the office on Monday, could we wait until three weeks from today to hold our next discussion. A F&G rep said that due to the fact that we have become accustomed to having our meetings on Monday’s we should just wait. An industry rep asked to reschedule for a different day the next two weeks because if we didn’t meet for two weeks we would only have one week to finish before Dr. Clifford’s deadline. It was agreed to hold meeting the next two weeks and continue working on this document.
The State Vet reps were asked if they had any additional input or comments, the only one to offer any was Dr. Schultz from PA. He thought that the Standards might be less than the rule and was concerned that it wouldn’t adequately support the rule. He also has concerns about exemptions being made allowing exposed animals to move to hunt facilities in other states.
Today’s meeting was for the most part Fish and Game reps responding to some of the changes proposed.
The most pointed discussion was pertaining to transiting across state lines of exposed herds. F&G reps voiced concern about moving exposed animals to hunt facilities in another state as an alternative way to depopulate those exposed herds. Extensive discussion was had on this topic but no consensus was reached. It was pointed out that the rule does allow for movement of exposed animals under permit for animals to slaughter, research or wild animals of low risk.
F&G reps brought up fencing and how according to at least one of them that whitetail deer are jumping over 8 foot fencing and that a recommendation to have 10 foot fencing shouldn’t be removed. It was then discussed that in Industry and the State Vet’s discussion and changes that anything that couldn’t be supported by sound science should be removed and that the 10 foot fencing fell into that area.
Several other topics were brought up by F&G reps and discussed and we will have to see how they will shape some wording when Dr. Klein sends out the next version of the Standards later this week. Dr. Klein stated that many changes that were made to the Standards were contrary to rule language and that it would have to go back to previous language. An industry rep asked for Dr. Klein to cite or reference the rule language or section it comes from if changed back to previous language, Dr. Klein agreed to do so.
Dr. Klein is sending out a doodle poll this week to schedule the next two weeks meetings then we will go back to Mondays for the remainder of our time.
Eric Mohlman
The State Vet reps were asked if they had any additional input or comments, the only one to offer any was Dr. Schultz from PA. He thought that the Standards might be less than the rule and was concerned that it wouldn’t adequately support the rule. He also has concerns about exemptions being made allowing exposed animals to move to hunt facilities in other states.
Today’s meeting was for the most part Fish and Game reps responding to some of the changes proposed.
The most pointed discussion was pertaining to transiting across state lines of exposed herds. F&G reps voiced concern about moving exposed animals to hunt facilities in another state as an alternative way to depopulate those exposed herds. Extensive discussion was had on this topic but no consensus was reached. It was pointed out that the rule does allow for movement of exposed animals under permit for animals to slaughter, research or wild animals of low risk.
F&G reps brought up fencing and how according to at least one of them that whitetail deer are jumping over 8 foot fencing and that a recommendation to have 10 foot fencing shouldn’t be removed. It was then discussed that in Industry and the State Vet’s discussion and changes that anything that couldn’t be supported by sound science should be removed and that the 10 foot fencing fell into that area.
Several other topics were brought up by F&G reps and discussed and we will have to see how they will shape some wording when Dr. Klein sends out the next version of the Standards later this week. Dr. Klein stated that many changes that were made to the Standards were contrary to rule language and that it would have to go back to previous language. An industry rep asked for Dr. Klein to cite or reference the rule language or section it comes from if changed back to previous language, Dr. Klein agreed to do so.
Dr. Klein is sending out a doodle poll this week to schedule the next two weeks meetings then we will go back to Mondays for the remainder of our time.
Eric Mohlman
