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NADeFA Director Shawn Schafer Hails Negative CWD Tests Results on Second Michigan Deer Farm

LAKE CITY, Minn. – As part of the ongoing investigation of what caused a three-year-old whitetail deer on a farm in Kent County to test positive for chronic wasting disease, a second deer farm was recently completely depopulated and tested with all of the tests coming back negative.
 
State and federal officials traced some of the deer on the Kent County farm to a farm in Sparta, Mich. Officials working in conjunction with the property owner and depopulated and tested a herd of 42 deer. None of the deer on the Sparta farm tested positive for CWD.
 
“While the negative test results may perhaps generate more questions than answers, the deer farm industry is relieved to learn that so far the CWD positive test appears to be an isolated incident,” North American Deer Farmers Association director Shawn Schafer said. “The remaining herd at the Kent County farm all tested negative and now we learn that a second farm was tested and again the tests were all negative. These negative test results should help to assuage any remaining fears about this situation.”
 
Schafer said he is pleased with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Agriculture for their thorough investigation of the Kent County situation and he said he is pleased with the agencies’ efforts to bring a quick resolution to the current crisis.
 
“Both MDNR and MDA have given this situation the seriousness it deserves,” Schafer said. “The deer farm industry remains committed to working with them to prevent the spread of this deadly disease.”