Have products from chronic wasting disease infected elk and deer been sold from the U.S. or Canada?
Although no evidence exists that CWD is a threat to humans and no evidence exists that CWD can even infect antlers, elk and deer ranchers have acted compassionately, responsibly and proactively with respect to consumers’ concerns and animal health. The Canadian Cervid Council has reported that no velvet antler products from herds known to have at least one CWD case have been sold in Canada or elsewhere. Elk breeders in the U.S. have agreed that no antler from quarantined herds is to be sold. In addition, elk ranchers from infected herds in South Dakota, out of respect to consumers’ concerns, did not sell antler from CWD present herds and instead, voluntarily eradicated their herds. A ban on selling meat or velvet products from infected herds is part of the CWD eradication and control program developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Although the USDA CWD program has not yet been implemented, elk ranchers have volunta
