Now that CWD has been found in Michigan, what is the DNR and Michigan Department of Agriculture doing?
The DNR and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) are following the steps outlined in the Michigan Surveillance and Response Plan for Chronic Wasting Disease, which was developed in 2002 to address this nationally emerging disease. Since the development of the plan, DNR and MDA have had a surveillance program in place to detect CWD in captive or wild cervids. In August 2008, CWD was discovered on a privately owned cervid facility in Michigan. Confirmation of CWD in Michigan began the implementation of the response aspect of the plan. As outlined in the plan, the following steps have or will occur: • The state has quarantined all POC facilities, prohibiting the movement of all — dead or alive — privately-owned deer, elk or moose. • The DNR is working with landowners to collect deer from the vicinity of the facility to assess whether CWD is present in free-ranging deer. • A ban has been enacted to prevent all feeding and baiting of deer and elk in the Lower Peninsula in an effor
