On December 8, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CWD Research and Management Act (H.R. 5608). This act will support management efforts and research to combat chronic wasting disease (CWD), a contagious and fatal neurological disease affecting cervids—deer, elk, and moose.
The Federation conducted congressional outreach to encourage support of the bill and are pleased that ALL of the Tennessee House members voted for passage.
As a CWD-positive state, the disease continues to spread across our southwestern Tennessee counties.
It has the potential to forever change our hunting traditions and conservation funding unless we aggressively address it through both research and management.
The bill authorizes $70 million annually (2022–2028) for research and management of CWD, with the money to be split evenly between the two purposes. It also authorizes USDA and state and tribal agencies to develop educational materials to inform the public on CWD, and directs USDA to review its herd certification program.
A Senate bill was introduced on April 28. Email your Senators asking for their support of this bill.
Feature photo by Jamie Gilliam
