The Fruit Growers News

Michigan vegetable and fruit growers’ worst fear of a total ban on deer baiting wasn’t realized, although the amount hunters can used was reduced. It was banned in counties where at least one deer has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB).

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) had been haggling for two years over the future of baiting because of fear that deer were spreading TB to each other by nose-to-nose contact while feeding on bait piles and then infecting cattle.

Selling vegetable and fruit culls for deer feed had become big business over the years. Carrot growers were especially at risk since they need to dispose of 800 semi loads of culls each year equaling 60 million pounds. In the past they were all sold to deer hunters at a value of $5 to $6 million. The new rules will reduce the amount sold and carrot growers will have to come up with other disposal options – which are few and costly.

Ben Kudwa, executive director of the Michigan Carrot Committee had been leading the charge to keep baiting alive.

“The NRC did an excellent job of reviewing this issue,” Kudwa said. “They had a lot of sides to consider and had lot of people saying ‘pay attention to science.’ They did that within parameters of how people look at science.”

The “science” that everyone was looking at was a study done by Diana Whipple, a microbiologist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in a laboratory in Ames, Iowa. She found that TB could survive for days on feed. All of the research was done in a controlled environment and not outside in real world conditions.

“That did not prove a ban would solve the TB problem,” Kudwa said “Because of the huge deer population, all crops are deer bait.”

The other problem with the baiting ban was how it would affect the deer kill.

“Any little changes in the hunting regulation or for that matter poor weather on the first day of hunting could have a detrimental effect on how many deer are taken,” Kudwa said. “This is a serious issue because the deer population is growing and 750,000 hunters can’t control their numbers.”

New rules

The NRC reduced the amount of allowable bait from five gallons to two gallons a day in the Lower Peninsula and maintaining the current limit of five gallons in the Upper Peninsula for the 2000 hunting season.

The NRC also established a two-gallon limit statewide for recreational feeding during the next year, in effect maintaining the existing limit in the Lower Peninsula but reducing the amount of allowable feed from five gallons to two in the Upper Peninsula.

Michigan residents will be prohibited from baiting or feeding deer in counties where at least one deer has tested positive for TB. The new regulation replaces the 1999 rule that banned baiting and feeding in the TB Management Area (bordered by Interstate 75 to the east and M-55 to the north) in the northern Lower Peninsula. The new law also takes into account three confirmed TB-positive deer outside the TB Management Area.

Banned areas

As of June 9, the 2000 rule prohibits baiting and feeding in the following 11 counties: Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Crawford, Iosco, Mecosta, Montmorency, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle.

The NRC adopted a “trigger” mechanism for future determination of the county ban on baiting and feeding.

The trigger goes into effect immediately when a TB-positive deer is confirmed, except between the time when the DNR Hunting and Trapping Guide is published and Jan. 1. The rule then goes into effect Jan. 2.

Additional county or counties could be added to the list if additional TB-positive deer are confirmed prior to the printing of the DNR Hunting and Trapping Guide later this summer.



		Michigan Reduces Deer Baiting Amount Over Fear of TB Spread By Matt McCallum Executive Publisher Michigan vegetable and fruit growers’ worst fear of a total ban on deer baiting wasn’t realized, although the amount hunters can used was reduced. It was banned in counties where at least one deer has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB). The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) had been haggling for two years over the future of baiting because of fear that deer were spreading TB to each other by nose-to-nose contact while feeding on bait piles and then infecting cattle. Selling vegetable and fruit culls for deer feed had become big business over the years. Carrot growers were especially at risk since they need to dispose of 800 semi loads of culls each year equaling 60 million pounds. In the past they were all sold to deer hunters at a value of $5 to $6 million. The new rules will reduce the amount sold and carrot growers will have to come up with other disposal options – which are few and costly. Ben Kudwa, executive director of the Michigan Carrot Committee had been leading the charge to keep baiting alive. “The NRC did an excellent job of reviewing this issue,” Kudwa said. “They had a lot of sides to consider and had lot of people saying ‘pay attention to science.’ They did that within parameters of how people look at science.” The “science” that everyone was looking at was a study done by Diana Whipple, a microbiologist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in a laboratory in Ames, Iowa. She found that TB could survive for days on feed. All of the research was done in a controlled environment and not outside in real world conditions. “That did not prove a ban would solve the TB problem,” Kudwa said “Because of the huge deer population, all crops are deer bait.” The other problem with the baiting ban was how it would affect the deer kill. “Any little changes in the hunting regulation or for that matter poor weather on the first day of hunting could have a detrimental effect on how many deer are taken,” Kudwa said. “This is a serious issue because the deer population is growing and 750,000 hunters can’t control their numbers.” New rules The NRC reduced the amount of allowable bait from five gallons to two gallons a day in the Lower Peninsula and maintaining the current limit of five gallons in the Upper Peninsula for the 2000 hunting season. The NRC also established a two-gallon limit statewide for recreational feeding during the next year, in effect maintaining the existing limit in the Lower Peninsula but reducing the amount of allowable feed from five gallons to two in the Upper Peninsula. Michigan residents will be prohibited from baiting or feeding deer in counties where at least one deer has tested positive for TB. The new regulation replaces the 1999 rule that banned baiting and feeding in the TB Management Area (bordered by Interstate 75 to the east and M-55 to the north) in the northern Lower Peninsula. The new law also takes into account three confirmed TB-positive deer outside the TB Management Area. Banned areas As of June 9, the 2000 rule prohibits baiting and feeding in the following 11 counties: Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Crawford, Iosco, Mecosta, Montmorency, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle. The NRC adopted a “trigger” mechanism for future determination of the county ban on baiting and feeding. The trigger goes into effect immediately when a TB-positive deer is confirmed, except between the time when the DNR Hunting and Trapping Guide is published and Jan. 1. The rule then goes into effect Jan. 2. Additional county or counties could be added to the list if additional TB-positive deer are confirmed prior to the printing of the DNR Hunting and Trapping Guide later this summer.












The Fruit Growers News website offers a sampling of articles and features from each month. Subscribe to get all the news offered in The Fruit Growers News delivered right to you home! Permission is granted for reprinting material, except for commercial or advertising purposes, provided The Fruit Growers News is given full credit.


	Copyright 2000 Great American Publishing, Inc. The Fruit Growers News 343 South Union Street - PO Box 128 - Sparta, MI 49345 Phone 616-887-9008 - Fax 616-887-2666 - email All Rights Reserved