Lawmakers seek to halt disease outbreak

DES MOINES – Iowa lawmakers approved a measure Tuesday designed to regulate the baiting and feeding of wildlife after Iowa officials reported that every bordering state now have confirmed cases of chronic wasting disease.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved the measure 11-6 after clarifying language was allay concerns that Senate File 2296 would not bar using live worms or bait to catch fish or turtles and would not stop people from feeding popcorn or bread to ducks and geese at parks or ponds. The bill would discourage people from feeding birds or wildlife 50 yards beyond a cabin or residence.

State Department of Natural Resources officials said the legislation is designed to regulate the intentional feeding and/or baiting of wildlife under certain circumstances with the purpose of helping control the spread of certain diseases that currently are threatening domestic livestock, wildlife populations and agribusiness in other states.

DNR official Dale Garner said efforts to limit baiting and feeding of wildlife and birds would reduce the chance of disease transmission

Sen. Dennis Black, D-Grinnell, said the regulations are greatly needed now that chronic wasting disease has moved into Missouri, meaning every surrounding state is battling diseases that target deer, cattle, birds and other wildlife and are spread via contact with saliva, feces and urine.

“I guarantee you we've got CWD in Iowa, we just don't know it yet,” said Black, who worried that Iowa's pre-emptive measures would be thwarted by a “shroud of fear” due to some regulatory language he felt was being misinterpreted.

However, Sen. Merlin Bartz, R-Grafton, offered some alternative preemptions that would attempt to target controls in infected areas. He said the fact that the bill was amended in nine areas on Tuesday pointed up the fact that it was poorly drafted and raised legitimate concerns by the public.

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