Agriculture
Bill would change oversight of deer farms
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By SHANNAN O’NEIL
Capital News Service
Bill would change oversight of deer farms
By SHANNAN O’NEIL
Capital News Service
LANSING- Bob Northrup said he and his friends follow the rules and fill out their paperwork on their deer and elk farms.
But Northrup said he has also seen his friends penalized for a mix up of paperwork and that worries him. Two departments run the regulation of deer and elk farms and the farmers have seen issues, said Northrup, owner of Amber Elk Ranch in Ludington. Sen. Goeff Hansen, R-Hart, has introduced a bill to make the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development solely responsible for these farms. Some farmers in his district are unhappy with the Department of Natural Resources’ role. “I’m not real warm and fuzzy,” said Northrup, about the Department of Natural Resources regulating his farm. They would rather quarantine or decommission a farm when an issue arises than work through it, he said.