We've gotten a lot of questions on how to reach out to our legislators. Below is all the information you should need, but if you have any questions, please contact a KALA Board member.
General Information:
Here is the copy of the amended House Bill:
HB700 Amended.pdf
Here is the link to the hearing from (2/27) in the Tourism Committee:
https://www.youtube.com/live/1Mq2y4ca6rE?si=u32t5f5O7KhG0XcH
Legislator Emails:
House of Reps Emails.pdf
Senators Emails.pdf
Legislator Phone Number:
502-564-8100
Toll-free message line: 1-800-372-7181 - call this number to leave a message with the legislators. A real person will answer masking you son identification questions and then say what’s your message “VOTE NO ON HB700” and when asked who to send it to, send to ALL representatives and legislators! It only takes a minute for this call and will make a difference!
Email Templates:
Template for a deer farmer fighting against the bill:
Deer Farmer Email to Rep Template.pdf
Template for a deer hunter against bait bans:
Deer Hunter Against Baiting Ban Email to Reps Template.pdf
Template for a deer farmer supporter but is not one themselves:
Deer Farmer Supporter Email to Reps Template.pdf
Template for a deer hunter:
Deer Hunters Email to Reps Template.pdf
Template for a small business who will be affected by this bill: (TSC, vets, Rural King, feed suppliers, local farm supply stores, hay suppliers, etc)
Small Business Email to Reps Template.pdf
How HB700 is going to affect deer farmers:
HB700 poses a direct threat to deer farmers. The bill is adding more regulations regarding CWD. If a captive deer farm was to have a positive case, any farm within a radius of 10 miles would be be quarantined for 5 years. A five-year mandatory quarantine is financially unsustainable—no business can survive five years without income. This is ultimately punishing healthy farms, just for being within a certain distance. The only way to be exempted as they are proposing would be to double fence, in which no other state is required to do, and which is an extremely costly burden on the farmers. These excessive regulations do nothing but add financial strain to deer farmers who are already working tirelessly to protect their herds and the wild deer population.
This legislation is based on misinformation rather than science and will have devastating consequences for those of us working to responsibly manage Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
What the bill doesn't consider is the fact that we have already begun selective breeding for CWD resistance based on proven science—the same approach that successfully eradicated Scrapie in sheep herds. Our industry also follows a CWD response plan through the USDA to ensure any potential outbreaks are handled efficiently and effectively without unnecessary and harmful restrictions. Furthermore, we are required and have always been required to test 100% of all deer over 12 months of age that die, while the wild deer remain largely untested. Over the past 20 years, Fish & Wildlife has tested less than 1.75% of the wild deer harvested. Despite our extensive regulations and proactive measures, deer farmers continue to have the burden of disease monitoring place on us as the source of CWD, when in reality, we are the only ones actively working toward a solution.
The additional regulations proposed in HB700 will do nothing to stop CWD but will cripple our industry and drive farmers out of business.
How HB700 will affect local economy:
Local economies will suffer as deer farming supports hunting, tourism, and conservation efforts that benefit the state. This bill is an overreach that ignores the best available science and dismisses the role of deer farmers in controlling CWD. This bill will also affect all the businesses deer farmers use in regards to farming such as feed suppliers, medicines, hay, etc. Small businesses like your local farm and feed supply store to the large businesses such as Tractor Supply, Southern States, Rural King, Lowe’s, Purina, and veterinarians. Many in the farming industry will lose their not only their jobs, but their livelihood that they’ve worked so hard for.
How HB700 will effect deer hunters:
HB700 poses a significant threat to deer hunters by implementing a broad baiting ban within a 30-mile radius of any confirmed positive case of CWD. This restriction severely limits hunting strategies that many rely on for attracting deer, potentially reducing success rates.
Additionally, the bill enforces strict regulations on the transportation of harvested deer. Hunters will be responsible for understanding and complying with these rules, which include requirements such as caping out the deer on-site and deboning the meat before moving it. These added steps increase the time, effort, and skill required to process a harvest properly, placing an additional burden on hunters in affected areas.
CWD History:
CWD is a neurological prion disease that affects the nervous system of cervids (deer, elk, and moose). It was first detected in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1967 at a government research facility. Therefore, CWD began as a government issue, not farmers. The disease is often portrayed as an immediate, catastrophic threat, when in reality, its progression is slow, and its impact varies greatly depending on location and management strategies. Misleading information has led to policies that hurt hunting traditions, conservation efforts, and private landowners without truly addressing the disease. The widespread misconception about CWD has led to policies driven by fear rather than facts. Research by leading scientific experts, including Dr. Christopher Seabury and Dr. James Kroll, has demonstrated that CWD resistance is possible through selective breeding—something deer farmers are actively doing. Instead of punishing those creating real solutions, lawmakers should be supporting science-driven approaches to disease management. Instead of basing decisions on sound research and industry knowledge, this bill is being pushed rapidly without fully understanding the realities of CWD. CWD was first identified in 1967, yet from 1967 to 2021, the U.S. deer population grew by 568%. If CWD was always fatal and as devastating as some claim, we would have already seen a dramatic impact from a drastic population decline. Instead, deer numbers have thrived, proving that CWD is not the apocalyptic threat that fear-based policies suggest. This critical fact must be considered when shaping legislation that impacts our industry.
If you have any questions about this bill or the stringent monitoring programs we are already following, feel free to contact the KALA Board anytime.
We urge you to stand with us in opposing HB700 and supporting science-based solutions to combat CWD.
Please Vote NO on HB700 - don’t let deer farmers be the sacrificial lamb for Fish and Wildlife and the sportsmen’s groups.
