Senate committee advances two deer‑farm bills after farmers, scientists and legal counsel press changes to DNR rules

St. Paul — The Senate Agriculture and Rural Broadband Committee voted to send two related measures on deer farms — Senate File 553 and Senate File 659 — to the Environment, Climate and Legacy Committee without recommendation after a two‑hour hearing that featured deer farmers, a veterinary and legal overview, and a wildlife scientist’s review of the peer‑review literature.

Senate File 553, which addresses fencing requirements on registered deer farms, was moved by Senator Zach Anderson and advanced with an A2 amendment that conditions a new state fencing requirement on state funding to cover the cost of the additional fencing. Senate File 659, which would transfer regulatory authority for deer farms from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) back to the Board of Animal Health, was moved to the next committee by Senator Weber. Both motions carried by voice vote.

Supporters told the committee the current DNR approach is harming farms, creating legal uncertainty and producing enforcement actions that amount to de facto efforts to eliminate the industry. “Deer farmers are livestock. They should be managed by the Board of Animal Health and not the DNR,” Senator John Wiesenberg said when introducing the measures.

Scott Fear, president of the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association and a longtime deer farmer, said the transition from Board of Animal Health oversight to DNR control has been “nothing short of a disaster,” citing shifting requirements and unclear contacts at the agency.…