The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are hosting a public meeting following the recent confirmation of the state’s first positive detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD). The meeting will be held on:
- Thursday, July 6th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bonifay K-8 School Auditorium, 140 Blue Devil Drive, Bonifay, FL
The meeting will provide information about CWD, and will provide an opportunity for area residents to ask questions about CWD and disease management strategies.
A 4.5-year-old road-killed, female white-tailed deer in Holmes County, sampled during routine surveillance activities, tested positive for CWD in mid-June. The FWC has implemented a comprehensive response plan. The FWC has also increased CWD monitoring and surveillance in the area, and FDACS is prioritizing CWD testing from all samples collected from the tri-county area.
The FWC is asking anyone who sees a sick, abnormally thin deer or finds a deer dead from unknown causes to call the CWD hotline, 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282) and report the animal’s location.
The National Deer Association (NDA) strongly encourages our Florida members and supporters, and especially those who live or hunt in the Florida Panhandle, to attend this public meeting. The NDA outlines deer diseases as a critical focus area and slowing the spread of CWD is of primary concern. To learn more about CWD, click here.