DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the establishment of the Farm Deer Advisory Council within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and appointed seven Iowa farmers to serve on it.
A similar Iowa Farm Deer Council previously existed in Iowa Code but was eliminated during the 2024 legislative session following recommendations made by the Boards and Commissions Review Committee. Secretary Naig chose to establish the advisory council within the Department to allow stakeholder feedback and input.
“Iowa is home to many diverse farms raising deer, elk, and other Cervidae,” said Secretary Naig. “Stakeholder feedback through the Farm Deer Advisory Council will help to inform our decision-making, ensure that our policies and programs reflect these farmers’ priorities, and help support their markets.”
Council members will be asked to provide industry feedback and offer their stakeholder perspectives. Additionally, employees of the Department’s Animal Industry Division, led by the State Veterinarian, will provide updates on the state’s voluntary Cervid Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Identification (CCWDSI) Program, which enables interstate market access for producers, and other issues and programs of note. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a progressive neurological disease affecting deer, elk, and other Cervidae. As of September 2024, nearly 2,200 Cervidae from 62 herds were enrolled in Iowa’s program.
The advisory council will meet once a year with additional meetings as needed. It will be made up of seven members, four of which will be whitetail deer farmers. Each council member will serve a three-year term and can be eligible for re-appointment.
The seven members, appointed by Secretary Naig, are listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Fred Huebner
North English
Mike Kenyon
Guthrie Center
Jake Lahr
Hopkinton
Sam Metzger
Greenfield
Larry Movall
Pomeroy
Matt Nebel
DeWitt
Roger Strunk
West Point