The Implementation Document for the National CWD Plan has been released by the interagency implementation committee responsible for its preparation..
On June 26, 2002 a plan for assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids was released to the public. The plan proposes goals and actions and serves as a blueprint for future activities. The plan was developed by a team of professionals in the fields of wildlife health, wildlife management, wildlife biology and livestock health. It represents the most current scientific knowledge on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and delineates actions needed to address the ongoing effort to identify the extent of the disease and management actions needed to limit its spread.
To continue forward progress, an Implementation Document has been developed. This plan was developed by an 11 member team representing the States, United States Department of the Interior (DOI), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with input from a myriad of wildlife management and animal health professionals across the nation. It provides information that conveys who is responsible for individual projects, what projects will accomplish to help address CWD, the cost, and project time frames.
The implementation plan is composed of six sections, describing actions needed to address communications, information dissemination, diagnostics, disease management, research and surveillance. Although the sections are not in priority order, it is acknowledged that the most pressing need at this time is surveillance to identify the occurrence and extent of CWD in free-ranging cervid populations. Two additional pressing needs include responding to newly identified foci of the disease in free-ranging cervids and the implementation of a herd certification program for farmed cervids.
Both the “IMPLEMENTATION DOCUMENT” and the “PLAN FOR ASSISTING STATES, FEDERAL AGENCIES AND TRIBES IN MANAGING CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN WILD AND CAPTIVE CERVIDS” may be reviewed on the CWD Alliance’s website at National Chronic Wasting Disease Plan was released June 26, 2002 .