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NZGIB's Position on CWD 2/14/2001 Wellington, New Zealand – The New Zealand Game Industry Board has issued the following information in response to recent media stories relating to instances of Chronic Wasting Disease in Canada and the United States. The information is to clarify that CWD is not present in New Zealand and to provide further background to CWD. The New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has provided assurances that CWD is not present in New Zealand and that MAF’s monitoring and testing have shown there has never been a case. Further, it assures that New Zealand is free from all transmissible spongiform encephalopathies which includes Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and Scrapie. “New Zealand’s farming methods and border protection are in place to protect against issues such as CWD,” said MJ Loza, Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Game Industry Board. “New Zealand deer graze naturally on grass, occasionally receiving supplementary crops such as maize or corn. Meat and bone meal feed to ruminants are banned.” Importation of live deer, embryos and semen from Canada and the United States to New Zealand has been suspended since June 1998 to protect from transmitable diseases. On February 1, 2001 New Zealand’s MAF Biosecurity also suspended the importation of Canadian deer velvet as a further precaution, even though. “…any risk to humans is likely to be extremely small (as indicated in a) scientific paper published last year which showed that the CWD prion was very unlikely to induce the abnormal conformation in human prion protein. It should also be borne in mind that there is no evidence showing that CWD infectivity is present in deer velvet,” said Derek Belton of MAF Biosecurity. The US Food and Drug Administration’s Advisory Panel that met on January 19, 2001 was reported to have concluded that studies to date did not show that CWD could infect humans, unlike BSE. “While both MAF Biosecurity and US FDA have indicated any risks to humans are likely to be small, both included precautionary caveats,” said Mr Loza. “We agree that a conservative approach is entirely appropriate. Canadian officials’ rigorous monitoring and stepping up research and monitoring in the United States are important, responsible steps”. Deer antler velvet and venison exported from New Zealand are accompanied with certification from MAF. This certification assures importing countries’ authorities: - That the product is of New Zealand origin - Adherence to processing and hygiene standards are assured and - New Zealand’s freedom from specific diseases Deer are farmed in New Zealand for their healthy, lean, low cholesterol meat and for velvet antler. Deer antler velvet is a renewable resource that has been a prized part of traditional Chinese medicine for the past two thousand years, ranked along side ginseng. Recent scientific studies are identifying health benefits of velvet antler. Reports from the United States have indicated consumer concern that in some cases unclear or misrepresentative labeling has meant it has not been apparent that there are animal based products in a dietary supplement. “This is certainly not the case with New Zealand deer antler velvet. Its revered place in traditional Chinese medicine means that its inclusion should be a selling advantage – not something to be hidden, ”said Mr Loza. New Zealand deer antler velvet is labeled as such, or with words similar. All deer antler velvet exported from New Zealand must be exported though premises that are licensed and inspected by the New Zealand Government's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). MAF licensing is required by statutory law (Animal Products Act 1999). - END - Background Information on Deer Farming in New Zealand The New Zealand deer industry comprises 4,500 deer farmers, 2.2 million farmed deer and is the largest exporter of deer products in the world. Animal husbandry techniques in New Zealand ensure deer farming is well regulated and responsible. For example, antler removal is conducted using strict processes. Antlers may only be removed by specially trained and certified farmers or veterinarians that are members of a program developed by veterinarians, animal welfare groups and the New Zealand deer industry. Removal techniques are quick, humane and proven by animal welfare researchers to be painless. The New Zealand deer industry has quality standards for animal welfare and product quality that includes farming, transportation and processing of deer products. This includes a tracking system that can track specific deer antler velvet back to back to the farm of origin. New Zealand Game Industry Board The New Zealand Game Industry Board was established in 1985 by government legislation to “promote and assist with the orderly development of the New Zealand deer industry”. It does not trade in product. Source: New Zealand Game Industry Board. For further information: Contact:Mr MJ Loza Chief Executive Officer Tel:0064 4 381 6012 Fax:0064 4 382 9143 Mob:0064 21 993 389 Email:mj.loza@nzgib.org.nz In the US contact: Suzanne Shelton The Shelton Group Refer to NZGIB web sites: |
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