Legislature(1993 - 1994)
02/01/1993 03:35 PM Senate RES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE RESOURCES COMMITTEE
February 1, 1993
3:35 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Mike Miller, Chairman
Senator Steve Frank
Senator Drue Pearce
Senator Al Adams
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Loren Leman, Vice Chairman
Senator Dave Donley
Senator Fred Zharoff
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 46
"An Act authorizing moose farming."
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 46 - No previous action to consider.
WITNESS REGISTER
Teresa Sager-Stancliff, Legislative Aide
Senator Mike Miller
State Capitol
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 46.
Bill Ward
P.O. Box 290
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 46.
George Yaska
Tanana Chiefs Conference
122 First Ave.
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 46.
Ken Rivard
P.O. Box 871842
Wasilla, Alaska 99687
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 46.
Senator Bert Sharp
State Capitol
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 46.
Tom Williams
HC 02 BOX 7470
Palmer, Alaska 99645
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 46.
Representative Gene Therriault
State Capitol
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 46.
Dave Kelleyhouse, Director
Division of Wildlife Conservation
Department of Fish and Game
P.O. Box 25526
Juneau, Alaska 99802-5526
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed SB 46.
Alicia Porter
Alaska Environmental Lobby
419 6th Street
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed SB 46.
Wayne Regelin, Deputy Director
Division of Wildlife Conservation
Department of Fish and Game
P.O. Box 25526
Juneau, Alaska 99802-5526
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed SB 46.
Opal Welton
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 46.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93 - 3, SIDE A
Number 001
SENATOR MILLER called the Resources Committee meeting to
order at 3:35 p.m. and announced SB 46 (AUTHORIZE MOOSE
FARMING) to be up for consideration. He announced that
Soldotna and Wasilla were on teleconference.
TERESA SAGER-STANCLIFF briefed the Committee on SB 46. She
said that game farming is a recommendation of the
Agricultural Task Force.
Number 24
SENATOR ADAMS asked why the decision is being left to the
ADF&G when the Board has already been given the authority
for game management under Section 16.05.255?
MS. STANCLIFF answered this legislation is required in order
to operate game farming according to legislative legal
services.
SENATOR ADAMS said under 340.010 people who own cattle,
reindeer, bison, and musk ox may adopt a brand mark and
asked what brand would be used for moose.
SENATOR PEARCE asked what sort of determination did the
ADF&G have to do to determine surplus animals. MS.
STANCLIFF said that decision would be left up to the
Department.
SENATOR ADAMS asked if moose farmers would need a game
mammal farming license under 60.40.050. SENATOR MILLER said
the Department would have to answer that question. Before
that, though, he wanted to hear testimony from the
teleconference.
Number 90
BILL WARD, Soldotna, said he owns the only elk ranch in
Alaska. He thought game farming had terrific potential to
be successful within the state. He supported private
ownership of game animals for agricultural purposes. He
personally did not think moose could be raised as
agricultural domestic livestock because their feed
requirements are hard to duplicate and there are limited
markets for their products.
MR. WARD was concerned with the ADF&G position which is to
be philosophically opposed to any game farming. They will
use any tactic to jeopardize the game farming industry, he
said.
For people who want moose for commercial purposes other than
agriculture, that option is already available through an
USDA exhibitors permit.
Number 190
SENATOR MILLER asked, besides elk, what other game animal
did he see as being viable in the agricultural type setting
he envisions. MR. WARD answered animals that are being
raised successfully and profitably are elk, Powell deer,
Sikh deer, reindeer, and several species of sheep and goat.
White tail and mule deer are being raised as well. In his
opinion caribou and reindeer are the same animals and can
both be raised profitably.
Number 216
GEORGE YASKA, Tanana Chiefs Conference, said historically
they support the concept of moose farming to enhance their
economic opportunities in the villages, although it may not
be totally viable, because they are difficult to feed.
Number 279
KEN RIVARD, Wasilla, agreed with Mr. Ward's testimony about
ADF&G. He mentioned they have had a moose pen on the Kenai
Peninsula for about 20 years. Regulation 16.05.340 (b) says
the Commissioner of Fish and Game may issue without cost a
permit to collect fish and game, including fur animals. He
said we have the authority to collect game and raise them
under three different kinds of permits - a scientific, a
propagator, or an education permit.
MR. RIVARD said an Attorney General's opinion gives the
Board of Game authority to allot private possession of game.
Number 320
TOM WILLIAMS, Palmer, supported SB 46 because it encouraged
farming moose and musk ox which would be a viable industry.
Number 353
REPRESENTATIVE GENE THERRIAULT supported SB 46. He had just
spoken to individuals with the Alaska Science and Technology
Foundation, and with the Department of Commerce and Economic
Development who are very interested in receiving ideas on
where different economic enterprises like this may be
started across the state.
Number 359
DAVE KELLEYHOUSE, Director, Division of Wildlife
Conservation, testified against the legislation and listed
some places in the U.S. and Canada which didn't allow
private holding of game animals. The Alaska Department of
Fish and Game opposed the moose farming bill mostly because
of the threat of transmittable disease to a commonly owned
resource versus a low potential for profit for a few
individuals. He said that moose don't sweat so they couldn't
be worked. Milk production was also limited. He stated
that moose are solitary so there are behavior related stress
diseases if they are penned close together. He said feeding
them was very difficult. Another difficulty would be with
large predators like bears and wolves. They are also
opposed to the road side zoo concept, because as an agency
they receive complaints from people when they see animals
kept in conditions they consider to be suboptimal. There is
also a question of liability when roadside zoo animals hurt
people.
He and Commissioner Rosier believe that musk ox have the
greatest economic potential for being farmed. This is
because of their wool production, their meat, the fact that
they are a smaller animal which can be more easily
contained, and can be supported on commercially available
feed.
Number 432
SENATOR FRANK asked if there was a way they could structure
legislation so their concerns could be alleviated, like
adequate fencing to prevent spreading of disease - in some
sort of a pilot project.
MR. KELLEYHOUSE said they could take that approach if they
felt they could promulgate regulations that wouldn't make it
impossible for anyone to comply.
SENATOR FRANK commented that the Marine Highway System is
not economical, but that doesn't keep it from being used.
He thought ADF&G should focus on the biological reasons, not
the economic ones.
Number 496
SENATOR BERT SHARP asked if he knew of disease problems with
game animals being raised in New Zealand. MR. KELLEYHOUSE
said they do have disease problems in New Zealand.
SENATOR PEARCE asked if there was any incidence of disease
in our moose population now? MR. KELLEYHOUSE answered that
our herds are relatively clean. He said that was because of
their position on game farming and domestic stock.
SENATOR PEARCE said the way she read the bill, it did not
introduce any new stock from outside the state, that home
grown moose would be used. She asked what sort of stress
happens when they become crowded. MR. KELLEYHOUSE said
there was nothing in the bill that prohibited importation of
moose. He said cows with young calves or who are just ready
to drop their calves want to be alone, for instance.
TAPE 93 - 3, SIDE B
Number 581
SENATOR FRANK asked if a disease can just develop in healthy
animals or is it transmitted by individuals. MR.
KELLEYHOUSE said the disease had to be introduced by an
individual.
SENATOR FRANK asked about the quarantine program in Alaska.
MR. KELLEYHOUSE said they needed a good quarantine facility.
SENATOR MILLER asked what the Department used to determine
surplus. MR. KELLEYHOUSE said the Commissioner can declare
a surplus in consultation with the Board of Game. A number
of beneficial uses had to be satisfied before the Board
would agree to a surplus.
SENATOR MILLER asked if he would support the domestication
of any other type of wild game. MR. KELLEYHOUSE said he and
Commissioner Rosier thought domesticated musk ox have the
best chance of success based on the wool, the meat, and the
breeding stock value.
SENATOR FRANK asked where musk ox could be successfully
farmed. MR. KELLEYHOUSE replied they could be successfully
farmed close to the transportation networks in Southcentral
Alaska. They seem to do well on domestic type feeds.
Number 502
ALICIA PORTER, Alaska Environmental Lobby, opposed this
legislation because of increased poaching, the spread of
disease, and predator related problems.
Number 415
WAYNE REGELIN, Deputy Director, Division of Wildlife
Conservation, said it is illegal to sell game meat if that
species occurs in Alaska. ADF&G doesn't regulate domestic
species.
SENATOR PEARCE asked if there has been a higher incidence of
poaching in musk oxen or buffalo because their meat can be
sold. MR. REGELIN said there were no problems that he was
aware of. The individuals who raise bison sell their bison
on the hoof. He thought the bison meat you see for sale in
stores is imported from Canada.
Number 400
SENATOR FRANK asked if there were problems in telling the
difference between game meats once it's butchered. MR.
REGELIN said there wasn't a difference between reindeer and
caribou.
SENATOR MILLER asked if the Alaska Environmental Lobby
supported ranching of any game. MS. PORTER said she would
have to get an answer for him.
Number 395
SENATOR PEARCE asked what kind of predator problems they
have had on the Kenai moose farm and why was it harder to
contain a moose than a musk ox. MR. KELLEYHOUSE said a
moose has longer legs and that a musk ox is a much smaller
animal. He said the predator problem on the Kenai Peninsula
is primarily bears and wolves.
SENATOR PEARCE asked if the farm on the Kenai should be
closed. MR. REGELIN said they have had many instances of
predation on this farm, but their concern is when a land
owner has a very large investment in his moose herd and if
there are predators in the area, he will probably take
action to make sure they don't harm his animals.
Number 337
OPAL WELTON, Fairbanks, read prepared testimony from her
husband in favor of moose ranching. He said it would help
solve some subsistence issues and provide something for
people in rural Alaska to do, it would develop resources,
diversify agriculture, and practice conservation. He
thought they could identify the surplus orphans, hurt and
problem moose - relocate and propagate them.
MS. WELTON supported her husband's testimony in favor of
moose ranching. She said their experience has shown them
that moose in zoological settings do poorly and generally
die, but, she said, if there is enough of the right kind of
food for them to eat, they could survive quite well closer
together.
Number 232
She noted instances where visitors to Alaska and Canada like
an opportunity to view moose and musk oxen.
She is not concerned with the sale of moose meat. They want
to have enough meat for their subsistence needs. She would
like to have one moose to milk, because the milk is five
times richer than cows milk. She made a number of other
points like how moose products can be utilized and mentioned
that farms in Russia have discovered moose can be worked in
the evenings and in the fall.
Number 42
TOM WILLIAMS, owner of a reindeer farm, said the sale of
poached meat would be illegal under Alaska inspection laws.
So he didn't believe that was a consideration at all. He
said all the farmed herds of reindeer in Alaska are free of
the disease. He didn't think economics was a good reason to
make a business illegal.
TAPE 93-4, SIDE A
Number 001
MR. WILLIAMS said he had traveled in other states delivering
his reindeer and there is no disease in Washington, Idaho,
California, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, and Utah.
SENATOR MILLER said they lacked a quorum and adjourned the
meeting at 5:10 p.m.
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