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.