House pauses imports from Canada amid chronic wasting disease concerns for domesticated elk

Representative Stratton presented House Bill 45, which places a pause on importation of elk from Canada while the Utah Department of Agriculture and stakeholders evaluate alternatives and clarify legislative intent for the state veterinarian and agency actions related to chronic wasting disease (CWD).

Stratton told the chamber Utah has 34 domestic elk facilities (22 farms, 10 hunt parks, 2 zoos) with about 4,000 domesticated elk, compared with an estimated 85,000 wild elk. He said CWD can only currently be diagnosed postmortem through tissue testing and that import restrictions warrant time for further research and oversight.

"This bill puts a pause on the importation from Canada," Representative Stratton said, framing the measure as a precaution while agencies study domestic sourcing alternatives.

No members sought debate, and the House passed HB 45 on third reading with a vote of 73 yes and 0 no. The bill will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.