The St. Louis County Board voted Tuesday to ban new deer farms.

Their vote comes days before a temporary one-year ban was set to expire.

The goal is to stop a deadly deer disease from spreading.

Chronic Wasting Disease impacts cervids, like deer, elk, or moose, and is always fatal to those animals.

It has not been known to impact humans.

Last year, CWD was detected in a deer farm in Beltrami County.

A dead deer tested positive for the disease last year in Itasca County, the first case in a wild animal in Northeast Minnesota.

“Agriculture is important, but the importance of protecting our white tail deer herds and the traditions of deer hunting in this county have to take priority,” said Commissioner Keith Nelson.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Patrick Boyle, who first proposed the move more than a year ago, thanked the board for their vote.

“Most of us at this table have been at a deer camp and enjoy deer hunting. I thank the Board for this. It’s the right step and the right direction.”

Existing deer farms will still be able to operate within the county, but they won’t be able to expand.

To read this original story and more news, follow this link to the Northern News Now website.