The RMEF defines game farming as the “intensive husbandry of privately owned game animals held captive under penned conditions.”

The raising of captive elk, red deer and other Cervids (members of the deer family) on private game farms is proliferating throughout North America. Concurrently, wildlife scientists and veterinarians, state wildlife management agencies and conservation organizations have expressed serious concerns about potential risks to the health and welfare of free-ranging wildlife populations. Specific concerns include:

• The possibility of disease transmission from game-farm animals to free-ranging wildlife populations. Serious disease outbreaks have been documented among captive elk herds in recent years. The current technology of disease testing is unable to assure with absolute certainty the absence of tuberculosis, chronic wasting disease and certain other diseases in individual animals. The impacts of these diseases upon wild, free-ranging elk populations could be significant and enduring.
• The possibility of genetic pollution due to hybridization with escaped game farm animals. Red deer and other closely related exotic Cervus species are able to interbreed with North American elk. The current technology of genetic testing is unable to identify hybrids beyond the first generation with absolute certainty. While the long-range consequences of hybridization with exotic species upon wild elk populations are as yet unknown, they could be significantly detrimental and irreversible.
• The presence and ultimate influence of hybridization and disease introduction upon wild, free-ranging elk populations may not be fully realized for many years.
• The impossibility of assuring that wildlife held in captivity will never escape. Numerous escapes from game farms have been documented.
• The loss of wildlife habitat through fencing of winter ranges and migration corridors.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:

• Believes that raising captive elk, red deer and other Cervids on private game farms in states with wild, free-ranging elk populations poses serious risks to the health and viability of those wild elk herds due to the potential of disease transmission and genetic pollution from hybridization with escaped exotic game-farm animals.
• Encourages additional research, when necessary, to further define the significance and long-range impact of these risk factors.
• Believes that the loss of habitat through fencing of winter ranges and migration corridors may be detrimental to wild free-ranging elk populations.
• Supports the enactment of game farm regulatory legislation, at both the state and federal level, crafted to protect the health and viability of wild free-ranging elk populations.
• Supports the continued involvement of state wildlife agencies in the regulation of the game farming industry in matters related to the protection of the health and welfare of wild, free-ranging elk populations.
• Believes that the raising of red deer, other non-native (exotic) Cervus species, sub-species and hybrids presents an unacceptable threat to wild, free-ranging elk populations.
• Objects to any form of game farming for the purpose of raising red deer, other exotic Cervus species, sub-species or hybrids thereof in states with wild, free-ranging elk populations.