Every year the Cervid Livestock Foundation accepts grant applications for research and educational project that benefit the cervid industry. Grants can be applied for throughout the year and will be awarded only after board approval. Contact Laurie Prasnicki, Executive Director of the CLF, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 715-314-0455 for more information.

Recent CLF Grants

The University of Georgia’s Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources was awarded an $8000 grant for a fallow deer research project. This grant allowed the final phase of the research project to be completed in the spring of 2008. The fallow project involved the study of disease, reproductive biology, food habits, habitat use, etc. in fallow deer on Little Saint Simons Island, Georgia.

Another ongoing research project funded in part by the CLF is the CWD research project on muntjac deer. This research is currently being conducted at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota and eventually other diseases of deer and elk will also be studied with this project. Muntjac were chosen for this research because of their adaptability to research confinement and because their prion gene is virtually identical to that of whitetail deer and elk.

One of our latest grants funded an educational booth promoting deer farming at the Future Farmer’s of America Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana in October of 2007. Another educational project receiving grant money on these same lines was a bus trip for FFA members from Wisconsin to visit the Double T Ranch owned by Tim Tague in Martinsville, Indiana in 2007. It was a worthwhile investment toward educating the future farmers of this country.

The CLF Board of Directors recently approved grant money for another educational project that will educate thousands of additional students.  Grant money will be going to school districts interested in participating in educational seminars in 2008 & 2009. These seminars will be taught by Steve Porter, a cervid farmer from Minnesota, who will be traveling to various schools, teaching the students about deer farming.  His message has been well received in the communities he has visited in the past.

The CLF, along with the Elk Research Council, funded Stage I of a research project to validate a TB blood test developed by Pritest. The research already done by this company on other species is showing great promise for validation. All cervid producers know how important a blood test is for the entire industry. The CLF is seeking additional funding for Stage II of the research which will require an additional $100,000. If your farm/business is interested in donating to this worthwhile cause, please contact Laurie at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 715-314-0455.