homeIn 2002 a small group of passionate deer enthusiasts meet to form and association know as the Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association or PDFA. The mission was clear to, “Preserve, Protect and Promote” the opportunity to ethically raise and manage private cervid operations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since that time PDFA has nurtured a strong relationship with the PA Department of Agriculture ensuring this opportunity for anyone to raise and privately own cervid species in the state. PDFA’s collective voice has helped shape our leading roll as one of the best places to raise and own cervid species in the country. We look forward to a prosperous future with the animals we so care for. The story of Pennsylvania deer farmers is complex and controversial, involving issues such as chronic wasting disease (CWD), the balance between herd size and forest health, and the rights of hunters and farmers. Chronic wasting disease In 2017, a deer on a farm in Bedford County tested positive for CWD, which forced the state to quarantine the farm where Newton sold a doe. The quarantine cut off Newton’s income and forced him to choose between starving his herd or shooting them. CWD has crippled the deer farming industry in Pennsylvania. Balance between herd size and forest health.
