Breeding distrust: The biopolitics of chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer.

This article focuses on the biopolitics and governance of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in Texas, where the majority of U.S. deer breeding facilities and CWD cases are concentrated. It examines how state authorities, particularly the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), exercise biopower through disease management strategies such as culling and containment, complicated by the tension between public trust wildlife and privately owned land. The study highlights how deer breeders selectively accept genetic science to enhance herds while contesting and dismissing infectious disease science related to CWD, often framing state policies as conspiratorial efforts to control or undermine their industry. Through qualitative research including interviews, participant observation, and content analysis, the article reveals the complex interplay of scientific knowledge, property relations, economic interests, and cultural narratives shaping CWD management and the reconfiguration of biopolitics in Texas's deer breeding industry.