MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has derailed a state plan to import 160 live elk from Canada.

Department spokeswoman Andrea McNally says the agency recently sent a letter to Gov. Phil Bredesen expressing its concern about the possible spread of diseases.

She says that among other things, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has not been able to certify that the herd is free of tuberculosis, a standard U.S. requirement.

McNally said the USDA also requires thorough disease-testing records for each animal brought into the United States, beginning at that animal's birth. Canadian officials also could not provide those records.

The last wild elk recorded in Tennessee was killed in Obion County in northwestern Tennessee in 1865. The subspecies of elk that once roamed the state is now extinct, forced out by habitat loss and over-hunting.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency had hoped to bring the animals in by ground transportation as early as this month from Alberta's Elk Island National Park.

"There's certainly a chance that Tennessee could look elsewhere and try to get some animals from another herd,'' McNally said.

"But we have some pretty standard requirements regarding lifetime records and disease testing, and the Elk Island herd doesn't meet those requirements.''

Ron Fox, assistant director of the TWRA, seemed perplexed by the USDA's decision, considering they have allowed elk importation from Elk Island in the past.

"Nothing has changed with this herd at Elk Island,'' Fox said. "I just think there has been a change in the mindset of the people who make these decisions.''

Excluding elk in the Land Between the Lakes preserve on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, the large, antlered animals made their return to Tennessee in late 2000.

Fifty animals were brought from Elk Island National Park to the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area, about 65 kilometres north of Knoxville.

A total of 167 elk were eventually reintroduced to Tennessee. They have since fanned out over the Royal Blue and Sundquist wildlife areas in Campbell and Scott counties northwest of Knoxville.

Tennessee conservation officials were hoping to have more than 1,400 free-roaming elk in the state by 2016, and a limited elk hunting season has been discussed for 2008.

Now that program is in jeopardy.

"This is definitely a major setback,'' said Fox. "We're looking into the possibility of an appeals process, but I don't know if there is one available in a matter like this.''