One of the consequences of the recovery of the gray wolf in Minnesota is livestock depredation.
Farmers and ranchers are losing animals to the skilled predators, and wolf control programs designed to help the farmers--who can't harm wolves to protect their herds because of a recent federal court ruling--have run out of funding.
Help is on the way. In the Grand Forks Herald, Barry Amundson reports in Rep. Peterson announces effort to help producers losing livestock to wolves:
U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., announced a cooperative effort Wednesday between the U.S. and Minnesota ag departments to fund an effort to help livestock producers in northern Minnesota who have been losing sheep and cattle to wolves.
The predator-control program has often run out of money over the years. Under the effort, the federal government carries out the trappings and provides technical expertise through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Grand Rapids.
The trappings will take place in problem areas where farmers or ranchers have been losing their livestock.
Peterson was able to get $110,000 in emergency funds from the United States Department of Agriculture, while matching funds will come from the state ag department.
Farmers and ranchers haven’t been able to shoot or trap wolves that threaten their livestock since a federal judge in December put wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan in protected status.
Read the rest at the paper.
Photo: A cattle herd in Northern Minnesota.
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