Seems wildlife is quite expensive?

[Four Season Whitetail's]

How much do hunting tags bring in compared?

 

March 2, 2015

The Honorable Harold Rogers 
Chairman, Committee on Appropriations 
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Robert Aderholt 
Chairman, Subcommittee on Agriculture, 
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, 
and Related Agencies 
Committee on Appropriations 
United States House of Representatives 
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Nita Lowey
Ranking Member, Committee on Appropriations
United States House of Representatives 
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Sam Farr
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Agriculture
Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations
United State House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Rogers and Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Members Lowey and Farr:

The 194 undersigned organizations represent a broad range of food producers, wildlife organizations, sportsmen, local governments and resource interests that benefit from the cooperative efforts of the USDA-APHIS/Wildlife Services (WS) program. We write in strong support of sufficient funding for the two line items for the WS program (WS Damage Management and WS Methods Development) and in opposition to any effort to restrict or eliminate WS funding.

Wildlife causes more than $12.8 billion in damage each year to natural resources, public infrastructures, private property and agriculture. WS works to prevent, minimize or manage this damage and to protect human health and safety from conflicts with wildlife. Wildlife damage to U.S. livestock, aquaculture, small grains, fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products has been estimated to reach nearly $1 billion annually. Wildlife predators cause more than $137 million in death loss to livestock; field crop losses due to wildlife total $619 million annually; losses to vegetables, fruits and nuts total $146 million annually; and 70 percent of catfish farmers incur wildlife-related damage resulting in losses of $10 million to $13 million annually from double-crested cormorants in Mississippi alone. As a result, WS is an essential program in agriculture production in the United States.

The spread of wildlife-borne diseases to humans, livestock and other wildlife is a growing concern. WS monitors and manages pests and diseases in the United States. WS is often the first line of defense in reducing and eliminating diseases such as the West Nile virus, avian influenza, pandemic H1N1, chronic wasting disease, pseudo rabies, bubonic plague, Hantavirus, Lyme disease, bovine tuberculosis and rabies. In fact, rabies-associated costs range from $300 million to $450 million annually in the United States primarily for pet vaccinations, education, diagnostics, post-exposure treatment and case investigations. WS also prevents entry and controls invasive species such as feral swine, nutria, the brown tree snake, and the European starling. Feral swine are a subject of increasing concern as potential carriers or catalysts for a variety of diseases. It is estimated that there are more than 5 million feral swine in 38 states that cause an estimated $1.5 billion in damage annually with more than $800 million of damage to agriculture resources.

In fiscal year (FY) 2013 alone, WS conducted 61,173 technical assistance projects to reduce wildlife damage to property in urban, suburban and rural locations as well as airports across the country, which include homes, schools, industrial facilities, roads, bridges, airport runways, dams and electrical and water systems. One example of this work is WS efforts in reducing deer collisions with automobiles,

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which injure an average of 29,000 people annually and cause more than $1 billion in damage. In addition, 
WS works to protect wetlands habitat, riparian habitat, tidal marsh and timber from a variety of pest species including feral hogs and nutria, as well as the destruction that beaver can cause. WS expended more than $18.9 million to protect property from wildlife damage in FY2012, up from $16.1 million in 2008.

Protection of natural resources is a growing need for WS. Last year, WS invested resources in conservation of game species including mule deer, bighorn sheep, antelope and waterfowl in eight states. In FY2013, WS spent $6.6 million for cooperative work with federal and state agencies to protect and assist 169 threatened or endangered species in 35 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In more than 95 percent of the projects, local threatened and endangered species either increased or remained stable.

More than 140,000 wildlife strikes with civil aviation have been reported since WS began keeping records in 1990. In FY 2013, there were more than 11,315 wildlife collisions with civil aircraft reported, with an additional 5,996 strikes reported by military aviation costing the total aviation industry more than $900 million annually. WS provided direct services at 406 airports in FY2014 including population management through harassment, habitat modification or removal. Technical assistance, such as initial consultations and wildlife hazard assessments, was provided at 838 airports across the country.

As the “Miracle on the Hudson” demonstrated in 2009, the management of wildlife hazards on and near our nation’s airports is a critical safety priority. WS provides valuable support to the aviation community in addressing these hazards. From its assistance in preparing FAA-required wildlife hazard assessments to its help with managing hazardous wildlife populations, WS staff ensure that U.S. airports both meet the regulatory obligations under 14 CFR Part 139 and reduce the safety risks associated with aircraft wildlife strikes. WS also assists the FAA in monitoring national trends regarding wildlife populations and the hazards they pose to aviation. At a time when airports are facing significantly expanded wildlife hazard management requirements through recently issued FAA Advisory Circulars and grant assurance modifications, its role will be even more critical to the aviation community going forward.

It has been WS's cooperative nature that has allowed it to accomplish all of the above listed programs and has made it the most cost effective and efficient program in the federal government in the areas of wildlife damage management and public health and safety. WS has more than 2,000 cooperative agreements, up 20 percent from FY2000, and, in FY2012, had 90,641 access agreements to professionally monitor and manage wildlife on private, state and federal lands.

WS cooperators include agriculture, forestry, private industry, state wildlife agencies, state departments of health, state departments of agriculture, schools, universities, counties, local governments, Indian nations, homeowner associations, conservation groups and others that, together with WS, mitigate the damage and dangers that public wildlife can inflict.

Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey, we appreciate your demonstrated leadership and strong support of this essential program. Our organizations are committed to working with you to strengthen WS resources and to ensure a continued federal partnership in the responsible management of our nation’s wildlife.

Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l
Airlines for America
American Association of Airport Executives
American Beekeeping Federation 
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association 
American Horse Council 
American Sheep Industry Association 
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers 
American Veterinary Medical Association 
Animal Health Institute
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges 
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Association of National Grasslands 
Big Game Forever
Catfish Farmers of America 
Catfish Institute 
Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation 
Fur Industries of North America
Livestock Marketing Association
Mohair Council of America
Mule Deer Foundation 
National Aquaculture Association 
National Association of Counties 
National Association of Federal Veterinarians
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture 
National Cattlemen's Beef Association 
National Farmers Union 
National Milk Producers Federation
National Pork Producers Council 
National Renderers Association 
National Rifle Association 
National Shooting Sports Foundation 
National Sorghum Producers
National Sunflower Association
North American Meat Institute
Public Lands Council
R-CALF USA
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation 
Rural and Agriculture Council of America
Safari Club International 
Society for Range Management
Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife 
State Agriculture and Rural Leaders Association
Striped Bass Growers Association
United States Animal Health Association 
U.S. Cattlemen's Association 
USA Rice Federation
Wild Sheep Foundation
Wildlife Management Institute

Alabama Catfish Producers
Alabama Cattlemen’s Association
Alabama Farmers Federation 
Alabama Meat Goat and Sheep Producers 
Arizona Cattle Feeders Association 
Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association 
Arizona Cattlemen's Association 
Arizona Wool Producers Association 
Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association 
Arkansas State Sheep Council 
Association of Oregon Counties
Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts
California Cattlemen's Association 
California Farm Bureau Federation 
California Wool Growers Association 
Colorado Cattlemen's Association 
Colorado Wool Growers Association 
Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association, Inc 
Delaware Sheep and Wool Producers
Association, Inc 
Delta Council 
Eastern Regional Conference of the Council of
State Governments 
Empire Sheep Producers 
Florida Aquaculture Association
Florida Cattlemen’s Association 
Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association
Garden State Sheep Breeders Inc 
Georgia Agribusiness Council
Georgia Cattlemen's Association 
Georgia Sheep and Wool Growers Association 
Hawaii Sheep and Goat Association 
Idaho Cattle Association 
Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
Idaho Outfitters & Guides Association
Idaho Wool Growers Association 
Illinois Beef Association
Illinois Lamb and Wool Producers Inc 
Independent Cattlemen's Association of Texas 
Indiana Sheep Association 
Iowa Cattlemen's Association 
Iowa Sheep Industry Association 
Kansas Livestock Association 
Kansas Sheep Association
Kentucky Aquaculture Association
Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association 
Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers
Association 
Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association
Maine Sheep Breeders Association 
Maryland Sheep Breeders Association 
Massachusetts Federation of Sheep Associations 
Meat Sheep Alliance of Florida, Inc 
Michigan Sheep Breeders Association 
Midwestern Legislative Conference of the
Council of State Governments 
Minnesota Lamb and Wool Producer
Association 
Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association 
Missouri Cattlemen's Association 
Missouri Sheep Producers 
Montana Association of State Grazing Districts
Montana Farm Bureau Federation
Montana Public Lands Council 
Montana Stockgrowers Association 
Montana Wool Growers Association 
Nebraska Cattlemen, Inc. 
Nebraska Farmers Union
Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers
Nebraska State Grange
Nevada Cattlemen's Association 
Nevada Department of Agriculture
Nevada Farm Bureau Federation
Nevada Rangeland Resources Commission
Nevada Wool Growers Association 
New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Growers 
Association 
New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association 
New Mexico Department of Agriculture
New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau
New Mexico Federal Lands Council 
New Mexico Trappers Association 
New Mexico Wool Growers, Inc 
North Carolina Sheep Producers Association 
North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers
Association 
North Dakota Stockmen's Association 
North Dakota Department of Agriculture 
North Dakota Game and Fish Department 
Northeast States Association for Agricultural
Stewardship 
Ohio Cattlemen's Association 
Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Ohio Sheep Improvement Association
Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association 
Oregon Cattlemen's Association 
Oregon Dairy Farmers Association
Oregon Department Agriculture 
Oregon Farm Bureau Federation 
Oregon Forest Industries Council
Oregon Outdoor Council 
Oregon Seed Council
Oregon Sheep Growers Association 
Oregon Small Woodlands Association
Oregonians for Food & Shelter 
Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Association 
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau 
Pennsylvania Sheep and Wool Growers
Association 
South Carolina Sheep Industries Association 
South Dakota Cattlemen's Association 
South Dakota Sheep Growers Association 
South East Dairy Farmers Association
Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife Idaho
Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association
Tennessee Sheep Producers Association 
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers
Association 
Texas Cattle Feeders Association 
Texas Farm Bureau Federation
Texas Pork Producers Association 
Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management
Board 
Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers' Association 
Texas Wildlife Damage Management
Association 
The Council of State Governments - Midwest
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
United Dairymen of Arizona
Utah Cattlemen's Association 
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food 
Utah Farm Bureau Federation
Utah Foundation for North American Wild Sheep
Utah Wool Growers Association 
Vermont Sheep and Goat Association 
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation
Virginia Cattlemen’s Association 
Virginia Sheep Producers Association 
Wasco County Livestock Association 
Washington Cattlemen's Association 
Washington Cattle Feeders Association
Washington Forest Protection Association
Washington State Sheep Producers 
West Virginia Cattlemen's Association 
West Virginia Shepherds Federation 
Western United Dairymen
Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association
Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation
Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative 
Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board
Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Wyoming Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife
Wyoming Stock Growers Association 
Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation
Wyoming Wool Growers Association