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Committee approves 2025 crop prices, 2026 operating budget and participation in deer donation program for wildlife damage assistance
Summary
The Sawyer County committee set the 2025 crop damage prices, approved a $2026 operating budget for the Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (0-levy to county), and agreed to continue participation in the deer donation program administered through Whiskey Ridge; a December 20 deadline was set for enrollment requests.
The Sawyer County Land, Water, and Forest Resources Committee approved the recommended crop prices for 2025, approved the 2026 operating budget for the Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (WDACP) and voted to continue participation in the deer donation program.
Seth from USDA APHIS Wildlife Services presented the program overview and proposed figures. He explained that the state funds the WDACP, counties may opt to participate, and since 2019 Sawyer County has contracted administration to USDA APHIS Wildlife Services. Seth said the program’s primary goals are to assist producers experiencing wildlife damage and to provide mitigation tools or compensation where prevention fails.
The committee approved the recommended 2025 crop prices for appraisals, a motion that passed by voice vote. Members also approved the 2026 operating budget, a zero-levy budget that will be billed to the county and reimbursed by the state; staff said the budget increase from last year was about $2,000, partly to cover the renewed participation of Whiskey Ridge in the deer donation program and a congressionally mandated cost-of-living increase.
Committee members voted to keep Sawyer County in the deer donation program for 2026. Officials explained that Whiskey Ridge processes donated deer and distributes venison to local food shelves and pantries, and that the county contracts administration of the donation program to USDA Wildlife Services.
Finally, the committee set the enrollment deadline for crop-damage appraisal requests at Dec. 20, citing administrative-code timing tied to harvest percentages and the challenge of obtaining a reliable 90% county-harvest projection. Staff noted that overwintered crops are ineligible for claims under the program’s rules.
Seth introduced James Doss as the new damage-program administrator for Rusk and Sawyer counties. Program enrollment numbers were provided to the committee for informational purposes.
