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Senate Agriculture committee signals no objection to bill removing farmer reimbursement for wildlife crop damage
Summary
The Senate Agriculture Committee heard testimony that a long-standing statutory reimbursement for crop damage by deer or bears is an unfunded liability and indicated it will not object to a Fish and Wildlife bill that would eliminate the provision and cap prior liability at $5,000 per farm.
The Senate Agriculture Committee signaled it will not object to language in a Fish and Wildlife bill that would remove a state provision allowing farmers to be reimbursed for crop damage caused by deer or bears.
Steve Collier, general counsel at the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, told the committee the provision has existed for decades but is effectively an "unfunded liability" because there is no dedicated fund to pay claims. "You can't really have a program that you don't have any money to support," Collier said, adding that the Department of Fish and Wildlife lacks a revenue source to finance recurring claims.
Collier described the statutory provision as historically permitting farmers to recoup up to $5,000 per year for financial losses from deer or bear damage. He…
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