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USDA wildlife services and Sawyer County set 2025 crop prices, approve 2026 budget and continue deer-donation program
Summary
The committee approved crop damage prices for 2025, accepted a 2026 operating budget for the Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program (0 levy), agreed to continue the deer donation program and set a December 20 deadline for 2025 damage-claim enrollments.
Seth Zesiger of USDA Wildlife Services briefed the Sawyer County Land, Water and Forest Resources Committee on Tuesday about the Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program and recommended annual crop-price schedules, a 2026 operating budget and continued county participation in the deer donation program.
The committee approved a set of crop prices that will be used to calculate payments to enrolled producers for 2025 crop damage. Presenters said the county may set annual prices with justification and that the recommended figures were derived from market sources included in the meeting packet.
Members also approved a 2026 operating budget to fund the county’s contracted administration of the program by USDA Wildlife Services. Presenters said the program is administered at no net levy to the county: state funds are passed through to the county and USDA invoices the county, which then seeks reimbursement from the state. Staff noted a modest increase in the 2026 request — roughly $2,000 — partly to resume participation of Whiskey Ridge in the county’s deer donation program after a recent hiatus at that processor.
The committee voted to keep Sawyer County enrolled in the deer donation program for 2026. Under that program processors such as Whiskey Ridge process donated deer and the resulting meat is distributed to local food shelves; USDA Wildlife Services handles administration and processor coordination under contract.
Finally, the committee set the deadline for producers to request a crop-damage appraisal at Dec. 20, the last day of fall; presenters said the statutory trigger tied to 90% county harvest levels is difficult to calculate, so the committee set the practical calendar cutoff. Committee members approved the crop-price schedule, the operating budget and the claim-deadline in separate motions; each motion passed with the members present voting in favor.
The committee was also introduced to James Doss, the new damage program administrator for Rusk and Sawyer counties. Zesiger said USDA Wildlife Services will continue to provide county administration and farmer outreach under the state-funded program.
