St. Paul, MN: New money is available to Minnesota
livestock producers to help prevent wolf attacks. The Wolf-Livestock Conflict
Prevention Grants provide $120,000 for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1, 2018 –
June 30, 2019). Applications are due June 29, 2018 to the Minnesota Department
of Agriculture.
The grants provide reimbursement for costs of approved
practices to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts. Eligible expenses for the grant
program will include any or all of the following items:
·
Purchase of guard animals
·
Veterinary costs for guard animals
·
Installation of wolf-barriers which may include
pens, fladry and fencing
·
Installation of wolf-deterring lights and alarms
·
Calving or lambing shelters
·
Other measures demonstrated to effectively
reduce wolf-livestock conflicts
“This grant program provides Minnesota livestock owners
with additional resources to protect their animals and livelihood,” said
Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Andrea Vaubel. “I encourage producers to
examine ways they can decrease the chances of wolf attacks, and apply for this
state funding.”
Producers must live within Minnesota’s wolf range, as
designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or on property
determined by the Commissioner of Agriculture to be affected by wolf-livestock
conflicts. Any animal species produced for profit and documented to have been
killed by wolves in Minnesota in the past is eligible. This includes bison,
cattle, chicken, deer, donkey, duck, geese, goat, horse, llama, mule, sheep,
swine and turkey.
The grant application must be emailed or postmarked by
5:00 p.m. on June 29, 2018. Work for this grant cycle must be done and expenses
reported by June 30, 2019. The application and more information can be found at
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/disaster/wolf/wolfconflictprevent.aspx.
This is the second round of grants available to the
state’s livestock owners after the Minnesota Legislature provided funding to
the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in 2017. The first round awarded
$120,000 to 25 producers in 12 counties of the state. Grantees are using the
money for items like fencing, guard animals, and motion lights – all deterrents
to wolves.
