Rural New Mexico County Votes to Stop Funding Federal Wildlife-Killing

[Disir]

In a 2020 compromise with residents who opposed the program’s ongoing slaughter of wildlife, commissioners approved a contract with Wildlife Services and renewed that contract unchanged in 2021. It provided $25,000 of federal grazing fee funds to match an additional $57,159 in federal appropriations but required the agency to “prioritize nonlethal methods” of livestock protection. Yet, in a final quarterly report belatedly released before last week’s vote, and in previous reports, the agency did not document any instances of nonlethal protection.

“This rogue agency ignored its pledge to reform its practices so as to take less of a toll on wildlife,” said Silver City resident Glenn Griffin. “Money for killing coyotes, mountain lions and bears would be better spent on county road maintenance.”

Grant County is largely rural and includes much of the Gila National Forest.

Rural New Mexico County Votes to Stop Funding Federal Wildlife-Killing

Center for Biological Diversity: SILVER CITY, N.M.— Grant County commissioners voted 2-1 against renewing a contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program last Thursday because the federal agency, which kills carnivores on behalf of the livestock industry, ignored...

biologicaldiversity.org

LOL @ new vote with the 2 missing commissioners from the last one. If the agency can't or won't provide documentation then I would kick them out until they figure out how. Otherwise it's just a waste of money and lip service. There has to be livestock protection. There has to be some give and take here.

 

[1srelluc]

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I don't understand why the feds were involved anyway.....Those that own the cattle should be responsible for protecting them from predators.

 

[pknopp]

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I don't understand why the feds were involved anyway.....Those that own the cattle should be responsible for protecting them from predators.

That seems like common sense to me.

 

[johngaltshrugged]

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I don't understand why the feds were involved anyway.....Those that own the cattle should be responsible for protecting them from predators.

I can tell you for a certainty that if a wild animal was attacking my livestock, the feds are the last place I would look for help.
Their solution would be to kill my cattle to deprive the predator of a food source so it would move to a neighbors property.

Ranchers are allowed to hunt down predators that threaten their animals. Get to it yourself if it's really that big a problem. Asking the govt for help is just begging for trouble

 

[ozro]

Many ranchers in western nm are currently paying 45 bucks for a pair of coyote ears. The do- gooders put a stop to that here in Arizona.

 

[1srelluc]

That seems like common sense to me.

I can tell you for a certainty that if a wild animal was attacking my livestock, the feds are the last place I would look for help.
Their solution would be to kill my cattle to deprive the predator of a food source so it would move to a neighbors property.

Ranchers are allowed to hunt down predators that threaten their animals. Get to it yourself if it's really that big a problem. Asking the govt for help is just begging for trouble

I guess this is why the feds are involved....Perhaps the state can't issue kill permits due to fed land.

Grant County is largely rural and includes much of the Gila National Forest.