Counter Checklist & Clean Water Projects

Counter Checklist & Clean Water Projects

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

A proposed checklist by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for ranchers regarding wolf management and recovery has been challenged by cattle ranchers in Eastern Washington with a counter checklist for the agency that would shift the burden of wolf preservation to the state instead of livestock producers. One option the WDFW’s checklist included was for producers to wait until calves reach 200 pounds before being turned out, or delay turnout until June, an option the Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association says greatly increases maintenance costs for ranchers. Producers are concerned that the WDFW doesn’t have enough information on current wolf populations and predation in the state. Dave Ware, Game Division Manager for the WDFW, says that the primary purpose behind the checklist was to open a dialogue with producers, stating that:

WARE: Conflict is the number one issue for recovery of wolves.

Ranchers agree that more communication with the department is needed. Ware says that the Department of Fish and Wildlife will continue to work with stakeholder groups, which include Conservation Northwest, a pro-wolf group, Cattle Producers of Washington, and the Washington Cattlemen’s Association.

Seventy-two clean water projects have been selected by the Washington Department of Ecology to receive a share of roughly $162 million in loans and grants beginning July 1. The 72 approved projects include stream-side restoration, clean water education, water protection and cleanup projects, septic system improvements, stormwater projects, and more. For project descriptions and proposed funding amounts visit the DOE website.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.