The Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are providing additional funding to the Middle Park Stockgrowers Association to continue supporting their community efforts of on-the-ground nonlethal predator deterrents. 

CDA is extending the agreement with MPSG and, through collaboration with CPW, adding an additional $28,000 to support the association’s nonlethal deterrents plan, which includes a nighttime range rider to prevent wolf conflicts. 

“We commend the many producers who are putting in the hard work of reducing predator conflict using non-lethal tools,” said Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg. “There are resources available to producers, and CDA and CPW remain committed to not only deploying those resources quickly, but making sure they fit the needs of each agricultural community we serve. This additional funding for the Middle Park Stockgrowers has emerged through much collaboration with Middle Park. It will allow their community to continue implementing non-lethal practices, such as range riding. These tools are working. The more we work together to put different non-lethal techniques on the landscape, the more tools we’ll have to reduce conflict and ensure resilient ranches well into the future.”

Funding for these nonlethal conflict mitigation tools comes from CPW’s wolf depredation and conflict fund, and no license dollars were allocated for these range riders and other tools.

“We are grateful for our continued partnership with CDA, Middle Park Stockgrowers, and our agriculture communities across Colorado as we continue to restore this species,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis. “This additional funding will help producers in Middle Park and surrounding communities ensure they have the non-lethal tools in their conflict mitigation toolbox to protect their livestock and minimize conflict with wolves.”

This funding builds on $20,000 that the Polis Administration has already awarded the Middle Park Stockgrowers to fund nonlethal deterrents.

“We were not prepared for the negative impacts that are happening, but the producers are having ongoing discussions about solutions with CDA and CPW,” said Tim Ritschard, president of Middle Park Stockgrowers Association. “We appreciate the assistance, this is an important first step in our partnership as we continue to work together through this process.”

In addition to the continued support of the Middle Park community, CDA has been working with ranchers in other communities to implement nonlethal deterrents to ensure they are prepared for any future wolf activity. 

“We continue to stand alongside Colorado’s agricultural communities, regardless of whether they have experienced wolf-related impacts, so those communities can implement operational changes, trainings and workshops, understand the suite of tools CDA and CPW have available, and put other non-lethal tools on the ground that support resilient ranching and livestock production,” said Commissioner Greenberg. “Additionally, CDA has hired a manager for the non-lethal Conflict Reduction Program who will help bring resources and education about wolves and non-lethal conflict reduction to ag communities across the state.”

CDA has hired Dustin Shiflett to manage the Nonlethal Conflict Reduction Program in the animal health division. Shiflett has been working in the agricultural and conservation arenas for nearly two decades, including 16 years at CPW and approximately a year at CDA in the conservation division. Shiflett will be hiring two additional employees for CDA’s program to work directly with producers. CDA staffers will work with communities where wolves have been spotted as well as ag communities that have not yet had wolves present. 

Understanding the need for additional staffing resources to help producers identify potential conflict mitigation tools that will work for them, CPW has added five additional Damage Conflict Mitigation Specialists. These five new staff members will assist Adam Baca, wolf conflict coordinator, expand the current wolf conflict mitigation program and assist in any depredation investigations.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding, CDA is working closely with CPW to anticipate and prepare for predator and livestock incidents. This includes help and education around nonlethal deterrence methods, such as range riders or the use of fladry.

Additionally, livestock producers who are affected by depredations and submit a claim may be eligible for the fair market value of livestock lost to wolf depredation. CPW’s dedicated Wolf Depredation Compensation cash fund has $175,000, provided from the state’s General Fund, in its balance and will receive $350,000 additional General Funds per fiscal year to keep a healthy balance in the fund on an ongoing basis.

Source: Colorado Department of Agriculture