Fencing Will Control Deer
Sunday, August 29, 2004
New Jersey's exploding deer population is threatening to eat farmers
out of business. Controlled hunts are not reducing, at least not fast
enough, the deer herds that feast on crops. But maybe the fencing the
state is making available just might help deer and farmers better
share New Jersey's dwindling open spaces. Good fences can make good
neighbors.
The fencing already has dramatically reduced crop destruction by deer
in places where farmers have put it up. Still, the cost can be a
barrier for some farmers. That's why the $300,000 from the state
Department of Agriculture and the Division of Fish and Wildlife is so
important in keeping New Jersey the Garden State.
Farmers will get up to 5,000 feet of fence, roughly enough to enclose
a 30-acre parcel. The state will also pay 30 percent of the cost of
fence poles.
State officials pulled this money from other programs. But lawmakers
ought to consider dedicating future funds for fencing. With food
sources reduced, the deer population could naturally shrink to fit
within the constraints of New Jersey's environment.
As it stands, there are simply too many deer for this crowded,
overdeveloped state. There are approximately 170,000 deer in New
Jersey. That's about 23 deer per square mile of land. Of course, the
deer aren't spread evenly around the state. They're squeezed into
forests and undeveloped buffers adjacent to farms.
Relative to hunting, fencing is a safe way to manage the deer herd,
especially in developed areas such as Cherry Hill. We hope more
fencing is offered to farmers.
---------------------------------------------------------------
For more information on the fencing and how to apply, call (609) 292-
5532.
Letters to the Editor - cpedit@courierpostonline.com
Forwarded message - please reply to lynne.richmond@ag.state.nj.us
NJ Dept of Ag & DEP Announce $300,000 Funding Program for Deer
Fencing on Farms
News Release
NJDA, DEP ANNOUNCE FUNDING FOR DEER FENCING ON FARMS
Farmers' Application Process Getting Underway
For Immediate Release: August 24, 2004 Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609)292-8896
lynne.richmond@ag.state.nj.us
(TRENTON) - New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Charles M. Kuperus today
announced $300,000 in funding is available for a deer fencing program
that will be run cooperatively with the Department of Environmental
Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife and Rutgers Cooperative
Extension.
The cost-share program, in which the farmer would bear part of the
cost and the responsibility for installation, will provide fencing
material, plus up to 30 percent of the line posts at no cost to
qualified farmers.
"Whether it is our Jersey Fresh marketing program, or cost-share
initiatives to help farmers conserve natural resources, we are always
looking for ways to partner with the agricultural community and
thereby help farms stay viable and vital," said Secretary
Kuperus. "Deer fencing has proven effective in keeping the deer at
bay and is a good investment assisting farmers who otherwise would
not be able to build fencing around their property."
The DEP operated a deer-fencing program in the 1990's. It was so
popular, the DEP experienced a backlog. The Department of Agriculture
utilized grant money to dissipate the backlog. However, that funding
source dried up and the deer-fencing program was discontinued.
A Rutgers Cooperative Extension survey of farmers who participated in
the 1998 deer fencing program indicated that almost 70 percent of
wildlife crop loss is attributable to deer. The New Jersey
Agricultural Experiment Station estimates the economic loss to
farmers to be between $5 million and $10 million annually.
Secretary Kuperus was joined for the announcement by Martin McHugh,
Director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife and Jack Rabin,
Associate Director/Farm Services, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, who
agreed the deer problem is increasing.
"The Department of Environmental Protection has a long history of
working with the Department of Agriculture and the agricultural
community to responsibly manage the New Jersey deer herd," said
Director McHugh. "Managing the deer population minimizes economic
loss to farmers while providing recreational and economic benefits to
the citizens of our state. The deer fencing program exemplifies the
successful partnership forged between both departments."
"The nature of how the state has been developing has left farmers
with no way to manage the deer herd on their own," said Rabin. "The
state needs to help provide a remedy."
Also attending the announcement were Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew and
Douglas Fisher, who advocated for the renewed fencing funding in the
Legislature.
"We can't forget our farmers--they need our support," said
Assemblyman Van Drew. "In order to keep open space and farms, we need
to help our farmers where and when we can. This is a competitive
industry that relies on supplies such as deer fencing."
"This kind of program helps farmers continue on their land by making
sure their crops avoid damage by wildlife," said Assemblyman
Fisher. "When we keep working farms working, we increase the state's
prospects for maintaining farms as green space."
The NJDA is providing $250,000 in new funding allocated in the Fiscal
Year 2005 state budget for the program. The DEP is contributing
$50,000 to the program.
To participate in the program, farmers must meet these eligibility
criteria:
• Be a New Jersey farmer having documented proof of a minimum of
$40,000 in sales of agricultural commodities produced by the
applicant on a New Jersey farm
• Be a New Jersey certified organic farmer having documented proof of
a minimum of $20,000 in sales of agricultural commodities produced by
the applicant on a New Jersey farm
• Be the owner of the land or have documented proof of renting
preserved farmland or farmland that is enrolled in an Eight-Year
Farmland Preservation Program
• Complete a mandatory deer fence installation workshop sponsored by
the NJDA, NJDEP, and Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Farmers receiving help with fencing will be required to use the
material solely for the purpose of keeping deer off their land and
are prohibited from using the fence to contain equine, livestock,
poultry, or other animals. Any unused fence will have to be returned
to NJDA and cannot be sold.
Applications for deer fencing will be available to farmers after
September 1. They will be available through the NJDA, county
extension offices and the following Fish & Wildlife field offices:
- Clinton WMA, 7 Van Syckles Road, Hampton
- Assumpink WMA, 386 Clarksburg-Robbinsville Road, Robbinsville
- Southern Regional Office, 220 New Brooklyn-Blue Anchor Road,
Sicklerville
- Pequest Natural Resource Education Center, 605 Pequest Road, Oxford
Farmers also can call the NJDA at (609) 292-5532 for more information.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/opinion/o082904b.htm#
Posted on SHARE Yahoo group Aug 29, 2004