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Marin County Livestock Protection Program

Marin County Livestock Protection Program. CACASA Weed and Vertebrate Committee May 2, 2006 Stacy Carlsen. ( Photo courtesy of Marin Agricultural Land Trust). Overview. Controversial Program History and Background Integrated Livestock Protection Cost Share Program

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Marin County Livestock Protection Program

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  1. Marin CountyLivestock Protection Program CACASA Weed and Vertebrate Committee May 2, 2006 Stacy Carlsen (Photo courtesy of Marin Agricultural Land Trust)

  2. Overview • Controversial Program • History and Background • Integrated Livestock Protection • Cost Share Program • Livestock Protection Components • Livestock Indemnification • Evaluation and Rate of Success • Future Activities (Photo courtesy of Marin Agricultural Land Trust)

  3. I. Locally Controversial Program • Contract with USDA Wildlife Services • Little emphasis on non-lethal methods • Years of heated debates • $60K / year ($30K and $30K Co. match) • Livestock / sheep losses estimated at greater than 5%

  4. History and Background • 1989 USDA Contract established in County (1/2 PY) • 1996 (Feb.) 1080 Livestock Collar registered by DPR • 1997 Initiated Livestock Protection Collar Pilot Project • (Compound 1080) • Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino • 1997 Full time position approved by Board of Supervisors • 1998 (Nov.) Proposition 4 Anti-trapping/poison Initiative passes • Animal Activist, News Media, Protest Increased “Local Tax Dollars replaces traps and poison” as the issue • 1998-2001 USDA-WS cooperative agreement protested year round. Multiple public meetings, Board reports. • 2000 notify USDA of 18 month sunset to contract and initiated local program • 2001(October) Launch 5 year livestock strategic plan, $50K/ year • 2006 Authorized additional 5 year program, $50k/year

  5. II. Integrated Livestock Protection • Discontinued Wildlife Services Contract 18 month sunset and program options • Initiated County program October 2001 • County Funded at $50K / year • Non-lethal program emphasis on exclusion • Five Year Strategic Plan- Goals, initiatives • Integrated approach with statistical analysis

  6. III. Cost Share Program $2000.00/ yr. for 200 head or greater $500.00/ yr. for >25 head but < 200 head Matching funds, receipts, site inspections $220K spent on project in past 5 yrs. $250K planned over next 5 years Future efforts to focus on high predation areas, habitat modifications, husbandry, premium fences

  7. IV. Livestock Protection Components Comprehensive approach, including cost-sharing of exclusion and non-lethal improvements: - Fencing 132,880 linear feet (25.1 miles)

  8. IV. Livestock Protection Components Comprehensive approach, including Cost-Sharing of exclusion and non- lethal improvements: - Guard Animals 23 dogs 19 llamas - Mixed Livestock Grazing

  9. IV. Livestock Protection Components Comprehensiveapproach, including Cost-Sharing of exclusion and non- lethal improvements: Visual Deterrents, Scare devices &noise makers 16 strobe & radio devices

  10. IV. Livestock Protection Components Comprehensive approach, including cost-sharing of exclusion and non-lethal improvements: - Husbandry Practices night penning/protective paddocks shepherding adjust lambing season

  11. IV. Livestock Protection Components Comprehensive approach including cost-sharing of exclusion and non-lethal improvements: - Ranchers and Creativity electric fencing, mixing stock, behavioral modifiers, call and shoot, snares

  12. Coyote management and mutual assistance Ranchers share efforts in region Not just a spank and release program

  13. IV. Indemnification Ranch and operation assessment by County/ UCCE Meet livestock management standard to be eligible Up to 5% of loss Loss verified Maintain good standing

  14. V. Evaluators of Success: Average Livestock Losses Level of Participation Annual Cost Does it Meet Rancher and Community Needs

  15. V. Evaluators of Success: 1. Livestock Program Statistics: - Number of sheep ~ 7,500 - Sheep under program ~ 6,700 - Average program loss < 2.2% (for participating ranchers)

  16. V. Evaluators of Success: V. Evaluators of Success: 2.Level of Participation: • FY 01/02 – 13 of 31 ranchers • FY 02/03 – 16 of 30 • FY 03/04 – 17 of 29 • FY 04/05 – 18 of 29 • FY 05/06 – 21 of 29 All major producers participate with remainder being hobbyist or < 50 head

  17. V. Evaluators of Success: 3. Annual Cost: - FY 01/02 – $50K = $44K cost share / $6 K Indemnified -FY 02/03 – $50K = $31K cost share / $19K Indemnified -FY 03/04 - $40K = $26K cost share / $14K Indemnified -FY 04/05 - $40K = $27K cost share / $13K Indemnified -FY 05/06 - $40K = $30K est. cost / $10K Indemnified -FY 06/07 - $50K = $40K est. cost / $10K Indemnified …and

  18. USDA Cost Benefit Analysis and Replacement Cost analysis • Model utilizes hypothetical data or estimates- 1 year of data. • Not based on trends or program analysis • No actual Cost/ Benefit performed • Replacement Cost Reports not peer reviewed • No collaboration

  19. USDA/UCCE documented livestock losses (Sept-Oct) $36,240 (1994) 447 sheep $83,000 (1995) 787 sheep $39,440 (1996) 471 sheep $40,950 (1997) 402 sheep $36,776 (1998) 413 sheep $32,776 (1999) 349 sheep $82,805 (2000) 750 sheep Mean $ Loss/ year =$43,585 Mean animal loss/ year =516 Marin/UCCE documented livestock losses (FY) $28,227 (2001) 322 sheep $19,350 (2002) 237 sheep $14,322 (2003) 158 sheep $13,052 (2004) 149 sheep $12,000 (2005) 125 sheep*** (Current losses at 107) Mean $ Loss/ Year = $17,390 Mean animal loss/ year = 198 *** Estimate -July to June USDA and Marin Co.

  20. Five Year Comparison of Animal Losses Chi square test Degrees of freedom: 4 Chi-square = 169.998557189603 p is less than or equal to 0.001. The distribution is significant.

  21. Program Cost USDA-WS • $38,500 (1996) • $58,500 (1997) • $59,000 (1998) • $60,000 (1999) • $60,000 (2000) Marin County • $50,000 (2001/02) • $50,000 (2002/03) • $40,000 (2003/04) • $40,000 (2004/05) • $40,000 (2005/06) • $50,000 (2006/07)*** ***Proposed Budget

  22. Five Year Comparison of Program Cost Chi-square test Degrees of freedom: 4 Chi-square = 7.58076597433467 For significance at the .05 level, chi-square should be greater than or equal to 9.49. The distribution is not significant.p is less than or equal to 0.20.

  23. V. Evaluators of Success: • Does it Meet Rancher and Community Needs • Board of Sups. authorized 5 + yrs. with any balance encumbered • Consensus between ranchers and animal activist on program objectives • Increased budget to $50K / year in FY 06/07 • Pilot projects (lambing shelters, model fencing, habitat modifications) under consideration pending grant authorization

  24. VI. Future Challenges Funding for UC and CSU research projects for habitat modification and cost benefit analysis Increased resources if greater participation Increased urban coyote / public interactions Continuous changing of non-lethal controls as coyotes learn to circumvent

  25. Questions…

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